Elf Magic | Jikook [ON HOLD]

quatre.

"Jungkook, I told you not to come with me!"

The male slowly opens his eyes and looks up to see a horrified Jimin staring down at him. He sits up and shivers, staring at the snow he's laying on, and then back up at Jimin before standing up. "Do you have a jacket or something? I'm freezing."

"Jungkook, I told you—"

"Jimin, I'm gonna freeze to death if you don't give me something to wear!" Jungkook pulls the sleeves of his sweater over his fingers. "God, it's so cold."

Jimin sighs in defeat, and murmurs something under his breath before, with a small pop and some shimmers, a large fluffy coat appears in his arms. "Here." He thrusts it at Jungkook, who gratefully takes it and puts it on, sighing in relief at the warmth it provides.

"Jimin-ah!" A young man with thick-framed glasses is hurrying towards him, nearly tripping over his own feet. "The Council," he gasps, completely out of breath, "wants to see you immediately." Eyes wide, he stares at Jungkook, who's peacefully buttoning up the jacket. "Is this...?"

"Yes."

The male claps his hands over his mouth. "A human—" he chokes. "Jimin, are you insane?"

"Who... are you, exactly?" Jungkook queries, curiously peering at the elf, who only fixes him with a nasty glare.

"I am Kim Namjoon," the elf declares, "and you— you should not be here. You are only serving to put Jimin in further danger, you selfish human. You are going to ruin everything, and Jimin will not be able to—"

"Namjoon," Jimin sighs, stepping in front of Jungkook to block his friend's view, "please do not worry. I will be fine. Just— Just hide him somewhere until I am able to bring him back home, okay?"

"Wait," Jungkook protests, grabbing Jimin's arm, "I want to help."

Jimin exhales in irritation. "You cannot help. You are a human. The Council will not listen to you."

"I could try—"

The red object in Jimin's hand emits a high pitched beep, and the three stare at it as a voice sounds from it.

"Park Jimin," a feminine voice says, "you are ordered to appear before the Elf Council as soon as possible. Failure to do so will result in immediate banishment. Report to the Council Offices at once." The message begins to play once more before Jimin presses a button and the voice cuts out, mid-sentence.

"I must go," Jimin says defeatedly. "Jungkook, just stay at Namjoon's house for a little bit, okay? I will bring you back home immediately. If, that is, they do not revoke my powers and I am unable to transport you back."

Jungkook blinks. "They'll take away your powers?"

Jimin nods. "Yes, if they find my offense terrible enough."

"Don't worry, Jimin," Namjoon says reassuringly, gently tousling the elf's hair (a pang of jealousy twists Jungkook's chest), "you will be fine. I am sure you will be able to get yourself out of it somehow. Or possibly reduce the punishment. I know you will."

"Thank you for your faith in me, Namjoon," Jimin says sadly, "but I do not think I will be able to get out of this one. I have committed a serious offense."

"How is talking to a human a serious offense?" Jungkook questions. "Why can't you tell humans that you're an elf? It's not like humans are gonna kill you or anything."

"I did not just talk to you, Jungkook," Jimin snaps. "I kissed you as well. Human-elf relations, especially romantic, are strictly forbidden."

Namjoon gapes. "You kissed—?"

The red machine beeps. "Park Jimin, you are ordered to—"

"Namjoon, hide Jungkook," Jimin says urgently, hastily muting the machine. "I must go."

Namjoon gives Jimin's shoulder a reassuring squeeze before brusquely taking Jungkook by the arm and leading him in the opposite direction. "Come, human," he says sternly. "You have already done enough damage; we cannot have you doing more."

Disgruntled and worried, Jungkook follows Namjoon to the elf's house, a quaint little hut with a little Ryan toy peering out one of the windows, which makes him laugh. "That's a cute plushie," he giggles, but his grin is immediately wiped off his lips as Namjoon glares at him. "Okay, sorry."

The two enter, Jungkook ducking as he crosses the threshold, and Namjoon leads him to what he assumes to be a living room, as there's a sofa and a table, as well as a small television sitting on a raised shelf. "Stay here," Namjoon orders. "Do not move, or else."

Jungkook raises his eyebrows. "Or else what?"

Namjoon appears to be at a loss for words. "Just... Just do not move, alright? Gosh, are all you humans this irritating?"

Jungkook snickers as Namjoon storms into the other room. "No need to get all pissed off."

"Be quiet!"

❄︎

"Do you accept that you have committed these crimes?"

"Yes."

Jungkook can feel the pain in Jimin's voice, and it hurts, it hurts him to know that he's the reason for it, it's his fault that Jimin is in this situation, and he can't do anything about it.

Or maybe he can.

Slowly, he raises his fist and knocks three times against the aged wood, heart pounding in his ears. After a cold You may enter reaches his ears, he slowly pushes open the door, wincing as the hinges squeak, and enters the courtroom.

Jimin gasps.

"Who are you?" an elderly woman asks, her thin lips pressed into a severe line.

"I... I'm Jeon Jungkook," the male says bravely. Recognition flickers in the woman's face. "And I don't think you should consider Jimin— or any elf— guilty for talking to humans."

"And why is that?"

"Well, why is it a crime in the first place?" Jungkook challenges. (Jimin winces.)

The members of the Council look rather flustered for a bit, looking around at each other, before a man on the far left, who looks the eldest, speaks up. "Because of the massacre that happened decades ago."

"Well, what happened?"

"It's a long story," the man mutters.

Jungkook glances at Jimin, who shakes his head. He turns back to the Council.

"Enlighten me."