Battlefic: Magic Dance
Holy Tolleto! I finally manged to sit down long enough to finish typing this! I just had to stay up late on the night before an early morning to do it.
I hope this lives up to the expectations of the prompt giver (who unfortunately I can't remember at the moment.)
Title: Magic Dance
Author: Kris Ice AKA Wknightmare (Waking Nightmare)
Rating: PG?
Prompt: "Dance, Magic, Dance"
Warning: Trickster dancing half-naked and singing, can't forget the singing.
Summary: Tricks finds an old movie and puts a new twist to it.
Song lyrics can be found here: http://www.lyricsdomain.com/4/david_bowie/magic_dance.html
You remind me of the babe.
What babe?
Babe with the power
A red-headed man lifted his attention from his work, a scowl darkening his face as he pulled off his goggles. Piper had retreated to his workshop after James’ exploration of his parents’ attic had unearth items that had brought up too many memories. He didn’t regret letting James poke around, someone had to go through everything eventually, but he wasn’t ready to deal with some of the personal items the blond had uncovered. Still, he’d managed to get a lot of work done on his latest invention or at least he had until something had caught his attention.
What power?
Power of voodoo
He listened for a moment and felt his heart constrict as he finally recognized the music. “Labyrinth,” he breathed softly, closing his eyes. It had been Jerry’s favorite movie. He shoved his chair back and hurried up the stairs, intent on shutting the tape off.
Who do?
You do.
Do what?
Remind me of the babe!
He turned the corner leading into the living room and froze at the scene before him. James Jessie was dancing around his living room shirtless. He blinked, but the scene didn’t change. James moved easily with the bouncy tune, dressed in a pair of stripped jeans (that Piper was sure came special order from Gambi’s tailor shop) and the dark blue air-walkers.
“I saw my baby, crying hard as babe could cry,” Trickster sang, whipping around, grinning when he saw Piper. Ignoring the younger man’s sour look, he grabbed his hand, sweeping him up into the dance.
“What could I do? My baby's love had gone and left my baby blue. Nobody knew,” he sang, swinging Piper around.
The shorter man shook his head, throwing his head back with a laugh as he let his friend whip him across the floor in the fast paced dance.
“What kind of magic spell to use?” James sang; a mock thoughtful look on his face as he released Piper. “Slime and snails or puppy dogs' tails,” he suggested, circling his friend, ignoring the shorter man’s eye-roll. “Thunder or lightning?” he continued, before spinning Piper around to face him. “Then baby said: ‘Dance magic, dance’.”
The shorter man crossed his arms and tried to glare at the other man who held a broom handle out to him like a microphone. He shook his head again, laughing. “Dance magic, dance,” he added, getting into it.
“Put that baby spell on me,” the blond went on, a sly smile on his face.
“Jump magic, jump,” Piper sang, almost stalking James as the other danced backwards across the room. “Jump magic, jump,” he repeated, pouncing toward Trickster.
“Put that magic jump on me,” the taller man sang, catching the red-head in his arms and spinning him around. “Slap that baby, make him free!”
“If you even think about it, I’ll hurt you,” Piper promised, eyes narrowing, not the slightest reassured by Trickster’s grin.
James just laughed, grabbing him and pulling him back into the dance. “I saw my baby, trying hard as babe could try,” he sang, wondering if Piper could see the point behind his silliness. “What could I do? My baby's fun had gone and left my baby blue. Nobody knew,” he continued, watching deep green eyes carefully. He’d noticed his friend’s growing depression and had a pretty good idea of its cause, but hadn’t known how to approach him. Piper had always been a very private person. When he’d found the tape, everything just clicked. After all, what better way to approach Piper than through music?
After another round of the chorus, the pair collapsed on the nearby couch, breathless with laughter as the movie continued unheeded.
“Damn I love that movie,” the red-head commented, a small smile on his face.
James knew he was going to feel like a complete heel in a moment. He was pretty sure what he was going to say was going to destroy that perfect smile. “Then why was it tucked away in the dusty attic?”
As James predicted, Piper’s face shuttered. “I grew up.”
They sat in silence for several minutes, watching as the movie played on. “He’s so got the hots for her,” the blond suddenly commented.
The red-head blinked and frowned in confusion. “What?”
“It’s obvious Jareth wants Sarah. Look at the lengths he’s going to keep her from winning.”
Piper rolled his eyes. “James, Jareth is trying to keep her from winning so he won’t have to give her brother back.”
“Nah, he keeps trying to find ways to keep her there, and look at the way he keeps flirting with her. It’s so obvious that he’s after her.”
The green clad man shook his head, but decided to play along with his friend’s game. “Ok, let’s say he really does want her, then why steal her brother? Why would he keep trying to hurt her?”
The blond raised one finger. “First, he stole her brother because she wished for him to be gone.” Another finger rose. “Second, he’s not trying to hurt her; he’s just trying to slow her down. See, he just wants to make sure that she can’t win, because if she wins, she’ll go home and he’ll never see her again.” He pointed to the screen where the Goblin King was talking to the girl again. “Since he doesn’t know how to make her stay willingly, he does all kinds of bad things to try and keep her and her brother. If she agreed to stay, he’d make her happy.”
Piper snorted. “She’d be living a fantasy. If he wants her so much, it would be far better if he just came out and said it.”
“Maybe he doesn’t know how. Maybe an illusion is all he knows how to offer.”
The red-head sighed. “James, we could debate this from now until forever and I’m sure you could keep coming up with excuses for his behavior.”
“I think I’d make a great Goblin King,” the blond commented, eyes returning to the screen.
The younger man snorted. “You certainly remind me a lot of him.”
“Really?” James jumped to his feet and bowed with flourish. “Make a wish, my fair beauty, and I shall fulfill it!”
Piper laughed. “The one thing this movie has taught me is to never make wishes; they never turn out well in the end.”
"Oh, come on! Do you really think I'd use your wish to hurt you?" Trickster struck a pose.
The red-head snorted. "You don't want me to answer that." He sighed, sobering and stood, prepared to return to his workshop. This time he'd just turn on some music so James could have his fun watching the movie.
James reached out catching his arm, moving in closer, hovering a bit so he could really look down into Piper's vivid green eyes. "Just say yes, Sarah," he murmured in a voice that was eerily similar to Jareth's, "and I'll fulfill you're deepest desires."
Hart froze, pulled in by the intensity of James' deep blue eyes. He abruptly shook his head and backed up. "How many times do I have to tell you? I'm not a girl."
Trickster gave him an evil smirk. "Oh, I know your not, but you fit the role. After all, if I'm the Goblin King, then that makes you my Sarah."
Green eyes narrowed. "What are you saying, James?"
The blond heaved a sigh of exaggerated exasperation. "Haven't you been listening? I want you and I want to give you what you desire most."
Piper's eyes went wide with shock before narrowing in rage. "Don't play with me like that, Trickster. You won't like what will come of it."
James sobered. "I'm not playing with you, Piper. I've been looking for a way to tell you, and stumbled upon the perfect way. Maybe I should have found another way, but you know me, I always go for the nutty."
Hartley looked down, shaking. He hadn't expected this. The entire time they’d been living together, he'd never suspected that the blond's sudden need for physical touch, the way James was always checking on him, making sure he ate and dragging him out of his lab now and then; that all of it meant that the other man loved him. With anyone else, he might have suspected it, but not with James.
"Hart?" Trickster reached out, hesitant, but caught himself just before he touched the other man. He desperately wished he knew what Piper was thinking at that moment. The green-eyed man had gone silent and still, withdrawn into himself.
"What do you want, James?" He asked suddenly, causing the blond to jump slightly.
James shrugged, uncomfortable. This open honesty was new to him and was leaving him feeling extremely vulnerable. "I told you. I want you and I want to give you what you desire most."
"Do you just want me, or is there more?" Piper asked, leaving the rest of Trickster's statement hanging for the moment.
The taller man looked away, crossing his arms defensively. He hated how naked this conversation made him feel, but he forced himself onward. He had to. He might never get another chance. "I love you," he whispered, looking down. "I never thought I could love a man. I always thought it was wrong to even desire one, but there's been a few though out the years that I couldn't stop watching, wanting and with you it was always more. I didn't just want your body, I wanted you. It scared me so I tried pushing you away and the closer I was forced to be to you, the more I tried to make you hate me so I wouldn't have to face the fact that I wanted you, that I..." his voice trailed off. He swallowed and tried again. "That I loved you." He smirked, finally looking back up at Piper. "But it didn't work. It felt like torture every time I saw the pain in your eyes when I hurt you and I just wanted to make you laugh, to make you forget how much of an ass I was. Then the fear would come back and I'd be pushing you away again."
"James," Hartley stared at the older man, wondering if he'd ever known him at all since he'd missed all that. "I..." he shook his head and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the blond and resting his head against James' chest. He smiled as he felt the other's sigh of relief and warm arms came up to hold him.
They stood in silence for a long moment, ignoring the movie as it started coming to a close. "So, can I keep you?" James asked, hoping he didn't piss Hart off by returning to playful banter, but he didn't think he could deal with leaving himself that open for any longer.
Piper snorted and gave an exaggerated sigh, recognizing James' attempt at protecting himself. "I guess so," he answered, trying to sound upset.
The blond smiled, letting his head rest against the red-head's shoulder. "Good, because I don't think I could let you go. I'd have to spirit you away to my castle within the great maze."
Hartley laughed. "Still playing Jareth?"
"Why not? You did agree that I make a good Goblin King; and you still have a wish."
Piper sighed, closing his eyes and listening to James' heart. "I think this would be my only wish."
"How about wish for a beautiful babe that you've been missing so deeply?"
The green-eyed man froze, leaning back to glare at the other. "What are you talking about?"
James smiled brightly. "I know you miss her, Hart, and I know you're not getting anywhere with the state. So why don't you let me try?"
"You think you can find something legally? I'm her only living relative and they won't tell me anything about her. Just because I was locked up for a crime I never committed and spent a few years of my life robbing people. I never even hurt anyone back then."
Figuring it would be the best way to stop Piper's rant; James grabbed his chin and tilted it up a bit so he could kiss him. Their first kiss was bits awkward as they sorted out whose nose went were, but soon it melted into something hot and messy. The blond was gratified to find Hartley panting when he pulled back. "Relax, Hart, I've got friends in high places." He laughed at the other man's skeptical look. "No, really. I'm still an FBI agent since my name was cleared and it was proven that I was undercover at the time of the incident. It'll be a piece of cake to use my connections to find out where she is, or at the very least, get the legal ball rolling so we can protest the way the state is treating you and force them to give her back."
Piper fought back tears, embarrassed by his emotional state. "You’d really do that for me?"
James gave him a sweet, gentle smile as he cupped Hartley's cheek. "For you, I'd steal her away and build a damn good maze to keep anyone from taking her away again. Then, I'd go get you anything else your heart desired."
"Thank you," he whispered, pulling the other man down for a deeper kiss, ignoring the tears that slipped down his face. Perhaps James was right, and Jareth really was after Sarah and things would have been better for her if she'd accepted his offer. He certainly knew his life was going to be much better after accepting the deal from his Goblin King.