notturnito | Time Will Answer [FIC]

Title: Time Will Answer

Fandom: ATEEZ

Rating: T

Pairing(s): n/a. Focus on Kim Hongjoong & Park Seonghwa

Warnings: AU - Witchcraft. witches, fluff and angst, nonverbal communication, queerplatonic relationships.

Notes: to fill self prompt #9 of 8 makes 1 family fest: coven au, snapshots of how hj adopts the rest of the members into his coven

chapter warning: they/them san bc they dont understand human gendering and they think it doesnt apply to them so they can do whatever

Family is not only bound by blood.

(Or, how Hongjoong makes perfumes and slowly builds his coven over the years, starting from Seonghwa.)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

If Hongjoong ever says to anyone, any other witch, even to unassuming humans, that he expected San's presence in both Seonghwa and his lives, San will laugh. They will laugh so hard until they're left lying down on the ground, wheezing, flaily hands slapping like uncoordinated seals, before they will wipe their tears away and call Hongjoong a liar.

For a feline, they really don't have grace or dignity, Hongjoong will think, to which San will immediately sit up, bristled.

"Yah! I felt that!"

And at the other end of the room, Seonghwa will shake his head, lips curving into a soft smile. He will have been smiling a lot, much more often than when Hongjoong first met him. His amusement will color the three-way coven bond tying him, Hongjoong, and San together, in such a palpable, fleeting feeling despite the softness of it. It will be balm to San's indignance, soothing their ruffled feathers - or coat, in this case, for felines; see, San will be back smiling happily in no time, afterwards.

Then, Hongjoong will reach out to Seonghwa with his own energy through that bond, until he feels the boundary where his being ends and Seonghwa begins, as simple as the physical act of reaching out a hand to someone and then gently resting your palm on them.

Sometimes, life will be as simple as that.

The Hongjoong and Seonghwa who nearly finish their apprenticeships with Eden do not know it yet, though.

What do you think we should do after this?

Seonghwa traces the question on the side of Hongjoong's thigh as both of them are curled up beneath the oak tree, with Hongjoong being Seonghwa's big spoon.

Hongjoong taps thoughtfully on top of Seonghwa's palm, to let Seonghwa know that he's thinking about it.

Throughout their apprenticeship with Eden, Hongjoong has learned that Seonghwa prefers working with spells that have either a recipe or a ritual; with runes that can be charged with elements embodied within precious gems or crystals; with anything that does not or with minimal requirements of energy work. It is the step by step work that he can follow without fail. Unlike Hongjoong, who is chosen to be a green witch, Seonghwa is one at heart, with his fondness for growing plants and his natural respect for the Earth.

Meanwhile, Hongjoong likes to dabble in anything, everything. His natural affinity for earth-based spells has grown stronger and stronger (and so do his plants; the forsythia flowers that both Seonghwa and he have planted grow up to 6 metres high, with blossoms and leaves far too giant to be usual forsythias - It's your fault, Seonghwa's eyes expressed as he looked at Hongjoong at the time). He has also been researching air-based and water-based spells due to siren song, though he doesn't tell Seonghwa that.

The natural course for both Seonghwa and him seems to continue being green witches. Being a herbalist, healer; such is their sort of work.

But Eden has spent a long time with humans, see. From using the internet as per his suggestions, Hongjoong has been sleeping on a certain idea that might appeal to both humans and witches. One that combines both Hongjoong and Seonghwa's expertise in earth, water, and air-based magic altogether.

Hongjoong taps insistently on Seonghwa's palm, until Seonghwa turns slightly over to look back at Hongjoong, his dark eyes questioning.

Hongjoong simpers up.

"What do you feel about perfumes?"

They don't start a shop right away.

Eden catches wind of their plan and plucks the idea of starting after their apprenticeship from their heads.

"You're too bold," he tells Hongjoong. "Not even witch florists can fend for themselves these days, and their job can be considered one of the easiest, to green witches. You, on the other hand, are talking about plant-growing, potion-manufacturing, and promoting your contrivances. Have you thought of the space for all these? The finances involved?"

But Eden slips them ancient scent-related spells and rituals, reviews the recipes Seonghwa has contrived on potions-turned-perfumes. And he lands Hongjoong internships with his Witchmaster coven members who already have worked and blended in with the humans. Songwriters (air-based), tattoo-artists (water-based), or even those who directly "advertise" themselves as witches.

Hongjoong-ssi, tell Leez that you're now selling the confidence-inducing scents that Seonghwa-ssi came up with. Also, Ollounder wants several batches of the Adonis perfume for himself. Have you managed to figure out how to store the potions for a longer time, Hongjoong-ssi? Hmm, it is a good trick to engrave the glass for perfume cases with sigils; I agree. You've gotten far with selling those perfumes; I think it is time to promote them to the witch association. Why are you flustered, now? You have done well.

"We owe you lots, ssaem," Hongjoong tells Eden, as Seonghwa hurriedly nods and signs his thanks in infinite gratitude beside him.

Eden scoffs. Waves Hongjoong away.

"You are my apprentice," he says, as though it is obvious. "Some says that a Witchmaster's treasure is their trove, but clearly that's not true. It is their coven, and their good apprentices, Hongjoong-ssi, Seonghwa-ssi."

"Ssaem…!" Eden-seonsaengnim…!

"Besides, if you think that you owe me lots already from just helping you with connections, I wonder what your thoughts will be over this place I just found, that may or may not be rather good for your future perfume shop."

Hongjoong gapes his mouth open, wide. He turns his head to face Seonghwa, who also turns to him while mirroring the same expression - wide eyes, open, surprised mouth.

They turn to face a smiling Eden, who is fondly gazing at them.

"Ssaem!"

And so begins Hongjoong and Seonghwa's intertwined dream.

Though, not forgetting one more thing.

("I'm assumming that you both are to form a coven together," Eden amusedly says, when the fateful day arrives.

That time, Hongjoong's hair is no longer its original dark color, dyed orange from one of his and Seonghwa's experiments. Seonghwa's hair is still black, though he grows them out, and now he has long bangs that fall around his face in beautiful waves.

Seonghwa slips his hand into Hongjoong, bold and yet so certain of an action. And as Hongjoong turns to look, Seonghwa meets his gaze, his eyes smiling along with him. He is still taller than Hongjoong, his figure a willow, though Hongjoong does not mind that even a bit.

Hongjoong will never forget this day.

And when all is done, when their blood finally makes the rope-cord of their pact and when Hongjoong's soul is finally knitted with Seonghwa's: he feels… that everything is falling into place.)

Several new things that come up after Seonghwa and Hongjoong are bound in a coven and are now living together:

Shared emotions.

Example:

Hongjoong having volunteered to plant their newly-bought seeds and transfer some of Seonghwa's flowers to the new pots in their new shop-house's balcony. It happens when, forgetting to wear his imugi scale gloves, he starts to haphazardly transfer soil for a kerria blossom bonsai thing that Seonghwa is cultivating.

Then, Hongjoong feels it: the steadily increasing thrum of exasperation, beating in his chest like a second heart, before his shoulder is tapped insistently, and then he whirls around to face an irate Seonghwa.

What are you doing? Seonghwa gestures desperately to his ruined bonsai, before signing in rapid-fire speed. That one doesn't need soil or any transferring, and even then, I told you not to tamper with any of our plants' soil, Hongjoong. The natural way is the right way; for our perfumes, we really don't need giant flowers or long-living plants. Look, your energy is already– it won't be a bonsai tree if it's going to grow a normal kerria's height!

Dazedly staring into Seonghwa's fiery eyes, Hongjoong feels it again, though fainter this time: the fire-licking annoyance, curling in his chest as though a slip of silk.

Shared second Vision.

Example:

Hongjoong blinking, staring down at his hands, before he blinks again.

Flickering in and out of existence like ghostly fire, is his energy-aura, swathing his hands to his arms to his entire body, though very, very faintly.

Hongjoong blinks again.

"Seonghwa-yah," he calls out, making Seonghwa look up from his spraying the balcony plants. "Have I accidentally drawn the Third Eye? I think, I can see my energy-aura? And the plants' energy? And the brews' energy…? What did I just do."

Seonghwa blinks at him. Before his eyes lighten up in realization.

Hongjoong, he starts to sign, then pauses. When Eden-seonsaengnim talked about dark arts practitioners, do you remember when he mentioned that their ancestors usually made a pact with beings from darker planes? When Hongjoong nods, he continues to sign. That makes them unable to do certain abilities, but enables them to do other things that usual witches would usually not.

Hongjoong nods again.

Shyly, Seonghwa signs, Dark arts don't need the Third Eye spell, to use their second Vision.

Oh. Oooh.

"Huh," Hongjoong thoughtfully says.

It's very useful, really, when the cats suddenly start coming to the shop.

It's a slow day, though it's always a slow day when you've just opened the shop and all your clients are just your ex-Witchmaster's coven. Hongjoong and Seonghwa are still not finished yet with taking care of bypassing the legal issue with human consent, since those sort will unknowingly ingest their potions-turned-perfumes. Still, when the door to the shop jingles open, Hongjoong looks up from the counter desk to see that…? No one has entered?

"Meow," something says, and Hongjoong directs his line of sight lower.

It's… orange, the tabby cat's coat. Looking up to Hongjoong, it squints, its mouth curving as though giving a smile as it meows again, its tail swishing.

Its eyes are mismatched: one brown, one yellow.

"Um," Hongjoong says, when the cat draws nearer, tail swishing back and forth in excitement. "Seonghwa? Seonghwa-yah?"

There is a tug of curiosity in Hongjoong's chest - Seonghwa - before said witch emerges from the back of the shop, blinking in question at Hongjoong, then he directs his gaze to the cat.

The cat's tail swishes again, as it simpers up to Seonghwa.

Tilting its head, it gives another mrow as it sits back on his hind legs, looking at both Hongjoong and Seonghwa in expectation.

Hongjoong shares a look with Seonghwa, at a loss.

They end up feeding the tabby cat a fish that Seonghwa grilled. The cat purrs the entire time, butting its head aggressively on Hongjoong's palm, even baring its white-furred stomach for… scratches? Leez's dog familiar was not even this affectionate, and the cat's mannerisms leave Hongjoong at such a loss on what to do. Though, when Hongjoong grabs it and asks Seonghwa to check the sex, the tabby suddenly grows tenfold in strength and wriggles desperately out of Hongjoong's hold, before darting out the shop at once.

It leaves so fast, as fast as the wind that forms the signature of its energy.

Then, more cats show up.

Calico. British shorthair. Tortoiseshell. Birman. Ragdoll. Siamese. Maine Coon.

One will unfailingly perch by the shop's door sill each day, eyes squinted closed happily as it meows up to Hongjoong, tail always swishing. And without fail, Seonghwa will always feed it, receiving an enthusiastic headbutt to the palm in return, before it leaves and a different cat returns the next day, so customary it is as though a clockwork.

Hongjoong, the eyes, Seonghwa calmly observes as he traces the words on Hongjoong's arm. All the cats have the same eyes.

Huh.

Hongjoong crouches down until one of his knees touch the woodwork of the floor, the cat - a Bombay breed with sleek black fur - eating grilled fish in a coaster Seonghwa sacrifices for its feeding. This close, Hongjoong can feel and see its breezy energy, the way it flimsy-flutters like nonchalant feathers gliding on a zephyr. Noticing Hongjoong's attention, the cat looks up unblinkingly, pupil friendly and round. Its pink tongue slips out to lick its mouth in a split second.

Its eyes, just like the first orange tabby cat, are mismatched. One brown. One yellow.

"The color of your eyes is the same," Hongjoong quietly murmurs. "As well as your energy-aura."

But his voice is not quiet enough, as the cat's ears flatten back and it straightens up at once, pupils turning to slits.

Before Hongjoong or Seonghwa can do or say anything, the cat already darts out of the door, as though the wind has carried it away.

No cats show up at their door for several days.

Hongjoong does not say it, but worry grows within him like a bramble of bush, worry for the cat, or maybe the shapeshifter. He can also notice Seonghwa feeling the same, coven bond and whatnot.

Whenever the shop's bell jingles and it's only Leez who comes in, or Ollounder, or Buddy, (not Maddox, though, not him and his sunshiny smile - Hongjoong likes him enough) Hongjoong will slump in dejection on the counter desk. Still on about the shifter, Hongjoong? They all will ask, and Hongjoong will nod sullenly.

He is doing half-hearted calculations for the shop's revenue when the door jingles open.

"Hello," an unfamiliar voice chirps, and Hongjoong looks up.

The voice belongs to a scrawny figure, flat-chested, a too-large skirt nearly hanging off their hips from how oversized it is. The person has blond hair, framing a face featuring slanted eyes and pouty lips. It is a pretty face, Hongjoong thinks. They have a nervous, but sweet smile when they look at Hongjoong, cheeks dimpled from it.

Still. "Sorry," Hongjoong straightens up from his slouch, putting up his strict customer voice. "We're not accepting any customers for now, unless you are here from Eden's recommendation?"

The stranger startles. "Oh, I'm not here on, uh, the recommendation! But, but," their eyes dart nervously around the room, taking in the glass cases of Seonghwa's (and Hongjoong's) perfumes on the shelves. "Ah! I'm here to get your things!"

"Things?"

An enthusiastic nod, before pointing at the perfumes. "Those! I want those."

Hongjoong sighs. "Like I said, it's a bit unfortunate, but we're currently not open for business." Not until he and Seonghwa get around the human consent thing, and it seems that this person is one, albeit a bit eccentric, a bit witch-like. "I would have to ask you to leave, sorry."

"Ah, but, um," the stranger looks so hesitant, toned, tanned hands clutching the hem of their shirt, also oversized. They stare at Hongjoong, light reflected in their eyes. "I really would love to get something…!"

They have mismatched eyes. Hongjoong pauses, before he leans in a bit to observe the stranger.

One brown eye, one yellow eye. And if he focuses himself enough, he can see… there, the stranger's energy-aura, as elusive and as slippery as the wind.

Ah.

Hongjoong pauses for a moment, before letting his previous expression be washed over by a bright grin.

"Then, which of our perfumes would you like, dear customer?" The stranger blinks, hands still on the bottom hem of their shirt. Hongjoong offers them a brighter grin. "You can take a look around if you'd like."

The stranger's eyes brighten. "Yes, I would love that!"

It's a strange feeling, to see someone prancing around in the shop, gasping in wonder or squealing in delight whenever they see a perfume that catches their eyes. Eden's coven members tend to place orders, taking their perfumes from Hongjoong's counter and leaving once the business is settled, unlike the stranger, who is browsing around with bright, wide eyes.

Hongjoong cannot help but smile at that, leaning down with his cheek pressed against his palm. Seonghwa will also like this sight, he muses.

And, of course, when the stranger comes back with one glass case, Hongjoong chuckles.

"En?" They tilt their head to the side, obvious in their confusion.

Hongjoong smiles again. "You made Seonghwa and I worry, when you disappeared like that."

A sharp intake of breath. The stranger is so startled they nearly drop their chosen perfume (cat-attracting scent, Hongjoong notes in amusement. One of Buddy's commissions that comes in handy at the moment). Their mismatched eyes dart nervously around. "I, I don't know what you're talking about–"

Hongjoong raises an eyebrow, before tapping his temple.

"Wha-" the stranger raises their hand to their own temple, then realizes that Hongjoong means their eyes. "Oh. Ah…" they slump down in defeat. "You found out…"

Hongjoong shrugs. "You're not very subtle, though."

That comment seems to make the stranger sink down even more. "Oh," they trace the hem of their shirt carefully. "I just wanted to thank you both… you were so nice, feeding me so many good fish… and I like this place too; it reminds me of my old home back when… back in the mountains..."

They look up. "I didn't mean to bother, really."

Hongjoong stares at them. Something about the hesitation lining the stranger's hands as they bunch together their shirt reminds Hongjoong too much of Seonghwa, of the early days when he didn't quite know what Hongjoong wanted from him just yet. When he finally told Hongjoong the truth over siren song.

And with the way they said my old home…

Hongjoong clears his throat, drawing the stranger's attention to him. "Have you eaten yet, er, what should I call you?"

They perk up quite easily. "I'm San! Because I come from the mountains!"

A smile easily makes its way on Hongjoong's lips as well.

"Well, San," he says. "Why don't we go in for a bit? I'll get Seonghwa to cook you something, then maybe we can get you a change of clothes, and then…"

Notes:

who am i if i dont transify at least 1 ateez member in my fics :>

thank u for reading up to this far!! next chapter will be abt meeting yungi (came together as a package, pls dont separate 🥺🥺)