Lady Midnight (After the Iratze)

Dance

Another week had passed with no word from the Wild Hunt. Patrols had been relatively uneventful, and the younger Blackthorn children seemed to be growing less and less worried about the fey.

This just made Emma more nervous. Time passes differently in faerie, she had reminded herself daily, not wanting her alertness to falter with the passage of time. She knew Julian was worried too. She could see it in the set of his jaw, the hollows of his cheeks, the tension in his shoulders. And the faint purple shadows under his bright cerulean eyes had become a semi-permanent feature over the past few weeks. Thought neither of them had openly stated their worries, they knew by unspoken glances that they were on the same page. Both watching, waiting for some form of retaliation.

It was an uncharacteristically warm night and Emma was wishing she hadn't donned her full gear to go out on patrol. She walked silently beside Julian down the dark downtown streets of LA, looking for signs of suspicious demonic or Downworld activity.  Unfortunately there seemed to be nothing of interest going on. The local vampire coven and werewolf pack had recently forged an agreement, and things had been much more peaceful in Downworld since then. They knew it wouldn't last, but she had to admit it was nice not to have to break up bar fights for a while.

At the moment, though, she was so bored that she almost wished there was a fight to break up. At least it would provide some entertainment. The only thing they had to amuse then now was the sight of giddy high school students tumbling out of the double doors of a fancy-looking stone building. Four girls had stepped outside, all wearing long formal dresses and sporting glamorous hairstyles.  They were all laughing as they leaned against the staircase railing to catch their breath. Two tried to use their small clutch purses to fan themselves, but they couldn't seem to get the air flowing very well.

"Must be a prom," Jules observed, and Emma nodded. They could hear upbeat music playing from inside as they approached closer, unnoticed by the mundanes because of their glamours.  Involuntarily, her hand went to her hair, imagining what it would look like if it were wound into a hundred glistening curls and pinned up, rather than braided back the way she usually wore it.

"Your hair looks better than theirs anyway," Jules winked and she blushed, lowering her hand.

She wished for a heart-stopping moment that she and Julian were just a couple of normal teenagers at a dance. That they could just forget about everything there was to worry about and just enjoy being together.

Why can't we? She interrupted her own thoughts. Patrol was frustratingly boring, and they had both been so stressed lately about the fey, they needed to relax. She wanted to see Julian smile again, and see him release some of the tension he'd been carrying in every line of his body.

She turned abruptly to face her parabatai, locking his eyes with her determined gaze.

"Dance with me." She held out a hand. It wasn't exactly a question, but it wasn't a command either. She held her breath, fearing for a brief moment that he might turn her down.  But he gave a shy smile and placed his hand in hers.

The music blared through open windows into the courtyard outside where Julian and Emma danced. They were perfectly in sync, as if they had been taking dance lessons together all their lives. Emma supposed training and fighting were a lot like dancing. Combat exercises required the same teamwork, the same awareness of each other's movements and positions. They moved effortlessly, Julian leading her by the slightest touch, pulling her in toward himself and spinning her out away from him again. Each time she spun, she locked eyes with him so she wouldn't get dizzy. He was her anchor; he kept her grounded just as he always had in every way.

The music changed, the beat slowing dramatically. Jules pulled her in closer, until her arms were wrapped around his neck and their hips were pressed together. They swayed back and forth, taking tiny steps, no longer really dancing.  His hands traced patterns into the small of her back, sending shivers up her spine. She wound one hand into his brown curls, stroking the nape of his neck and making him let out an involuntary shudder.

Their faces were so close that her head was starting to feel cloudy. She breathed him in, taking in the familiar scent of Julian. His cologne did not quite mask the odor of acrylic paint.

She leaned in slightly to whisper in his ear. "You never can quite get rid of that paint smell, huh?"

He chuckled, but it was not his normal laugh. It was low in his throat, husky. The sound sent a wave of electricity coursing through her body, all the way down to her toes. She drew back a little and looked at him as he brought a hand up to brush an escaped strand of hair out of her face. His fingers lingered on her cheekbone and she let out a breath she had not know she'd been holding.

Slowly, deliberately, Julian closed the distance between them and pressed his lips to hers. They were still swaying in time to the music as they deepened their kiss.  She parted his lips with her tongue and was gratified by the small moan that escaped him.  They stopped moving with the music as Julian's kisses became more urgent.  He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist.  He was strong, to be able to hold her like this while kissing.  She could feel his heartbeat racing in time with her own, feel the paths his hands traced as they raked down her back over her gear.

This can't happen, a small voice inside her argued.  This will only end badly.  But this voice was drowned out by another, stronger one. I love Julian Blackthorn. I love you, Jules.
And she spoke the last four words aloud.

"I love you too, Emma," he gasped as he rested his forehead on hers, lowering her back to the ground.

His eyes flicked up and widened.  She backed away from him instinctively, drawing Cortana and looking around.

Two horses were approaching in the distance. They were too far away to make out clearly, but Emma was pretty sure they had riders. She was also pretty sure that no humans who lived in LA owned horses and took them out riding through downtown at midnight.  And if the riders weren't humans, there was only one other possibility. She had never known a vampire, werewolf, or warlock to take a particular shine to horses.  No, they were the typical companions of the fey. The time had come. Julian and Emma had been found by the Wild Hunt.

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A/N: Yeah so not a lot of actual plot but I just LOVED the TDA snippet Cassie posted about them dancing so I had to write something similar!! I think the idea of them dancing and being able to move so perfectly together is just the most adorable thing ever! Hope you enjoy!

PS: OMG who else is SO EXCITED for THE FIERY TRIAL!!!!!!?!?????? I am half dreading it because I'm gonna be like "No! Don't do it!" but I can't wait!!!!