Twenty One: Grand Dance

A/N: 

Sorrrrrrrry my updates are slow.

I'm busy with a lot--but if I had all the time in the world 

You bet i would spend it writing my stories :(

Ahahahah...ha...ha

Anyway, I hope you like this long chapter..:)

Izzy

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"Taehyung...I know you can't hear the music, but stop purposely stepping on my feet."

Jungkook maneuvered the blonde around another twirling couple, shaking his head as Taehyung playfully nudged his leg with a polished boot. A gorgeous orchestral piece sang out in triple waves--the guests paraded around the cheerful ballroom in a happy waltz. Kids ran around in wild circles, attempting to recreate the moves of the adults.

"I don't know what you're talking about." 

The Oak Prince squinted his eyes as his husband refused to look up. Instead, his eyes were trained on the couple's shoes. Jungkook was mainly leading the blonde in the dance since he couldn't hear. Generally, Taehyung never stepped on his dance partner's foot because he knew goddamn well that the blonde loved to dance and used to all the time when he was prince. 

He knew because that was how they met, after all. In a ballroom, dancing together, happily-

His foot was stepped on.

"Taehyung!" 

No response. After a few seconds, a snicker.

The ravenette drew in a sharp breath before changing their position. Before, Jungkook had one arm lazily wrapped around the blonde's shoulder and the other was holding his hand. Now both of his hands tightly gripped Taehyung's waist, forcing the other to look up.

"What?" Taehyung was trying hard not to smile. His eyes betrayed him, showing how much of a kick he got out of teasing his husband.

The music intensified.

"You better keep up." Jungkook growled, moving the duo faster. Their surroundings blurred in thick lines as Taehyung was continuously twirled around, struggling to maintain balance. 

"W-woah Jungkook, slow down-"

But the ravenette only sped up. He didn't catch the strange looks people were giving him. They were dancing in double time with the music, steps twice their normal speed. A few people glared as the blonde squealed when Jungkook twisted his body around or when they nearly collided with other couples.

Taehyung breathed heavily as the Oak Prince pressed his hands deeper into the waist of the suit. Constantly competing, bickering, and not giving up until he won the challenging games they'd play, Taehyung thought of a plan.

Right as the pair rounded a corner of the dance floor and Taehyung prepared to spin, his foot managed to catch against the wood. He stumbled forward into his husband, hands thrown out to catch the air in front of him for balance.

Jungkook groaned as Taehyung's hands "fell" upon his crotch, pushing them back against the wall bordering the outskirt of one side of the dance floor. To top it off, Taehyung's face managed to "crash" into his own face, their lips smashing together.

"Mmggh--whhoooopss..." The blonde mumbled against their lips, smiling relentlessly. "You were going too fast and I guess I tripped-"

Jungkook couldn't help but giggle at Taehyung's action, scoffing internally at his plan. 

You won't win this round, Tae.

"Oh my! You poor thing..." Jungkook flipped them around so Taehyung was on the wall. He leaned in to kiss the blonde who expected just that, but stopped at the last minute. 

"I guess I'll have to find a new dance partner then. Maybe Florian can pull his weight."

Taehyung froze.

That hit a cold spot.

The blonde tensed against Jungkook's palms, meeting the other's intense stare with a message in them. A message of surrender.

"Fiiiiiinnnneeeee, Kook. I won't step on your feet anymore..." 

Taehyung frowned, pulling his husband back out onto the dance floor and waiting for the orchestra to pick up another song. Of course, he didn't know they were in an intermission until the dance floor started clearing for the break. Jungkook laughed at the scowl on the blonde's face as he relayed the message.

"Fuck, I actually wanted to dance though!" He pouted, earning a side hug from his husband. 

"Nah, let's just wait until the break is over. Gosh! I'm parched." Jungkook spun around, searching for a nearby servant. Most were attending to wealthy couples holding up their hands for water glasses. The blonde noticed the issue and tapped the other's shoulder.

"I can go get some! If I ask nicely they'll get us some undrugged wine too!" 

Taehyung's enthusiasm made Jungkook laugh. A nod and a swipe of the hand later, Taehyung strode off through a group of people to make his request known.

Which left Jungkook staring at an empty dancefloor. 

The edges of the ballroom were crawling with peppy guests, discussing their day, the wedding, which person danced a step wrong during the last song. Jungkook listened in to a few of their conversations and found himself bored. Was this what couples normally talked about?

Not their half-blood demon friends? Not the crypt sitting stagnant under the kingdom, ruled by some kind of devil? Not the fact that their kid has been visited by her real father ever since she was a child and she had never told them?

Rose never spoke a word about Jimin...was that because he tricked her somehow? Worked some of his strange magic?

Speaking of...where was Rose?

Jungkook's eyes peeled the vicinity, looking out for a spray of silver amongst the almost boring golds and whites. He spotted Lucio in the distance, playing tag with a younger boy. A servant watched over him, but Rose was not with her. Behind the servant, however, was what caught his interest. The balcony door overlooking the magnificent garden was closed when it should have been open, and the servant was standing directly in front of it.

Did Eonjin and Florian close that space to guests?

The Oak Prince intended to find out. 

He flattened out his wild dancing hair and nonchalantly hurried towards the door that he could see moonlight falling through. The servant looked up as he approached, giving him an uneasy smile.

"Hello, sir. Is there something-"

"Is Rose outside?" Jungkook got straight to the point. He motioned to the door, and the servant frowned, shaking her head.

"No, no I'm afraid-"

"Yeah! She is out there with daddy!" Lucio chimed happily from his spot seated on the floor. "She was dancing and went out there and daddy peaked his head out and the door shut and then-"

"Thank you, Lucio." Jungkook smiled at the boy who gave him a confused look. But, as kids are kids, he shrugged it off and continued toying with the shoes on his feet. The Oak Prince sent a sharp glare at the woman who had just lied to him earlier. She appeared clueless to his glare, eyes wide with ignorance.

"Is she? Oh my, I wasn't aware she was out there with someone when I shut the door." The servant turned around desperately. "Wait...I don't even remember closing the door...wha--oh, I'm sorry sir, I just feel lightheaded, I can't seem to recall a few moments before-"

"It's okay." You were just tricked by a demon. "I'll be going out there now. Excuse me." Jungkook pushed past her and opened the door easily, sliding out onto the vast balcony. He closed the door shut quietly behind him and took in a view of the expansive outdoor area. 

The marble, patio-type balcony jutted off the side of the castle, overlooking the garden. Fall leaves scattered across the surface of the balcony as the night breeze tossed them about and their gentle skitters sounded restless. Cloudless and sparkling was the sky above him, almost making him forget why he came out in the first place. A row of goosebumps snaked up his arms under his suit, making his teeth shudder.

"Rose?" 

Gentle torch light bathed the open area which was covered in extravagant décor, large pillars, and a few fountains. The moon light was more than enough for him to see the two people at the far end of the balcony though.

As he approached, he tried to stay mostly in the shadows of the wall, since he wasn't spotted yet. He wanted to get close enough to know what Rose and Jimin were like together...the idea itself made a mysterious flame flicker insanely in his heart.

"...again Jiminie! Again!!!"

Suddenly Rose's voice sung out sweetly in the air. Jungkook pressed himself against the wall, watching as Jimin's silhouette picked up his girl and spun her around. A soft humming noise gently sounded as Jimin twirled Rose in the air, but Jungkook couldn't make out the words of the song...

"...alive...once again...see you by the tree...say hello friend..."

What kind of song-

"...sneaking low...creeping around...by the wall...daddy is found!"

Daddy...is found?

Jimin knew Jungkook was there.

Jungkook's heart stopped as the words resonated in his head in a flowing minor key. Jimin's voice held a gentle rasp that make butterflies spin around achingly in his stomach. Rose didn't seem to pay attention to the topic though--she giggled as Jimin held her tightly and surged her around in circles. The sight of her tiny arms clutched around his neck made Jungkook's cheeks hurt as his smile grew.

When Jimin set her down on the ground and laughed a beautiful, bubbly laugh that was way different from the Jimin that was just seen in his room, Jungkook stepped forward. The half-blood bent down to Rose's level and gave her a kiss on the cheek before turning towards the Oak Prince, his eyes sad.

"Honey, your father is here." Jimin turned Rose around so that she faced Jungkook. When she saw him she instantly flung herself into his arms.

"DADDY! You're here! You--um, you this is-" Her face suddenly paled, as if she was caught doing something wrong.

"I know him, Red. Don't worry. I know that he meets with you."

Rose visibly calmed down, her warm hands squishing Jungkook's cheeks. The Oak Prince touched their foreheads together and scrunched his nose, getting a giggle out of his daughter. 

"Good! Jiminie is so nice, I learn all my songs from him and-"

"Rose, you can tell me all about it inside, okay hon? I don't want you to get cold out here..." He set her down and she instantly jumped up and down in denial, hugging his leg. 

"But I waaaannnnnaaaaaa stay by Jiminiiieeeee! Please daddy, please-"

Jimin stepped forward, kneeling down by Jungkook's leg to address her. The Oak Prince didn't know if it was the moonlight casting an eerie glow across his features, but his hair seemed even whiter than normal--his eyes a deeper, piercing red. 

"Rosey baby..." Jimin crooned, taking her hand in his. Just by his touch she grew silent, focusing all of her attention on him. It was like she was under his spell, jaw slack and eyes attentive. 

"Go inside now, like your father says. Go play with Lucio and enjoy the party, all right sweetheart? I love you."

Rose unlatched herself from Jungkook's leg and quickly pressed a kiss to Jimin's pale cheek, before rushing off towards the end of the balcony. She shouted a quick, heart-warming message into the autumn air as she left.

"I love you Jiminie! I love you daddy! I love you Tae!" (Even though said male wasn't there).

Then, the loud, careless slamming of a door that only a toddler can achieve thumped throughout the air. The ravenette jumped and shook his head in exasperation at the sound, hoping he wouldn't have to pay for any damages possibly done.

Right as he was about to speak to Jimin, the soft resonance of orchestra music started back up again, leaking out of the castle walls. It was so quiet, the music, but it was there and it made the ravenette do something he never thought he would in the past. Moving around might help beat the autumn chill in the air.

"D-do...Jimin, would you like to dance with me?"

The half-blood stared at him. 

"I...you aren't mad?"

Now it was Jungkook's turn to stare.

"Why would I be mad? You obviously have a close relationship with Rose and if she loves you so much and you aren't mistreating her...Jimin, how could I be mad at you?  I'm ecstatic that you teach her those things when we're not around and she clearly likes dancing and singing with you..."

Jimin's lips curved up slightly. 

"Oh...thank goodness..."

The moonlight danced along the edges of his nose, giving him a ethereal glow as the stars flickered above them. Jungkook unknowingly took steps forward, drawn into the male standing so close, before something bothersome crossed his mind.

Wait.

"Jimin...you aren't, like...brainwashing me or doing those tricks when I'm around you..." Jungkook felt a little embarrassed that he didn't know what feelings were his and what weren't. He hoped Jimin didn't see the slight flush spreading across his cheeks. "A-are you?"

The half-blood lifted an eyebrow. 

"You think just because you're drawn to me that I'm somehow forcing you to be?" Jimin smirked. 

When Jungkook felt a twinge of hopelessness back, Jimin must've sensed it on his face. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, Kook. I don't want to come off as arrogant, 'cause that's not me, I just know things now that I'm like this and-"

"Like what?" Jungkook pressed, curious to know how far the half-blood's powers reached. "What kinds of stuff do you know?"

Now it was Jimin's turn to be embarrassed.

"Uh...well, it kind of varies with my energy level. After fixing up those bodies and dealing with...with Mai...I'm not at my best right now..." Jimin's eyes drooped just slightly. "But...hmm, how do I put it? I could tell you were out here right away because I could smell you--I instantly picked up on your presence. I...I can just tell things sometimes...I don't know how to explain it. But the power or 'brainwashing' as you put it...that isn't anything but emotional influencing."

Jungkook bit his lips as his brain processed everything that he was told. 

"Wait a sec...you smelled me? Do I stink that bad or-"

Jimin laughed, shaking his head to clear up confusion. "No, no, no. It's just that you  in particular have a very distinct smell, very...thick--if I had to describe it I would say it's a sweet musk with the spice of power...I can smell the prince in you, Kook. In you way more ways than in Taehyung. That guy smells like wine and gold no matter what day it is, but you and Florian both have that...that power smell."

"Woah, what? I smell like power?" Jungkook lifted up a corner of his suit to his nose, inhaling. He smelt nothing but the oil he put on earlier that day and Taehyung's hair. He was so focused on inhaling the material covering him that he missed the words Jimin mumbled soon after.

"Sorry, what was that?"

"I said...um," Jimin fiddled with his fingers. "I said I could show you how I do the emotions thing. I did it with you before, remember? I put you to sleep that one time--that was an example."

Jungkook nodded, stepping forward when the demon motioned for him to. However...

"That's not what you said. It couldn't have been, with the amount of syllables uttered then and now...trust me, I know all about listening to background noise, married to a guy like Taehyung."

Jimin glanced up at the sky before focusing on the ravenette. 

"I said it's addicting. The...your, um, scent. God, this sounds so weird..."

Addicting? Jimin, if only you knew...

Jungkook felt the urge to wrap his arms around Jimin, ensure him that it was okay. He pushed the thoughts out of his mind as Jimin continued to speak.

"Anyway, I can show you the emotions thing. I just need some sort of contact with you and then I can make you feel something. Usually to command or force people to do something, I speak what I want them to do and then they associate that command with the emotion I place in their head. For example, with Rose, I told her to go inside, then made her feel complacent, joyous, and calm. It worked like magic--she went straight inside."

Jimin paused, awkwardly extending his arms out to the ravenette. 

"I...I won't tell you to do anything, because I want you to be in control, but I'll alter your emotions to let you see what it's like..." Jimin grabbed Jungkook's waist lightly and intertwined their free hands. "You said you wanted to dance, though? Let's dance, then. You tell me what you're feeling when I ask."

"Okay...I g-guess-"

Jungkook's heart race increased tenfold as the half-demon began to move to the music carrying the pair away under the starry sky. Red eyes shimmered in front of him as they studied Jungkook's face, and the ravenette found it was a bit hard to breathe with Jimin so close  to him.

A gentle sway of violins later, and Jungkook was twirling effortlessly, facing Jimin again with a grin. Jimin's lip was pursed with effort as he focused his energy on the younger. 

"So..." Jimin began as they waltzed around the patio, "What are you feeling now?

Jungkook took an inner look upon himself and found his heart was beating slower, but still hard. The moon looked a little grayer than usual, and a thought of crying touched the corner of his mind. He pushed it away.

"A little blue...I think? Was that right?" 

Jimin frowned, twirling them around again. Jungkook felt Jimin's finger twitch against his neck, and it sent a shudder down his spine. 

"How about now?" Jimin's voice took on a serious tone. 

Jungkook again, felt his heart racing, but sensed something a little angry lurked under it. His surroundings buzzed lightly with agitation, and he blinked once, clearing the feeling away.

"I felt...a bit angry...irritated, kinda?" Jungkook instantly resorted back to his usual countenance, watching Jimin's body glide smoothly with every step. 

At least Jimin didn't step on his feet. 

Jimin huffed, pulling the Oak Prince closer. From what Jungkook collected, Jimin was becoming irked, but not because of him. It was working though, wasn't it? He was feeling the things, maybe just not as intense as Jimin wanted them to be...? Whatever the reason, Jungkook felt his insides alight at their closer proximity. He studied the curve of Jimin's jaw as they continued spinning. 

"Okay, now. Listen. Two hundred and fifty six." Jimin leaned the ravenette back at a crescendo of the song wandering outside the castle. The ravenette's neck was squeezed slightly, making the skin burn excitedly underneath it.  "Jungkook, what number did I just say?"

A few seconds of hesitation, some pushing of an annoying block out of the way of his mind-

"Two hundred fifty six." Jungkook whispered confidently. Jimin's eyes widened.

"Why...why isn't it working...? Jungkook, do you feel any  different?" In his frustration, Jimin had pulled the two so close together that there was hardly room for air. His lips were slightly ajar, confused at how his powers could fail to work on someone.

"I feel...kinda funny...like I'm floating...and my heart is racing...but I don't think it's because of your powers."

Jimin broke from his stupor, attention drawn back into the present, back to their closeness. Back to the way that Jungkook's hand burned in his own, the younger's heartbeat pronounced against the exposed skin of his neck. 

"Oh..." Jimin stared up at Jungkook's lips, thumb tracing the back of the ravenette's neck. His next words were airy, breathless as he leaned in. 

"What are you going to do about it?"

The stars couldn't compare to the inferno blazing inside Jungkook's chest as he closed the distance between them, pressing his lips against the half-demon's.

+  !  +  !  +  !


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