Wish

Budding

Your conversation over dinner steers clear of the unpleasant business of the day. Instead, you let the wine do its work and simply enjoy each other's company. You trade stories and laugh over the stark differences in your life experiences, but also discover you have more in common than would seem likely in terms of personal qualities. It's hard to believe that Jimin could find anything from your village interesting by comparison to this place, but he is delighted by the simplicity. When you describe your typical work day on the farm, he compliments you for your dedication and seems genuinely impressed.

"You do all of that by hand? Without any magic at all, wow. I don't think I've ever met a faerie with that kind of tenacity. Ask for a full day's work and you might get a third before they flit off to find something more entertaining."

"Oh? Maybe my brother has been a faerie this whole time then!"

You love the way Jimin seems incapable of laughing without using his whole body. There have been several times you've worried he might laugh right out of his seat, leaning one way or another in an animated fashion.

"Well this has been enlightening," he says once he's finished with his outburst. "The human world is full of surprises."

You yawn over your empty plate, exhaustion hitting suddenly now that your belly is full. Jimin stretches, arching back in his seat, before standing and offering his arm to you, "It's been a long day hasn't it. Let's go home."

You rise as well, linking arms as you had in the woods this morning, "Home?"

"Ah. Well, my home," he gestures towards the palace as you exit the restaurant. Where it glittered in the sun earlier, the inlaid crystals now glow softly as if projecting their own moonlight. You gulp, nervous about the idea of entering such an imposing place. Especially since you've been told you may not exactly be welcome.

"Are you sure? There must be somewhere else I could stay where I'd be less in the way."

In one swift motion, Jimin scoops you up and takes off at some speed. You gasp and throw your arms around his neck to hold on before the usual feeling of magic reminds you that you don't need to be afraid of falling.

"It was too tempting, I couldn't help myself," he grins at you unapologetically, and you laugh, a constant victim to his charms. Unlike your difference in reaction to this morning's tea, you're certain the wine has had the same effect on you both. Jimin flies in lazy, playful patterns through the air which is thankfully much more deserted than earlier. Despite the magic at work, you can't help but instinctively grip him a little tighter every time he dips or twirls which only serves to encourage him. He begins to quietly hum a tune in time with his motions, and you're reminded of the pages on dancing you saw in the old book. When you enter the palace clearing, you roll your head back to watch the stars as you waltz across the sky, amazed that it's all really true.

With a wave to a wide-eyed guard faerie who seems oddly well matched to the black rabbit he's mounted on, Jimin lands within the palace grounds. Rather than entering the main hall, he escorts you to some side apartments used for staff and guests. He selects a door and peeks inside to make sure the room is unoccupied before opening it wide. Stepping through the entrance, he taps a spherical glass lantern that sits on a shelf. It and a few others like it around the room light with a pale, watery-colored flame. The lustrous surface of the glass gives the impression that the room is lit by softly glowing soap bubbles.

"There you go. You can stay here tonight, and tomorrow we'll start fresh. Maybe even get you a new dress."

"You're really hung up on me getting a new dress aren't you," you jokingly chide, nudging him as you enter the room. You don't make it far before Jimin catches you by the wrist and pulls you back. He draws you close with one hand at your hip while the other slides over your neck and shoulder; his thumb hooks into the collar of the heavily scrutinized garment as it passes.

"Maybe it's the idea of getting you out of this one that's appealing."

Stunned, you wait for him to laugh or retreat like he has every other time he's teased you, but he does not. You think you ought to object, but you do not. Both of you seem to have forgotten that this is largely part of the problem you're trying to solve. Feeling dizzy from the wine, the flight, and the heat of Jimin's hands on you, you hold your breath as he closes the space between you and presses his lips to yours.

Every dream, every longing in the late summer sun feels answered, at last, in his kiss. Soft and sweet and full of that something more, you lean into him, drinking in all of it. His fingertips trail back up your neck to tilt your chin and kiss you more deeply; your lips part in welcome. Softness gives way to fervor as the restraint you've both been adhering to melts away. Jimin's wings flex and tremble, and the air becomes charged with magic. Twinkling motes of light flicker to life around you, fizzing against your skin in a pleasing, feathery way each time they make contact. You grip fistfuls of his shirt at his sides, overwhelmed, yet craving more. His hand on your hip dips lower, caressing your curves and pulling you closer as your bodies press together in impassioned protest of being kept apart. Surely there will never be a greater wish in your heart than this - a kindred spirit, and a love just out of reach. Struck suddenly by the sadness of your reality, you pull away with a gasp and stare down at your feet.

Jimin exhales a raspy breath, "You're right, I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry."

You shake your head, " Don't be sorry, not for that. It's just... I wish things were different. I wish I could stay with you."

The words fall out honestly before you realize what you've said.

Suddenly the light in the room flares, startling you into looking back up. Jimin is floating, shining brightly as he had in those first moments in the woods. His eyes look blank and faraway, like he's in some kind of trance.

"Jimin?" Squinting through the light, you tentatively reach out and place a hand on his arm just as his light goes out and he stumbles into you weakly.

Struggling with the words he gasps out, "What... did you..." before going completely still.

******

A/N: Did that escalate quickly? 'scuse me while I jump off this cliff I left you hanging on. Love you byeeee.