» ㅤapothecary。

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While asking the staff member on duty to put up a poster for the festival, the young vampire took a mental note of what was being sold. Even though he had turned, he thought some things might be handy to have.

@ten l。ᵏᶦᵗᵗᵉⁿᵗᶦ The counterfeit mask of arrogance upon Dongmin's reception earns an amused quirk up of arched brow, "Oh, then I would have had this spendid cup of tea myself. " He retorted, reciprocating the same nature of harmless teasing that the male had adapted. Canting his head sideways, allowing the raven strands to fray his vision while he studied his companion's face, a habituated servant who preferred reading people's expressions whenever he engaged in conversations. He chortled as his masquerade of indifference crumbling in a few seconds while he outstretched the cup meant for Ten, "Yes, indeed I do. I didn't want to leave a bad first impression on the first meeting. I am afraid, I have made plenty of those until now. " Inherently curious, Dongmin's gaze wandered around the interiors of the shop nodding in acknowledgement of such wonderful carpenter work still infused with the faint smell of varnish.

@dongmin l。ᵉᵘⁿʷᵒ.ᵒ-ᶜ Ten had taken his time preparing the shop for closing once he received Dongmin’s message that he was still planning on coming over. He didn’t want the shop to be dark and him comfy in bed if he was going to have company, especially company that had gotten him a tea. Humans were sweet in Magnolia, and it almost made Ten feel bad about feeding on them. Not bad enough to make him stop, of course. Food was food. His heightened senses had him turning to the door with a raised brow and an unimpressed expression as the other stepped into the apothecary. “It’s really okay. I’m happy you were able to make it. Although, next time maybe a little more notice or I might have closed up already.” He teased playfully, allowing his lips to fall into an amused smirk as he rested his chin on the palm of his hand. “Do you have time to hang out or do you need to dash somewhere else?”

@ten l。ᵏᶦᵗᵗᵉⁿᵗᶦ "hah...hah.... " A gossamer sheen of sweat layered his alabaster skin while slightly ajar roseate brims, take huge greedy gasps of oxygen. His stumbling tall constitution inclined heavily against the hard wooden threshold and used his right elbow to cushion his forehead. Dongmin waited for the heaving to subdue so he imitates more the semblance of a young lad than the ancient being he'd once been.
Wobbly fingers regain strength around the paper cup which had been slowly slipping from his grasp, he shoulder ed open the door allowing himself to trudge inside his companion's threshold. "I am sorry I took so long, Ten. " Dongmin lifted his chin to meet his new acquaintance with a boyish half-grin, dressed in all black spare the bright purple logo of his shop, "Fantagio" embossed on the shirt.

@youngwoo k。ᵐᵒⁿˢᵗᵉʳʷᵒᵒ “Dressing for the night I want would entail wearing nothing at all.” Ten half mumbled to himself as his lips jutted out in a pout. Now that the other was leaving, he realized he’d be left alone to stare at the wall until he could close up properly. Not many people came to the apothecary, really it was surprising he was still in business at all, but he wasn’t complaining. “I’ll see you then.” He mused, raising his hand to wave coyly before he stood up straight to finish cleaning up the mess he made earlier. He was already running through outfit designs in his head, wondering what he could get away with.

The witch had decided he could close the shop an hour early if he wanted to. That way he had plenty of time to dress himself up for whatever this outing was. He picked a flowy, long sleeved blouse that was a bit sheer and paired that with a tight pair of black pants that were tucked into a pair of heeled black boots. It gave him a little more height without being obnoxious about it. After feeling content with his outfit, he added a smokier look to his eyeshadow and did some minor fluffing to his hair to give it that sort of bedhead look that was y in a way. At least he hoped he was y. Pouting a bit at himself, he jolted a little when he heard the bell to the door of his shop ring, signaling that his time was up and he had to be satisfied with what he had. “Gonna sweep me off my feet for a night on the town?” He asked cheekily as he made his way down the stairs into the shop, eyes immediately taking over the other’s form without shame. “You clean up really nice.”

@ten l。ᵏᶦᵗᵗᵉⁿᵗᶦ "Mm, is that so? I imagine it wasn't much different than the 1600's." Youngwoo laughed, and raised his eyebrows as he observed the sheepish grin from Ten when the other seemed to be startled from his heavy stare. "I'll count myself lucky then." Once the bag was deemed ready to go by Ten, Youngwoo took possession of it, and straightened up his stance, looking the other over consideringly. "Dress for the night you want, and I'll make it happen, how about that? Surprise me." Youngwoo suggested instead, and turned to head out the door, pausing with just one more backwards glance. "See you at 7." He was gone just moments later, heading quickly back to his car.

Thankfully, by the time 7 rolled around, the rain outside had settled down. When Youngwoo pulled up in front of the apothecary again, this time opting for one of his more flashy cars, he was driving a deep red Lotus Elise. Climbing out of the car, he was dressed in a pair of well tailored black slacks, and a black dress shirt, leather jacket over top. Youngwoo headed to the door, testing to see if it was open before stepping inside. "Ten? It's Youngwoo. I'm here to sweep you away for the evening."

@youngwoo k。ᵐᵒⁿˢᵗᵉʳʷᵒᵒ “Surprised that I’m actually older than you. Not that the fifteen hundreds were all that interesting, though. You didn’t miss much.” Ten hummed, fascinated by this new acquaintance. He hadn’t realized just how much he was staring before the sudden noise made him jolt a bit where he was standing. Grinning sheepishly, he made sure everything was packed into the bag nicely so there wouldn’t be any breaks. “Considering this is where I live, here is the only place you’ll find me. Should I wear anything special?” He asked back with a raised brow.

@ten l。ᵏᶦᵗᵗᵉⁿᵗᶦ "Mmm... Watching everything but your face change is hard. I've got over 300 years of that myself. I don't remember being human, but I woke up one day like this, and I've always been like this." Youngwoo said softly, relating a lot to what Ten had experienced. Clearing his throat a bit, he accepted his credit card back, tucking it, and his wallet, away so he could lean on the counter again, watching Ten's appreciative eyes with a smirk. "7 then, shall I pick you up here?" He asked curiously as he took hold of the bag with his purchases.

@youngwoo k。ᵐᵒⁿˢᵗᵉʳʷᵒᵒ There was something about Youngwoo that kept Ten a bit on edge, and it was more than just him being a Black Dog. Perhaps it was the dark look in his eyes or the way his gaze never wavered. Or maybe Ten just had a thing for muscle-y dudes and this encounter wasn’t helping. “Watching centuries pass while your face stays the same is always a bit unnerving. Luckily, I guess, I don’t remember much about my life before I was turned. Just my dumb decision that made it happen.” He complained openly now that he felt more at ease, taking the credit card to swipe it before handing it back. “You think it’s a reward now,” He mused, looking over the business card that was handed to him next before tucking it safely in his back pocket, “I get off work at seven, if that works for you, Mr. Kim.”

@ten l。ᵏᶦᵗᵗᵉⁿᵗᶦ ()Lol probably for the best~ I hope you slept well dear.

Youngwoo could tell the other was weighing and measuring the situation, as well as Youngwoo. He just smiled, eyes dark and relaxed as he let the other look his fill undisturbed. When Ten seemed to let the moment pass, dismissing it, He just let out a quiet chuckle, nodding. "I haven't been alive for a long time, so I get it. It gets kind of awkward to explain after a while." Pulling out a thick black wallet from his pocket, he thumbed it open. "Dinner sounds like a reward for me, but I'll take it. I know better than to look a gift horse in the mouth, Ten." He pulled out a heavy black credit card, handing it over to charge the order, before sliding over a flimsier matte black business card. Kim Youngwoo. LMP. Underneath those glossy black embossed words was his phone number, in gold foil. "Let me know when I can pick you up."

@youngwoo k。ᵐᵒⁿˢᵗᵉʳʷᵒᵒ ( you’re fine ahdjdkfkf I fell asleep anyway )

Ten eyed the other a bit warily, shoulders stiff as he just surveyed the other, trying to determine if it was alright to just let this incident slide. After a few moments of silence, he sighed and waved his hand. “Don’t worry about it. Knowing what you are, I don’t know why I’m even surprised to figured out that I’m not quite....alive.” He mused, finished with cleaning up the broken bottle and making a mental note to write that down later so he knew for inventory purposes. He wasn’t going to charge the other for something so insignificant. “Perhaps you could take me out for dinner sometime instead. Sound like a fair trade? You intrigue me, Youngwoo.” He asked after he had finished ringing everything up, leaning against the counter with a coy grin.

@ten l。ᵏᶦᵗᵗᵉⁿᵗᶦ (sorry dear I was making dinner)

"Mm. You don't agree?" Woo asked with that smirk not only on his lips but also on his tone. Watching the witch work his magic at ease, gathering herbs for him, he was caught off guard by Tens reaction to Youngwoo's revelation about his status as undead. He filed away that information, quietly, understanding quickly that it wasn't something Ten liked talking about. He would remember not to bring it up again, at least not around others. "Understandable. I don't really advertise what I am. People get weird about it." Woo commiserated amicably, and leaned on the counter a bit, watching the other clean the broken bottle. "Charge me for that too, please. That was my fault."

@youngwoo k。ᵐᵒⁿˢᵗᵉʳʷᵒᵒ “Suits me huh?” Ten mused, flashing a grin over his shoulder while he worked. The containers moved with ease through the air as he simply conjured them up in his mind and waved his hand for them to move themselves off the shelves. Why waste the effort of getting his ladder? He hummed knowingly at the other’s confession, running through his own list of stronger herbs that may aid more in keeping such things away. The nightmares at least. He could definitely handle those. “Ah, that makes a lot more se-“ he stopped talking the moment that horrid word left Youngwoo’s mouth, a bottle crashing to the ground due to his own surprise. He knew he couldn’t really lie his way out of this, not with the other being a Black Dog, so he squared his shoulders defensively and reached for his broom. “Yes, well, I don’t really care for people to know that misfortune about me. It’s much simpler if I’m Ten the witch, rather than Ten the vampire witch, no? I’m glad you can be at ease here, though. I suppose that’s one good thing to technically being dead already.”

@ten l。ᵏᶦᵗᵗᵉⁿᵗᶦ Youngwoo didn't seem offended in the least. He gave a warm, deep chuckle at the joke at Ten's own expense, regarding his height. "You're not really all that short. It suits you." He replied easily, before straightening his shoulders a bit, trying his best to not puff up his chest too much at the compliments. Watching the witch work on gathering a few of the herbs already -he could recognize the eucalyptus right away- Youngwoo considered his comment. It wasn't prying, or invasive, and Youngwoo didn't exactly care to be secretive. "I'm a Black Dog. I see how people die, and when. These help me keep that kind of energy out of my apartment, and helps with the nightmares. Since I live with people all around me, I need to do this so their proximity doesn't torture me." He explained easily, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. His eyes were locked onto Ten's back. "I didn't expect that you were a vampire." Youngwoo said suddenly. "No wonder I felt so at ease chatting with you."

@youngwoo k。ᵐᵒⁿˢᵗᵉʳʷᵒᵒ It wasn’t that he meant to be rude by not shaking the other’s hand, but Ten had gotten used to not touching people, merely acknowledging them with a tilt of his head. It prevented the awkward question of why his skin was so cold to the touch or why there was no pulse. He rather be seen as standoffish than a vampire. “Eh, it’s hard to be shorter than I am so I never expect that of people, but it’s nice to know that this isn’t all photoshopped.” He teased, gaze more focused on the list than his company as he hummed thoughtfully. He should have all of that in stock. “Depends on what exactly you’re using this for. These are good for basic warding spells, keeping the bad out, but if you want something more specific, there’s more herbs I can recommend.” He explained as he turned his back to already start collecting what was on the list. He wasn’t going to dig past a basic understanding of why Youngwoo needed what he did, because really it wasn’t his place to pry and it had no affect on his life, so why would he care more than necessary?

@ten l。ᵏᶦᵗᵗᵉⁿᵗᶦ Youngwoo didn't fail to notice that Ten disregarded the offer of his hand to shake. Smirking a bit, he slipped that same hand into his own pocket, pulling out a slip of paper and unfolding it before setting it on the counter, sliding it over. "Thanks. I get that a lot, actually. People expect me to be shorter than I am, or not as buff as I am." The list of herbs he slid to Ten consisted of plants known for blocking energies, as well as some specifically for combating nightmares. "This should be everything I need, unless you have a suggestion for something I may have missed here." He said softly, keeping his deep tone low and non-aggressive, contrasting his appearance. He knew how he looked, tattooed and dressed in black and leather from head to toe.

@youngwoo k。ᵐᵒⁿˢᵗᵉʳʷᵒᵒ The witch snorted briefly, murmuring an incantation under his breath so the candles in the room glowed a little brighter. He kept it dim for his own preferences, but he understood his customers needed to be able to see within his shop. “The one and only. Not surprising considering I don’t really reveal personal information to strangers,” he laughed brightly, flashing a pearly white smile at the other, “The pleasure is all mine, I promise, Youngwoo. You’re a lot bigger in person that I was expecting. Like, you look buff in your picture, but you’re really ripped aren’t you.” Ten really had no shame as he surveyed the other with a coy expression, leaning over the counter a bit to blink almost owlishly at him. “You got a list of what you need? I can grab everything for you.”

@ten l。ᵏᶦᵗᵗᵉⁿᵗᶦ After Youngwoo's eyes adjusted to the dimness inside the shop, he walked over to the counter just in time to hear the greeting up close and personal. "Ten? Ah- Hello. I'm Youngwoo. I didn't realize that this was your shop." He introduced himself in turn when he finally saw the witch. A few thoughts hit him in quick succession. Firstly, he noticed that Ten looked just like his pictures online. No tampering with his photo's or filters. Secondly, he noticed that Ten wasn't alive. Not really. His eyes widened just a little, imperceptible, and he quietly stretched his hand out to Ten to shake, something he wouldn't dare do with a human. Not when that first skin-to-skin contact would immediately show Woo a vision of how that human were to die, regardless of how tragic or disgusting it might be. "It's nice to meet you in person, Ten. I need to pick up some herbs and stuff, I'm warding my new apartment."

@youngwoo k。ᵐᵒⁿˢᵗᵉʳʷᵒᵒ Ten hadn’t been in Magnolia very long before he took up shop in the local apothecary, renting out the apartment above the building so he didn’t have to interact with people as much as could pretty much set his own hours. The shop itself was rather dark inside due to the heavy velvet curtains he had installed after moving in one stormy night. Can’t run the risk of accidentally frying during a transaction with a customer. His status as a vampire wasn’t something he wanted known to the public anyway. According to Magnolia, he was Ten, one of many witches that resided there, and he was perfectly content with that. Humming softly to himself, he continued to take stock behind the counter, bending down to check the lower shelves and readjusting the bolero hat he liked to wear when he stood up too quickly. Perhaps his appearance was too hipster and monochromatic for the current season, but Ten found comfort in the long sleeves of his black turtleneck that he had tucked into a pair of slate grey pants that hugged his legs just right if he were to comment on them. It was a sleek and casual look that was perfect for his business, and he would have continued that train of thought if not for the ringing of the doorbell to announce someone’s presence. “Hello, welcome to Ten Teaspoons, Magnolia’s one and only apothecary. I’m Ten.”

@ten l。ᵏᶦᵗᵗᵉⁿᵗᶦ Moving to a new place always came with a new set of requirements to stay safe, and sane, for Youngwoo. As a harbinger of death, in order to sleep at all, he had to ward his home and his bedroom in particular, to discourage the majority of the nightmares he could experience. One particular afternoon after having mostly moved into his new apartment, Youngwoo finally found time to make his way into the upper part of town so he could visit the apothecary. He'd found it a few days ago but didn't have the time to stop and buy the things he needed to set up his protections. The late summer weather was starting to give way to the cooler season, and that whole day it had been raining. So instead of his motorcycle, he drove uptown in a discreet black suv. He didn't often drive his nicer cars, in order to keep his social presence less ostentatious. Parking near the store, Youngwoo walked the rest of the way. When he stepped into the shop, his hair was only a little damp from the rain. He looked around for a long moment to get his bearings.