Zagan returns! Hakuryuu plays with magic! the boys are super cute! all good things~ I had a lot of fun writing the very end of this chapter, so please enjoy :D see y'all next week!
Hakuryuu sits at the counter, reading and taking notes while the store is slow. It's been a quiet morning and he's enjoying the peace. He likes that he can sit for hours with Judal without it turning into an awkward silence or either of them forcing conversation. Judal is an antsier person, however.
"I'm taking this stupid bench into storage," Judal declares, breaking the calm and pointing at the offending piece of furniture. "I swear only the rudest people want it."
Hakuryuu looks up from his book. "Isn't that what the woman who didn't understand antiques wanted?"
"Sure fucking is! And some guy called me about it last night with this whole sob story about how I should just give it to him cause he's like, unable to afford it but it would look perfect in his backyard," Judal groans. "So fuck this bench!"
"I see."
Judal sticks his tongue out. "Don't you say that, or I'll make you deal with this guy. He comes in every once in awhile begging for free shit."
"I guess I can accept that. You did make me a manager," Hakuryuu points out, and Judal laughs.
"Point taken! You can deal with all the morons from now on," he says. "Or at least for the next half hour or so. I really am putting this back in storage." Judal draws his wand and lifts the bench with magic, floating it in front of him as he carefully heads into the back.
Hakuryuu sets aside his book to better watch the store. Even if it's empty now, he likes to be prepared.
Not long after, someone does come in and he's particularly glad he was prepared. Zagan seems judgemental before he can even say hello, but he's beginning to think that might just be how he always is.
"Oh, you," Zagan says instead of hello. Maybe disappointment is his way of greeting people.
"Good afternoon. Are you looking for Judal?" Hakuryuu asks. Zagan makes himself comfortable on one of the plush chairs near the counter and shakes his head.
"No, I suppose I can deal with you for now. He's flitting around here somewhere, isn't he?"
He nods. "He's in the back."
"Did he solve that magic eating problem?" Zagan asks, filling the awkward silence between them. He looks significantly more human here than he did in his home. It makes sense he would use magic to disguise himself when outside of his home, but something about seeing something so powerful seem so normal makes Hakuryuu feel uneasy.
"We did. It was a Barren Neotoma," he explains. "But it's gone now."
"Oh good, those are nasty little buggers. They don't crop up much anymore, but they used to be such a blight," Zagan says, pulling a face before looking at Hakuryuu with doubt. "Did you really help him out?"
Zagan's staring at him now, like he's waiting for a certain answer, and it's very unsettling. All Hakuryuu's thoughts about Zagan seeming more human feel silly now; even if the skin is human, the being inside is not. "I did," he answers. "I'm not great with magic yet, but I did come up with the solution that worked."
"Oh?" Zagan leans forward, encouraging him.
"We fed it a cursed item. Judal picked a mirror that gave it bad luck and that led to it getting electrocuted," Hakuryuu elaborates. "I would have chosen something more explosive, but it worked well."
"Most curses don't cause you to blow up immediately," Zagan says. "That was clever, though."
"Thank you," he says, not sure what to do with the praise. Zagan sits quietly for a bit and Hakuryuu rearranges some of the papers on the counter. Judal has receipts in the wrong place again, so that needs to be fixed.
"What are you proficient in? Power?" Zagan asks, and it takes him a moment to realize he means magic.
"No, life," he corrects, and Zagan's face lights up.
"Oh, you're one of mine then," he says almost gleefully. "I mean it's a shame you're utterly useless right now, but Judal has no idea what to do with a life mage. That boy is so good at everything else, and yet he just doesn't have the aptitude for it. Pity."
Hakuryuu feels his cheeks flush. "I'm not useless-"
"Oh no, you are. Good at problem solving, but you'd be destroyed without Judal around," Zagan says matter-of-factly. Hakuryuu steels himself against the insults; it's not his fault he just learned about magic recently. Not everyone can be ancient magical beings. "Let me see your wand."
"Excuse me?"
"You do have one, right? I hope Judal isn't that terrible of a teacher," Zagan says, getting up to join him.
Hakuryuu pulls his wand out from under the counter and hands it over. Zagan immediately wrinkles his nose at it in disgust, practically flinging it down.
"This is what he gave you? What an idiot," he snaps, before digging around in his bag. He eventually produces a wand, though it's quite different from the sleek, polished one Judal gave him. It's more organic and raw; it looks like something that Zagan grew in his strange plant filled house. Hakuryuu wouldn't be surprised if it was.
"I've had this just sitting around, and I don't need it," Zagan explains, pressing it into Hakuryuu's hands. The wand pulses with power, and it feels natural and familiar and right.
Hakuryuu grips it tightly. Accepting gifts from strange magical men may not be a good idea, but he likes the feel of this wand. He knows better than to pass up this kind of opportunity. "Thank you," he says graciously.
Zagan waves a hand dismissively. "It's nothing. Like I said, it was just taking up space."
"I still appreciate it," Hakuryuu tries to say, only to be interrupted by Judal's return.
"I finally got that piece of shit stashed- hey, plant-fucker! What are you doing here?" Judal asks, pointing at Zagan dramatically.
"Aren't you delightful," Zagan says, shaking his head. "I just wanted to see if you had anything interesting right now."
Judal saunters over to the counter and drapes on Hakuryuu, something he's begun to realize Judal likes to do when he's feeling possessive. "Oh, so you're here to gossip. Well, I saw Sinbad recently-"
"Honestly, your interest in that man is embarrassing," Zagan cuts in, clicking his tongue.
"No, he's lame now! Hakuryuu totally showed him up, and this was after Sinbad has already called me for help cause he's dumb and can't figure shit out on his own," Judal says proudly. "So there!"
Zagan shrugs. "I don't care about your little human relationship drama. I see you've taken care of your other little issue though, so hopefully you won't be back to bother me."
"If you're lucky!"
"If only," he says. "I hear you're trying to teach Hakuryuu magic."
Judal nods enthusiastically. "Yeah, he's learning! I got him some good books-"
"You have to know that you are possibly the worst person to be teaching him," Zagan says, and Judal's face falls. "You're incompetent when it comes to life magic."
"So? I'm still teaching him," Judal responds, pouting. Hakuryuu feels bad; he knows Judal's been trying to help even if he's not the best at it.
"Of course, and he's not going to get far with that terrible wand you gave him. What did you do, dig it out of the back somewhere? Lucky for both of you, I had an extra sitting around," Zagan informs him. "Anyway, I already had a look around while you were messing around the back, so I'll see you another time. Preferably not any time soon."
Judal looks at him strangely, but surprisingly doesn't complain anymore. "Yeah, sure Zagan. I'll make sure it's at a great time."
"Thank you again," Hakuryuu says before Judal can say anything else rude. "I really am grateful. This feels much better-"
"Yes, yes, that's enough," Zagan cuts him off. "I don't need to hear your mushy words." With that, he waltzes out.
There's a moment of silence before Judal turns to Hakuryuu, clearly shocked. "What did you do to him?" he asks, confused.
"Zagan?" Judal nods, but this doesn't make his question any clearer. "What do you mean?"
"He gave you a wand?" Hakuryuu sets it down and Judal pokes it delicately, like he's afraid it might bite. When it doesn't, he looks back at Hakuryuu expectantly.
"Mmhm. He said it was an extra and insisted I take it. I know that might not be wise, but it feels like a much better match for me," he answers, taking the wand back.
Judal shakes his head. "Okay, first of all, Zagan doesn't just keep wands sitting around. It's not like he needs new ones or anything. And second of all, he can't stand humans! I'm an exception, and he still barely stand me," Judal says, frowning. "He better not think he can steal you or some shit."
Hakuryuu shrugs. "I did say thank you."
"Ugh, I hate dealing with him. He's so unpredictable," Judal whines, leaning against the counter. It's kind of funny to hear them talk about each other; Hakuryuu has figured out that they're actually decently good friends but they like to pretend they don't care a bit for the other.
"And you're not?" Hakuryuu points out. The wand feels good in his hands, and he points it at a long forgotten succulent in a windowsill. Its leaves unfurl and brighten from a dried brown to a lush and lively green, and a smaller flower blooms. Judal watches, entranced, and claps when he's done.
"Fancy!" he says, grinning. "That's a new trick."
"It just came naturally," Hakuryuu explains. Everything feels different; it's like he discovered magic all over again, and the world feels so much brighter and more alive, in a sense that he can tap into it more. Zagan must have been right about his old wand.
Judal nods along. "That's how it should feel. I guess I should have found you something better…" he trails off, worry creeping into his eyes. It's an uncommonly vulnerable look for him.
"I've got this now, so don't worry about it," he says, holding the wander closer. Now that he has it, he doesn't want to run around looking for something else.
"I know, jeez, don't get your panties in a twist. I just hate letting Zagan upstage me," he whines. "I hope you don't turn my shop into a fucking jungle."
"Why would I do that?"
"You know, cause Zagan's stupid plant house, and he gave you that…" Judal trails off when Hakuryuu continues to stare at him. "Look! I'm smart! I have concerns!"
Hakuryuu laughs when the tension breaks. "I promise I won't turn the shop into a 'stupid plant house.'"
"Now you're just mocking me."
"Never."
Judal pouts until Hakuryuu ruffles his hair, and there's a sweet, warm smile on his face. It's nice. He's still a little unsure of what he is to Judal, but for now what they have feels right.
x･x･x
Hakuryuu spends the next few evenings revitalizing the plants in his apartment. He's always liked having some greenery in his living space, but some of them never quite recovered after the incident with the pottery. This is a chance to finally fix that.
He coaxes new life into a nearly dried up aloe plant until its leaves are once again filled. A spider plant grows heartier and its babies spill over the side of the pot. He'll have to go out and get some new pots to plant them later, but for now he has more work to do.
His herb garden hasn't been producing much lately. With a little magic, it's practically overflowing, and he decides to find a use for it that he can share.
Judal gushes over the fresh rosemary bread Hakuryuu brings in, eating thick slices with butter while he tries to steal Hakuryuu's lunch. He only relents when he sees the dill leaves on the salmon, and Hakuryuu has to chuckle a little. Judal's aversion to anything that could possibly be a vegetable sometimes works in his favor and leaves Hakuryuu with a delicious lunch.
Hakuryuu has never tried to stand out: sit quietly, keep your head down, and maybe your mother won't bother you today. So he listens. Judal's magic is loud and powerful, even when it's subtle. His shop is brimming with it if you know how to look. Hakuryuu sits quietly, one hand wrapped around his wand, listening to the pulse of life in his home, in the shop, in the cafe down the street, in the grocery store. Anywhere he goes is a new opportunity to figure out the inner workings of the world.
He feels everything, whispers between leaves down to the microorganisms in the air, and those strike a chord with him. They seem useful. If he just adds a little of his own magic...
"What the hell is that thing?" Judal asks from the office doorway. Usually if he tells him he's working on accounting, Judal will leave him alone, but apparently not today.
"It's a microorganism," he explains, swatting Judal's hands away from his newly enlarged project. "Please don't touch it."
"It doesn't look very micro to me. More like a macro-whatever," Judal says, frowning at the shifting, eyeless creature squirming across the desk.
Hakuryuu turns it around with his wand. "Well, yes. I made it bigger."
"Yeah, I'm seeing that." Judal goes quiet and watches Hakuryuu work for awhile. It's nice. Maybe they can do this more often. The microorganism grows gradually, and Hakuryuu enjoys the effort of transforming its lifeforce.
"Why?" Judal inevitably asks. Hakuryuu isn't sure he has a good answer, but Judal is hardly one to talk.
"I wanted to see if I could," he says simply, and Judal grins widely.
"Of course, why else?" He tries to pet it again.
"Stop that," Hakuryuu snaps. "I'm still trying to figure out if it's safe to touch, and what I want to do with it."
Judal eyes it up some more. "We should keep it as the store pet. Like a super gross one!"
"It's not a pet."
"But it could be."
"No, Judal."
"Well, you don't know what else to do with it," he grumbles. "I guess I'll let you play mad scientist some more."
"That's not at all what I'm doing," Hakuryuu tries to explain as Judal is sauntering out.
He pauses. "I liked it better when you brought me food," he whines, before heading back into the main room of the shop.
Hakuryuu laughs, getting back to work. He'll just bribe Judal with sweets next time he needs to practice anything in peace.