Crystal Snow 2 (Jikook)

18. Deal

The morning sun was faint, first dawn picturing in the high windows when Jungkook heard the door opening. He has sent his servants out to the queen, so she was here now, wearing a way too confident smile.

"My king," she nodded slightly.

"You know exactly why I have asked for you, so spare yourself the effort," Jungkook was trying to stay calm but his fists clenched so harshly his knuckles became white.

Valerie only chuckled meaningfully.

"Speak my king."

"I want to propose a deal. The assassination attempts on Jimin have to stop. If he ever gets hurt again you will be headed and all your servants thrown out of my land immediately," Jungkook spoke keeping her stare.

"Why would I care about one little raccoon being alive or dead," she approached running her fingers down his arm when a cold, as if a ghostly soul has touched him build unpleasant goosebumps all over his skin.

"That little animal there could possibly survive, but it means you will never ever touch him again," she raised her eyes to look straight at him and Jungkook needed all his self control to not to reach for his dagger and dig into her heartless chest. "And you will be my loyal husband till your last day, deal?"

"But I will not touch you until our wedding day," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"If it will make you sleep better at night, may it be like it little prince," her whisper raised his heartbeat uncontrollably. "Deal?"

"Deal," Jungkook stretched his trembling palm out and she shook it firmly keeping her stare on him. "So first thing, after breakfast you will follow me to the upstairs artier and pose to our portrait, then you will prepare the best engagement ball for us."

Jungkook nodded turning from her watching the raising day, hoping he can stand, he can survive, that he won't take a sword and cut everything in that upstairs room into pieces, the canvas, that strange painter, her, yes her especially.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Taehyung's bushy head appeared in the door of Jimin's room.

"Bad, how can I feel?" Jimin sighed sitting up on the bed wincing from pain.

Moving his tail was highly uncomfortable, the lost part of the ear he investigated in the mirror before opening a hollow inside him, but the pain in his body was nothing compared to the thought that he will never ever hold or kiss Jungkook again, never fall asleep in his arms or wake up to see his beloved face.

I love you Jimin, no matter what happens remember that, Jungkook's words from last night sounded in his head.

"Can I come in?" Asked Taehyung.

"Sure, thank you for helping me yesterday."

"No problem," Taehyung blushed approaching the bed to sit on it. "I've prepared a healing mixture, it should take the pain away," he lifted a jar decorated with Secret Circle signs.

"Thank you," Jimin avoided looking at Taehyung's eyes, he really missed his best friend.

"Can I?" Taehyung pointed at the bandages so Jimin nodded quickly, both sitting in silence when Taehyung uncovered the wounds. "I wish Jin was here," he muttered.

"What would that change?" Jimin bit his lip to not to cry at the sight of the deep wounds in his tail.

"He would have definitely rescued your ear, I'm not so skilled, I'm sorry."

"Taehyung, you're doing your best and it's totally enough," Jimin took the boy's palms squeezing them.

"I mean king Jeon still adores you, even with a bitten up ear," Taehyung raised his brow when heat stormed to Jimin's face.

"I hope he does."

"So how is it to be in love and stuff?"

"Auch!" Jimin squealed when Taehyung started applying the mixture on his wounds.

"Sorry, but it will only get better from here."

"Um... being in love it's... it's beautiful actually. There is so much pain and heartbreak in the world so it's reassuring to know there is someone who means the world to you, and you hope you mean the world too him. Even if you're far away you can still feel his love, it's in here," Jimin pointed at his chest. "And it's more powerful and stronger than all darkness and bad spells... but I'm just a little fox who doesn't know much."

"I guess you're wiser than you think," Taehyung chuckled.

"Would you like to be in love? I mean as a magician you're kind of bound to never have anything physical, but it doesn't mean you can't love anyone."

Taehyung's face became deeply red, he began to apply the substance quicker.

"As you've said I can't be with anyone, so there's no use to fall in love."

"Is there anyone on your mind?" Jimin was watching his friend with interest as Taehyung was probably the last person to ever start a conversation about love.

"No! Of course not! I'm a magician. I couldn't! I wouldn't, even if he would annoy the hell out of me... I mean... there's no one," Taehyung combed his locks back nervously when Jimin opened his mouth then closed it again.

So there was really someone here in the capital his best friend's heart was beating for, a man.
A silence fell, Taehyung was bandaging his wounds up carefully.

"Jimin take a rest, it should stop hurting for a few hours," Taehyung got up taking his jar.

"Thank you, but I definitely won't be able to fall asleep."

"He's just in that room over there on the other side of the corridor and assuming by what I've seen last night all his thoughts are beside you."

Jimin's heart sped up at those words, his gaze lingering on the door.

"Thank you again Taehyung."

"No problem, be careful while washing yourself and whenever you need me you know where to find me."

Jimin nodded getting up walking his friend towards the door slowly.

Maybe it was even better that Jungkook will sleep far from him from now, with all those wounds, the missing ear, the mark of the demon blade that has spread over his chest last night, he didn't want to worry his husband even more.

"Goodnight Taehyung," Jimin leaned against the door frame. "And Tae, if there is someone you like maybe you should let him know."

"That... um... me? No, that has been a hypothetical question, night," Taehyung turned abruptly fleeing down the corridor the robes flattering behind him.

Thank you so much for your support. What do you think about Jungkook making a deal with the queen? Will Jimin find out anything about Tae's crush?

Much <3