Work Text:
Sarah found that after her… experience (she still struggled to find a term that would accurately describe it) in the Labyrinth, she could see things that most other people could not. Some of these things were quite small, a hole in a tree trunk that could be mistaken for a bird’s nesting place but actually belonged to a fairy, a collection of mushrooms growing in the woods that looked harmless but were actually growing in a suspiciously perfect circle. There were bigger things too, signs to markets that only appeared at twilight on the third Wednesday of every month, doors between buildings that led to underground rooms that shouldn’t exist according to any building plans, but that always seemed to be hosting parties full of revelry and a very delicious wine that tasted like honey that Sarah had become very fond of.
She had been wary of these places at first, but eventually couldn’t resist investigating, and was happily surprised to find herself always welcomed by people similar to herself, people who perpetually seemed to be halfway between two different worlds. Sarah found that there was something delightful about these places being half in the human world, half somewhere else.
On this particular night, Sarah was in London, and in one of her favourite places that shouldn’t exist, an underground place that seemed to be half old night club and half forest clearing, with dark wooden walls and velvet-lined booths, along with vines climbing the walls, and flowers and fairy lights hanging from the ceiling.
She wore one of her favourite dresses, one of her most glittery, that caught the light and sparkled perfectly, with a skirt that flowed around her legs in a marvellous way when she danced.
After a glass of her favourite wine, she made her way to the centre of the room to join the dancing, easily getting lost in the rhythm of the music. She moved her hips and grinned at a cute boy with elfin ears and long blond hair who grinned back at her, then tried not to think too much about how she really had a type.
Which was, of course, the moment she turned and caught sight of the Goblin King watching her from the nearest booth.
She stood still, wondering if the wine had gone to her head, while everyone else carried on dancing around her.
After staring at him for a minute, during which he continued to be there, she had to conclude that he certainly seemed to be real, taking her in from her toes to her hair, with a familiar smirk and tilt of his head.
Well, come on feet.
She carefully made her way through the crowd over to him, stopping before the booth.
“I suppose I should have expected to see you again eventually.” She sighed.
He laughed, and moved aside slightly, patting the space next to him on the seat, “Well, don’t you sound overjoyed?”
She hesitated for a moment, then slowly sat down next to him. She could see him in more detail now that they were closer, he still had the same wild hair, and tight trousers, with boots that seemed to perfectly fit his legs. His dark, silky shirt was slightly open, revealing the chain of the pendant she remembered him wearing, and glitter had been generously applied over his eyelids.
Sarah cleared her throat. “Well, can you blame me for being nervous?”
This only seemed to delight him, as he lifted a glass of what looked like whiskey to his lips, “Oh, I make you nervous?”
You walked right into that one, Sarah.
She narrowed her eyes at him, “You know what I mean, you could want to throw me in an oubliette, for all I know.”
“Now, why would I do such a thing? When I’m sure there are much more fun things we could be doing.” He gave her a look that made her realise exactly just how close they were, and how warm it was.
Sarah decided to be bold. “Like what?” It came out as a whisper as their eyes met.
The Goblin King leaned closer, his eyes never leaving hers, putting down his drink glass to gently play with her hair. With a shiver she realised he wasn’t wearing gloves, his long, elegant fingers were bare.
His eyes flickered down to her lips for just a moment, then, his voice soft and full of promise, he said, “How about we start with dancing?”
She blinked, then laughed, nodding. “That’s a good start.”
He grinned and they stood up together, his hand slipping into hers as he led her back to the dance floor.
It was so easy to dance with him, even though this time was very different to the last. They fell into a natural rhythm together, his hands at her waist and hers moving up to his neck.
The last time seemed to be on his mind too, as he leaned closer, a mischievous look on his face, and murmured, “You won’t be throwing any chairs now, will you?”
Sarah rolled her eyes and gently kicked his shin, “Not as long as you’re on your best behaviour.”
He gasped, “Such violence, precious thing,” but then he grinned again and pulled her closer. “Surely you must know I’m only ever on my worst behaviour.”
She sighed but found herself unable to discourage him, her hands running through his feather-soft hair, “Is it you who is a bad influence on the goblins, or the goblins a bad influence on you?”
He smiled, pointed teeth showing, obviously enjoying her hand in his hair, “Hard to tell, after all this time.”
They were very close now, and there was something so lovely about being with him again, he smelled like dark chocolate and caramel, and his hair was so, so soft.
She looked up at him, and his name came to her lips, “Jareth.”
His eyes turned darker and his arms tightened around her, “Sarah.”
She wanted to say something else, she wasn’t sure what, but suddenly his lips were already on hers, sending an electric shock through her. One of his hands was suddenly in her hair, gripping firmly, and he wasn’t being gentle with his kisses.
She kissed him back just as hard and held onto him tightly, on her tiptoes, wanting to get as close as him as possible.
Suddenly she pulled back, breathing hard, knowing what she wanted to say. “You’re mine, Goblin King, mine.”
He looked at her, his eyes wild, and gave her a pleased smile, “Of course I am, Sarah-love.”
She gently tugged on his pendant, “So where are you taking me?”
“Mm,” he moved his hands down the back of her dress, “I think I’ll take you home.”
She felt goosebumps rise under his touch and leaned up to kiss him again, “That’s a good start.”
He laughed softly as their lips lightly brushed.
The journey to the Castle Beyond the Goblin City didn’t take long, Jareth simply led her away into the shadows, down a corridor she hadn’t know was there, and through a mirror and they had arrived, but Sarah didn’t remember much of it, or how they found their way to his room at the top of a tower. She remembered briefly glimpsing the beautiful view of the Labyrinth at night from his large windows, and then all of her focus was on his soft sheets and his weight on top of her.
His hands were gentle but firm, his fingers lovely and long and just where she needed them. She couldn’t get enough of his wonderful kisses and the pleased sound he made when she bit his neck. He kept whispering her name, over and over, like he couldn’t believe she was real, which amazed her, when he was so surreal himself.
He was lovely and tasty, and this was much, much better than the secret dreams she’d fantasised of since she was sixteen that she had never spoken a word of to anyone.
Later, when her eyes were heavy with sleep and they were cocooned in the cosiest blankets she’d ever been underneath, he pressed gentle kisses to her hair and held her close, whispering, “Stay.”
She sighed and nuzzled her nose into the crook of his neck, already halfway into her dreams, “Don’t worry about me, Goblin King, I’m not going anywhere.”
She felt his laugh rumble in his chest, and then she was lost to sleep.