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"If you make me fall on my face, I'll pour bog water on you!" Sarah laughed as she almost tripped, her hand gripping Jareth's tightly, his other hand on her back protecting her from any injuries.
"You really wouldn't want to try that, Precious."
She could see in her mind's eye, his sharp teeth as he whispered in her ear, calling her by his annoying-yet-sometimes-secretly-endearing pet name. "I would get you back tenfold."
"Oh, I know. But the look on your face might just be worth it," she turned to him, wanting him to see her mischievous smile, but came directly into contact with his fluffy hair instead. They both descended into laughter again as she tried to blow strands of his hair away from her lipstick.
"My date will think I look like a horrible mess and run away," she commented dryly as they walked up a hill.
Jareth chuckled. "He won't."
"You sound so sure."
"I am."
She left it at that, feeling that they were getting closer to the site of said date. "I still can't believe that you talked me into this. I hope I don't regret it," she said jokingly.
Jareth was quiet for a moment, quite uncharacteristic of him. Then, ever so softly, he said "I hope I don't either."
Getting to the top of the hill, she could feel a bit of wind picking up, brushing against her cheek. Jareth stood directly behind her, his hands coming up to untie the blindfold.
Now that she was able to see, Sarah took in the sight before her. There was a blanket on the ground with a picnic basket on top of it, acting as a table. On top of said basket were two plates, a floating candle, and a single red rose.
It was more romantic than she had expected, but she wasn't going to complain when she saw the view beyond the hill.
She could see the Labyrinth from one side, one village on the other with little lights, a beautiful vegetable and flower garden, and the castle on the other. Above them was the most wondrous view of all: the stars in the heavens blinking down on them. Without the light pollution that was so common in her world, the Underground did the night sky justice.
"Wow," she said in awe, smiling brightly. "So many stars! It's beautiful here."
She was so focused on the sky that she didn't see the way Jareth was looking at her, with deep longing in his eyes. "Yes," he agreed, still staring at her. "It is."
Sarah looked away from the stars, turning to him. She looked around and cleared her throat, swinging her arms around awkwardly. "So, uh, where's my date?"
Jareth grinned, giving her a sweeping bow. "He's right here."
Sarah blinked. "What - you - huh?"
"Do I need to repeat myself, Sa-rah?"
She was still confused. "You're joking, Jareth."
"Not at all, Sarah."
A week ago
Sarah reached into the popcorn bowl that was sitting in Jareth's lap. "So, in conclusion, my plan for Valentine's Day is going to be taking a nice bubble bath, reading books, watching a movie or two, maybe clean my house if I feel like being productive, drink lots of wine, go get a professional massage, and eat a lot of junk food."
"That doesn't sound terrible," he mused, eating some himself. "In fact, it sounds wonderful and relaxing. You yourself have often called to brag me about being able to have a fully relaxing day."
Smiles creeped on both their faces at the memory of her drunk-dialing him to brag that she got a nice mani-pedi. He had pretended to be furious, demanding why he hadn't been invited as he loved getting his nails done.
Jareth looked at her with concern. "I notice that you don't look very happy at the idea though, which is unlike you, considering how you usually don't seem to mind these things. Did you not complain the other day about it being commercialized and a superficial way to declare one's love for their significant other?"
Not that Sarah didn't date. She dated, had one-night stands, friends with benefits, boyfriends if it lead to it. She just never cared for the social constructs of when to date anyone. She did things by her own timeline.
"Yeah, but, you know?" She looked at Jareth with unexpected sadness in her eyes, giving a shrug. "It just hits a lot harder this year."
What she didn't tell him was how much she wanted a relationship, to have someone to cherish and to be cherished in return. The desire made her ache deep in her chest, causing her to feel a bit lonely when she saw various couples make plans for Valentine's Day, even if it was commercialized and sometimes superficial.
It was especially painful speaking about this with Jareth, for reasons that she refused to entertain in coherent sentences, even in her mind. "Also, I take back about the superficial part. Sort of." She sat up, still looking at him thoughtfully. "If it's meaningful and sincere, not superficial. But you know that it can be."
"Yes, I do," he confirmed, looking a bit unsure of how to act with her looking so sad.
They sat in companionable silence for a bit until he said "I'm sorry that it pains you much more this year than usual."
Despite the depressing topic at hand, Sarah couldn't help but smile at his words. He had come so far, learning how to express his empathy. Deep inside, he was always empathetic, he just had to relearn how to feel and express it after years of repression and induced apathy. To say that she was proud of him was an understatement.
"Thanks for saying that," she said sincerely. "It's alright, I'll be fine."
Four days ago
"You can't be serious," Sarah said incredulously as she sat on her couch, pulling her legs up.
"I can and I am," Jareth said on the other end of the crystal. "I will set you up on a blind date."
"Jare," she sighed, saying her nickname for him. "I don't know."
"Why not?" He raised an eyebrow. "We are friends. I know you, you know me. I will choose someone who I think is a good fit, and if not, there will be no hard feelings. I will choose someone who will treat you well, who will be good to you, who will support you in every way, and wants to get married eventually. Is that not what you seek for in a partner?"
"It's not that simple, I want a friend in a husband too. And this is going to be someone from the Underground, right?"
"Then be friends with him. Treat this date as nothing more than a conversation over some food, if that's what you would like. No hard feelings if you two are no longer interested in each other. And yes, it will be."
Somehow, she relented. She wasn't sure why she did, maybe it was because she knew he wouldn't stop annoying her about it until she did, but it couldn't be that bad, right?
The present
"If it's not a joke, then it's some fucked up trick," she huffed in exasperation and disgust, looking at him right in the eyes. "It's not funny, Jareth."
Her mind was whirring at an intense speed. If he thought that he was going to pull this shit on her and get away with it, only to surprise her and say that he had no date for her after setting up her excitement, she was going to leave and never come back. She never thought that he would play such a cruel scheme on her, that he would kick her down when she felt so alone on this day. She should have known better than to accept his offer to set her up on a blind date.
"It's not meant to be," he said, his tone still light but with a hint of anguish in it.
Sarah sensed it, slowly coming down from her near-rage. "You're not supposed to set up a blind date with yourself, kind of defeats the purpose of a blind date," she said lamely, unsure of how to proceed.
"Perhaps, but you know that I do as I please." He took a step closer to her, hands behind his back, his face drawn. "Sarah, would a date with me be so horrible?"
She thought she wanted to yell at him and demand why, why he would break this comfortable friendship between them. To risk them falling apart if they added romance. To dredge up the memories of them dancing and offer from when she wished Toby away.
But she couldn't. What she really wanted was to hold him close, to stop feeling the pit of loneliness whenever he left her side.
She looked at him. Really looked at him. He was almost, shy? Nervous? No, those weren't the right words. Close, but not quite.
Vulnerable. Yes, that was the word.
Besides, wasn't this what she truly wanted deep inside?
"No," she finally replied, slowly allowing herself to believe that this was really happening. "No, it wouldn't."
He held his hand out to her hope gleaming in his eyes. "Then, shall we?"
With an tentative smile, Sarah took his hand.
Jareth guided her to the blanket, sitting down on opposite ends of the picnic basket. He opened the cover from his end, pulling out two strawberry cream sandwiches, putting one on each plate. "I thought that you would enjoy this," he said before taking a bite out of his.
As unsure as Sarah was about this whole date, she was touched. It was a favorite of hers after being introduced to it by her mother as a child. She had told Jareth this a few years back. "You remembered."
"Of course I did. I have impeccable memory," he winked.
The tension eased as Sarah laughed, settling into their usual banter. After she ran the labyrinth, no one could have predicted that they would have transitioned into such an easy friendship, considering how they both felt antagonistic towards each other for a few years. While there were hints of flirting and undercurrents of something more, neither pursued it, always keeping in the line of friendship.
Until now.
Jareth held the rose up to her. "For you, my lady."
Sarah beamed at the gesture. "It's beautiful, thank you." She touched the soft petals lightly, smelling the flower.
They talked for a hours, as they always did. Talked about their friendship and memories they made together. Their families. The goblins and their chickens. About philosophical things. About their dreams and wishes for the world.
It wasn't all nice and sweet, sometimes they would hurl colorful insults at each other. Sarah called him a "peacocking fluff-head" and "fucking bastard" while Jareth called her "the most infuriating woman he ever met" and "uncivilized little shit" when she talked with her mouth full just to piss him off. To which, she responded by saying that he could tame her by giving her chocolate.
"Chocolate?" Jareth held out a box of chocolates, looking hopeful that he could indeed tame one as Sarah. "These have raspberry filling, your favorite."
"My god, you're spoiling me tonight," she grinned, taking one and popping it in her mouth.
"Not spoiling, just treating you well."
The intense emotions in his eyes were too much for her, for they reflected the same yearning that she felt inside. She looked away from him for a moment. When she did, she gasped, pointing at the sky. "Jareth, look! Shooting stars!"
Showers of incredible light falling to the earth from space. This was better than any firework show, giving more light to the stars twinkling up above like little jewels.
Jareth studied her, embedding this moment in his memory forever. The way her hair cascaded down the soft skin of her neck, her green eyes excitedly gazing above, her black dress clinging to her curves, and her hand patting his to get his attention made his heart beat fast. Her sense of excitement brightened everything she touched, including himself.
He moved to sit directly next to her, one of his arms coming behind her so that his shoulder was directly behind her in an almost-embrace. To his delight, Sarah moved into him too, laying on his chest comfortably, her hand on his thigh. It felt so natural, as if they had been sitting that way forever.
For so long, Sarah tried to deny herself the feelings that she had for The Goblin King. To allow herself to even entertain the thoughts was to ask for pain and suffering. After all, Jareth was a king in the Underground. What would that mean for them if they started anything? And if they broke up, would she then lose the friendship that she treasured so deeply?
But tonight, she pushed them all away. It was time that she learned to trust, to take this kind of risk. Closing her eyes, she wished that this moment wouldn't end, that she could always feel him cuddling close to her, to always smell the intoxicating peach and cinnamon scent from him as he laid his cheek on top of her head.
Jareth moved his hand so that he could hold her around her waist, feeling her hand grasp that hand, acknowledging his touch and wanting him to stay in that position forever.
And he would have, if her hand wasn't so damn cold.
"Your hand is cold," he mumbled into her hair.
Sarah moved her hand off of his, still entranced by the light show. "Sorry," she said absently.
Jareth shifted a little, moving away from her. He moved to sit directly in front of her, taking both of her hands in his and lifted them up, pressing his lips against her fingers. "I didn't mean for your hand to be away from mine, I meant that it was unacceptable for you to be this cold. I used magic to warm up the air for the both of us, so if you're cold, I'm clearly not doing my job right."
She could feel the magic from him, spreading warmth from her fingers and up her hand. Slowly, she gingerly lifted a hand up to brush his hair from his eyes, curling it back behind his pointy ear to get a better look at him. "Thank you."
Ever so tenderly, Jareth moved his free hand to her face, using the back of his hand to gently brush down her jawline, all the way to her chin where he used his thumb to brush down her bottom lip.
He looked back at her eyes. Then her lips. "You're welcome."
They made one last eye contact before their lips finally met.
Both of them shared countless kissed with many people throughout their lives, but this kiss put them all to shame. This kiss just felt right.
Jareth felt Sarah gasp as he swept his tongue on the roof of her mouth. She felt him groan at the taste of her lips, sliding her tongue against his. She put her hands on his neck and slid the other one down to his abdomen, holding him possessively. Jareth let out a growl, kissing her harder, both hands on her back as he pulled her closer to his chest, feeling their bodies mold into each other.
When they pulled apart for air, Jareth took her right hand and placed it directly over his heart and placed his hand on top of hers, keeping her hand there. He kissed her forehead affectionately then making sure that she was looking right into his eyes.
"Sarah," he breathed, ready to lay his soul bare, no matter the consequences. "I love you."
Sarah didn't say anything for a moment. She just looked at his face, parting her lips slightly, not moving away from him at all.
When she came to the understanding that it wasn't her imagination, her bottom lip trembled and her eyes began to water. "Oh, Jareth... I love you too."
She lifted her free hand to cradle his face. Jareth turned his head, pressing his lips against her palm, his hand coming to grip her wrist gently. Still making eye contact with her, he lowered his lips to kiss the inside of her wrist, barely restraining himself. "I have loved you for so long," he said in a husky voice.
The King of Goblins, Lord of the Labyrinth, and Master of Dreams was finally granted his most desired wish. Not from some powerful Undergrounder magician, no. From Sarah, who held more power over him than anyone else ever could.
Sarah leaned forward, making him moan as her lips traveled from the tip of his ear to his collar bone. Every movement from her was delightfully sensual, causing them to both heat up. Her hands slipped down his low-cut shirt, fingers tangling in the chain of his amulet then down his chest.
In turn, Jareth's hand moved down the curve of her back to her bottom, holding her ass as her back arched. His cock hardened, twitching in his tight pants as she continued to press her body into his, climbing into his lap. He twisted his body so that she could feel his erection pressed against her thigh.
She gasped, breaking their kiss but not moving away at all. She looked into his eyes, as dark with desire as hers as she felt his length through the thin fabric of their clothing. Unable to help herself, she turned to fully face him and wrapped her legs around him his waist. She said his name as his erection rested against the curve of her slit, waves of arousal soaking her underwear.
Jareth took this chance to kiss her neck. As much as he enjoyed feeling her soft curves against his firm body, he needed more. Desperately, his lips moved down, licking the swell of her breasts. He could detect her arousal, her scent addictive and intoxicating. "I want you," he growled.
She gripped the collar of his shirt, breathing heavily. Her eyes were wild and filled with the same carnal desire that stirred inside of him. "Then take me. Take all of me, Jareth."
Limbs intertwined, proclamations of devotion, lips traveling over bodies, they made love to each other for the first time. Clothes were thrown to the side without much care for them as they were more interested in the other person's naked body. Hands explored all over in reverence and need. The need to be close to one another, the need to finally feel the parts of themselves that they had hidden from each other, and the need to show love unfeigned. They tasted each other everywhere, giving into the feelings that they held back for so long.
Sarah straddled him, her fingers intertwined in his. She wasn't sure if she had ever seen Jareth look at her that way before, with such adoration. Maybe she had, but she denied herself the ability to see it, fearful that she would be wrong, that she was having false hope. With him, she felt no shame. No insecurities about her body. No shyness about what happened during sex. No worries about whether he would be good to her.
No worries about their love for each other.
She knew that he would always be good to her, come what may. Just as she was good to him.
She lowered herself down, moaning as the first few inches of his length entered inside of her. Jareth's eyes rolled into the back of his head, grunting lowly as he tried to restrain himself so that she could take charge. He was beautiful, as he always was.
Oh my god, Sarah thought as she moved, feeling him slide in and out of her. Jareth moved with her, lifting his hips up off the ground. She leaned forward, pleased when he took the hint and sucked on her breasts, the sensation shot down to her groin.
When Jareth moved his hand to her clit, it didn't take her too long to reach her peak, her orgasm ravaging her body. She screamed his name until she slowed, falling on his chest, taking deep breaths. His hands cradled her close to him, his lips finding the top of her head.
When she recovered, she found that Jareth was still hard and large inside of her. She looked up at him questioningly, her Goblin King giving her a suggestive grin before nipping her neck and flipping them over, still inside of her. "My turn."
In all his years of being alive, he didn't think that it would be possible for him to love someone as much as he loved Sarah. Nor did he think that it would be possible for her to love him back as much. When he would usually be uncertain and closed off, questioning motives of his lovers, he had no reason to feel that way towards Sarah. Loving her was freeing, for he could bare his soul to her without fear of ulterior motives.
He poured all of that into their kiss, using his actions to tell her what words couldn't. Her fingers tangled in his hair, coming to massage his ears. He deepened their kiss, the sensation so intimate and erotic, even after all they had done to taste each other in the most private and sacred of places.
The way her dark hair fanned around her made a striking contrast to her green eyes. Eyes that could be cruel and generous. Eyes that he saw display all emotions, haunting him as he would be with her during her heartbreaks and warmed him when he shared her happiness.
He pulled out nearly all the way then slammed into her, causing Sarah to arch her back, giving him a better angle to bite her neck. Her nails scratched down his back, hands squeezing his ass as he moved faster and faster inside of her.
He held her close to him as he finished. He would never forget the look in her eyes as she watched him cry her name in desperation, the way she looked so very complete. It humbled him greatly to know that he could elicit such a reaction from her.
"Jareth," she breathed his name, her eyes dazed. "That was amazing." She leaned to nuzzle against him. "I love you."
He would never tire of hearing her say his name, or those three words. "And I you, Sarah. My Sarah."
They laid side by side, Jareth's cloak covering them as they were still naked. Sarah put her hand on his chest, Jareth's arm around her.
"Sarah?" Jareth moved his body so that he was looking down on her, his hand moving stray hair strands out of her face. "Are you still upset at me for not setting you up on a date with someone else?" He asked her lightly.
Sarah snorted, hiding her giggle. "I should be, you trickster." She moved her hand away, showing him her big smile. "But no, I'm not. 'Treat this date as nothing more than a conversation over some food, if that's what you would like,' huh?"
If it was anyone else, she would have walked away, but not Jareth. Not just because she loved him as much as she did, but because she knew his past. How he had been left for dead more than a handful of times. How he had been so lonely in this world. How seeing Wished-Away children caused him to develop an outer exterior to cope with his job and loneliness. If he had to hide behind the guise of a blind date set-up to finally open his heart to her, she accepted that. After all, they had forever to work on how to really communicate with each other.
Jareth chuckled lowly. "Well, yes. I didn't anticipate all of this." He gestured to their exposed bodies. "Or expected it. If it had just been a simple, midnight picnic date, I wouldn't have minded. As long as I'm with you."
It was a risk that he took, one Jareth wasn't sure would work or not. He thanked the heavens for this idea, for he wasn't truly sure how she would have responded. He saw in her eyes that she had been upset at first, glad that she finally understood why he had to do it this way. Why he had to hide behind his pride. Why he couldn't just ask her on a date like a normal person.
They stayed there a while, looking at the stars, making up their own constellations, and pausing to make love every now and then. As the sun rose to usher in a new day, they were still awake, still teasing and loving each other.
"It's Valentine's Day, we should do something," Sarah said, amused but serious.
"I quite agree, Love." Jareth sat up, stretching. "But, wouldn't it be falling in line with the commercialization of the holiday?"
Sarah didn't appear to hear his question. "You called me Love."
Jareth kissed her. "You are my love, Sarah." How happy he was to be able to finally say so. "What would you like to do today? The kingdom is ours to explore."
She brushed her hair out of her eyes, moving closer to him with a cheeky grin. In a husky voice, she said "Maybe another time. I'd love to spend the day in your bed, if you don't mind."
Jareth cupped the back of her head possessively. "Not at all. By the time we're done, you won't be able to walk for a week."
They kissed, reaffirming the love they had for each other.