Chapter Text
The Oak Prince walked outside in the late night air, the soft sound of crickets humming against the tune of the music flowing out of the Oak Castle's windows bringing joy to his heart.
It was a gorgeous early fall evening; a slight chill in the air brought the Oak Prince's cold hands up to his coat pockets where they rested. He was taking a short night stroll through his garden after everyone else had fallen asleep.
His eyes wandered over the plants that dotted the edge of the path. After several years of regular upkeep and nurture, they appeared quite healthy. They were taller than he remembered...
Had it really been that long?
He thought about it. All of those months between the war torn Noirwood then and the Noirwood now.
All of those years.
Blinking his eyes at the amazement that the thought brought to his head, the Oak Prince continued on towards his goal. The soft moonlight cast shadows around him, his feet bringing black blobs along with him on his journey to the flower beds.
To the rose beds.
"Although I may be deaf, I can tell when you sneak out on me, y'know."
Without turning around, the Oak Prince motioned for his husband to catch up next to him. Once the blonde came into his line of sight, the ravenette reached down for a familiar tan hand.
"Going to the roses I suppose?" Taehyung intertwined his warm hand with Jungkook's. He cast a glance at the moon in the sky as the ravenette nodded.
Hand in hand, the pair continued on their journey to the maroon beds in the chilly air. Several of the roses were already starting to wilt, their petals crusting and crumbling to the earth.
The Oak Prince let go of the blonde's hand to cup one of the fuller-looking roses between his hands. He leaned forward, nose barely brushing against a soft petal as he inhaled.
Signing to his husband to do the same, Jungkook watched as the sleepy blonde bent down and smelled the faint odor of the rose. A smile broke out across his lips.
"Still smells lovely...like you."
The ravenette laughed, pressing a gentle kiss to the Taehyung's temple as he straightened. The blonde lazily wrapped an arm around his husband's waist, pulling himself in close to the other's body. A gust of wind tousled the couple's hair as the moon slid behind a cloud.
Without the moon for light, it was rather dark in the Oak Garden. The blonde didn't seem to mind, however. His eyelids fluttered shut and he leaned more of his weight into Jungkook.
"God, please don't fall asleep on me out here--"
"He does that a lot, doesn't he?"
Startled by the sudden voice, the Oak Prince let out a yelp of surprise. His husband didn't stir at all, still latched onto the ravenette as his breathing slowed.
Jungkook gently lifted the blonde up bridal style and moved to the nearest bench. As he walked, his gaze roamed around the vicinity, looking for the owner of the voice that had just spoken.
"I'm over here."
A crystal clear voice spoke to his left, from behind the tree closest to the opening of the rose garden. The Oak Prince didn't think that a servant would speak to him so casually, especially this late at night...but he could be wrong.
"It's late...why are you out here scaring people like that?" Jungkook's hand rubbed slow circles on the blonde's upper back. The figure stayed half behind the tree, chuckling softly.
The ravenette tensed at the sound. Something about that laugh...
"I didn't mean to scare you. I know he can't hear me but..." the voice trailed off.
The Oak Prince bit at the skin on his lower lip. Taehyung was sleeping soundly on his lap, chest rising in regular intervals.
"Alright, then--I forgive you for startling me..." Jungkook cleared his throat awkwardly, "But did you have a message for me...or..."
The silhouette shifted a bit in its spot. The man was clearly hesitant to speak as the crickets continued chirping. The Oak Prince leaned forward as the man let out a long breath before speaking.
"I...I'm back."
"You're..." Jungkook furrowed his brow in thought, "...back? Florian, is that you? Y'know, you could have just sent a letter or messenger saying you were coming or something. You didn't have to scare me like that--"
"No...uh," the silhouette moved out from behind the tree, but the ravenette still couldn't distinguish who it was. Maybe a new Oak Servant? A Laurel Court member?
The Oak Prince was silent until the man spoke again.
"I'm, uh, the Stone Prince."
Jungkook's heart stopped, but only for a moment. His laugh rang out in the cool night air as his grasp on the blonde loosened.
"Oh, hahaha," his laugh betrayed the nerves tingling in his stomach, "Florian, don't be hiding on me like that...just come over here to sit by me!"
The man made as if to walk forward, but stopped himself.
"Listen...I'm not how you rememb-"
"Just get over here already!" The Oak Prince couldn't help the anxious sensation sitting at the front of his mind like an unwanted headache, "Come sit on the bench by me, I know this guy's taking up a lot of space," the ravenette shifted the blonde over a bit, "But see! Here, there's room for you."
Jungkook pointed at the empty seat on the bench as he waited for Florian to move. Moments passed and the man didn't move an inch forward. He rocked side to side slightly, as if his feet were deciding on whether they should move or not.
Why was Florian acting like this?
"O-okay," the voice sounded pained, as if it was trying to keep out the sorrow flooding in.
The Oak Prince watched curiously as the man sauntered over to the bench, his head held low. Taehyung stirred in his grasp as Florian came over slowly to the bench.
Only...
Only, wasn't Florian a bit taller than that?
"N-no! No NO NO!" Taehyung suddenly screamed in his sleep, kicking his legs out as he sat upright, nearly knocking the ravenette out as he awoke from his nightmare.
Jungkook grabbed ahold of his husband's mid-section to prevent him from toppling off the bench. To calm him down, the ravenette ruffled his hair gently as the blonde turned to gaze at him. Anxious words spluttered out of his mouth as he took ahold of the ravenette's shoulders.
"I...I had a h-horrible nightmare...t-that, um, a demon came t-to visit us and steal-"
"Calm down babe. It's alright, you can tell me about it later. We have company."
Taehyung turned around in the Oak Prince's lap as the figure came to stop at their bench. Something about the way the person stood reminded the ravenette of his past...
And it gave him a sour feeling in his gut.
By then, the Oak Prince was sure that this stranger wasn't Florian, but he didn't think that the late night visitor had any malicious intent.
"Who...who is this guy? I can't see him," the blonde asked Jungkook as if the man couldn't hear him. Then he raised his voice to directly ask the approaching figure, "Who are you? I can't see your face in the dim light..."
Suddenly, the moon resurfaced from behind the cluster of clouds it was hiding behind. Slowly, the pair's surroundings illuminated enough for them to see.
Pale light flooded across the strange man's features, making the two on the bench scream out in recognition.
It was the Stone Prince.
The TRUE Stone Prince.
Park Jimin.
Jimin's hands came up to his ears to keep out the screams as a shy smile broke out across his face.
The Oak Prince's shocked mouth hung open as he stared at the man who he had thought died years ago standing perfectly healthy before him.
Except...
The hair that was once a beautiful silver was now a blinding white.
The sparkling eyes that were once a sharp gray were now a deep red.
And the arms that were once covered in smooth, soft skin were now laced with black markings.
Jungkook rubbed at his eyes in disbelief, choking out the next word as his husband finished screaming and skittered to his feet off of the bench.
"H-how?"
But before the Stone Prince could answer, the blonde lunged forward, hollering in a voice that the ravenette had only heard him use when fighting against Jihoon.
"DEMON! DEMON BE GONE! GO AWAY!"
Just like that, Jimin frowned, the happy gaze pulled from his face. He stepped back as the blonde yanked a dagger from his pant leg, unsheathing it as more threats spilled from his lips.
"I'LL KILL YOU! YOU AREN'T PARK JIMIN--YOU AREN'T THE STONE PRINCE! VILE BEAST BE GONE FROM JIMIN'S BODY!" Taehyung pointed the knife towards the white-haired man in front of them.
Jungkook moved forward to stop his husband, reaching out for the blonde's jacket. His husband shrugged his grip off, moving forward for the shell of Jimin who only appeared hurt by Taehyung's accusations. The red-eyed apparition of the Stone Prince didn't even try to move away as the blonde closed the gap between them, the dagger sliding easily between the man's ribs.
"NO!" The Oak Prince yelled, pushing Taehyung so hard, that he fell to the path. His husband groaned in pain as he hit the stones. His head whipped up not to yell at Jungkook but to stare down Jimin with pure hatred. The frosty-haired man parted his lips as he gazed sadly at the hilt of the dagger.
"I'm sorry...I knew I would scare you...it's too soon," Jimin stared at the path, the disappointment obvious in his tone.
Jungkook stared in wonder as the Stone Prince then proceeded to pull the dagger out of his chest and set it lightly on the ground at his feet.
In the hole where the dagger had once been--
There was no blood. Not even a drop.
Soon, there wasn't even a hole. The ravenette watched as the skin around the stab wound folded in on itself, completely healed within seconds.
"I--w-what--who...J-Jimin?" Jungkook managed to get out in his shock.
Maroon eyes locked onto his forcefully before the man spoke.
"I have to go. I'm sorry."
And with that, the Stone Prince turned on his heel and disappeared into the night.
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