#Jareth: you fight them

[dark-elf-writes]

oh god the guardians are going to be nightmares for tsuna to deal with in, hayato would HATE jareth simply on the grounds of no one being good enough for decimo (tho jareth probably comes the closest on the simple fact that he’s a fucking faerie and hayato is a cryptid nerd) and kyouya immediately has to be restrained from throwing hands because he will get turned into some sm woodland critter so fast

None of the guardians really know what to make of Jareth other than Mukuro and Kyouya who are both frothing at the mouth to throw down with him. For the most part they are wary and more than a little protective of Tsuna. Jareth wins them over one by one. He has centuries of practice at seeing people’s desires, after all, and he knows they want someone who cares for Tsuna as much as they do and is willing to protect him.

Mukuro and Hibari still want to fight him though. Jareth would be more than willing to let them (or better yet toss them to the labyrinth to see what happens) but Tsuna would be upset.

[somedaylazysomeday]

Dreams - Part Four

After your conversation with Jareth, you experience yet another restless night.

Jareth x fem!reader

Rating: Explicit. Minors, please do not interact.

Word Count: 5,300

Warnings: Sleeplessness, suggestive language, themes of being trapped, ominous warnings, masturbation (interrupted), sex toy use, negotiation, oral sex (fem receiving), unprotected sex, discussions of boundaries.

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You had avoided sleep that night for as long as you could manage. 

Yes, according to Jareth, the labyrinth’s hold on you was already too strong to fight. You would continue being pulled along those stone corridors until you found yourself unable to leave them. And, honestly, you didn’t want to look too closely at how your life would progress after that point. 

It may have been a losing battle, but what was the alternative? You had never been one to meekly let someone control your life. Not parents or friends, jobs or partners. And certainly not unbearably cocky Goblin Kings and their labyrinths.

But in the end, you would have been better off sleeping as early as possible. Rather than the familiar sights, sounds, and smells of the labyrinth, the only thing that greeted your eyes when you fell asleep on your couch was darkness. 

You woke up a few hours later, neck aching from the awkward angle your head had fallen into and confused to see your ceiling rather than the orange sky over the labyrinth. 

You sat up - groaning and massaging the muscles of your neck as you did so - and tried to process what had happened. Dreams of the labyrinth had been unrelenting since your last meeting with Jareth. And now that you had met him again, they had stopped? 

No. You didn't trust it. 

When you reluctantly went to undress and brush your teeth, you had the strangest sensation at the back of your sore neck. It was almost a…tingle. A faint buzz. Your first instinct was to blame it on Jareth and more fae nonsense, but you eventually had to admit that you had energy for the first time in weeks. Not as much as you needed and certainly not enough to fully restore you, but it was better than nothing. It was almost enough to give you hope. 

With that tender and delicate hope filling you, you climbed into bed and settled under the covers. Despite feeling more rested than you had in a while, you still found yourself dropping quickly into the abyss when you closed your eyes. 

Only to find yourself utterly exasperated when you started to dream. 

“What could you possibly want?” you demanded, rounding on Jareth. 

To his credit, the Goblin King looked surprised for only a moment before his expression changed to pleasant blankness with a glimmer of distant mischief. “Well, if you’re offering…”

“I’m not offering anything,” you shut down immediately. “But we already spoke today, which is more interaction than we’ve had in months. Earlier, I had some blissful sleep without any interruptions. Why am I dreaming of you now?” 

“I would think the more pressing question would be why you are not dreaming of my labyrinth.” Jareth tipped his head to the side and you could only be glad you were in a dream. If you were in the real world, a movement that dramatic would have left everything in a five foot radius coated in glitter. 

You narrowed your eyes at him. You weren’t stupid enough to miss the redirection, but it was something you were curious about as well. “Fine. Why am I dreaming about you and not the labyrinth?”

“Your dream of a horse and its potential rider. Until I have managed to reach the responsible party, you will not dream of the labyrinth again,” Jareth told you. He managed to sound simultaneously unruffled and irritated by that. It was a neat trick. “But its hold on you will not lessen.” 

“Fascinating,” you said flatly. “And now, for the second time: why am I dreaming of you?” 

“Perhaps you missed me,” he suggested with a sly smile. 

“That’s not it,” you assured him. “But honestly? I’m less concerned about figuring out the cause than I am with finding a solution. I want to end this so I can get some sleep.” 

“One moment, my little champion.” You glanced back at Jareth expectantly, having already started walking away. “As it happens, this meeting is fortuitous. I have more information about your mysterious dream.”

You stared at him. “I don’t really need to know a horse’s name.” 

“I agree,” Jareth told you easily. “Names hold power. But if you are in the labyrinth and hear hoofbeats, run.” 

“I did that and it didn’t help very much.” 

He continued as if you hadn’t spoken at all. “And if you hear hoofbeats when you are awake, immediately go inside the nearest building. Call a taxi or take transportation to your destination, but do not walk long distances. That would be a wise choice in general: minimize your time outdoors, especially when you are alone.”

By that point, your interest had been piqued. “It sounds like you know exactly who or what the horse is.” 

“I have my theories,” he said darkly. “An old enemy, intent on interfering with my plans. Yet until they take official responsibility for the attack on you, I cannot make any official moves in response. So we wait.” 

You nodded slowly. Someone working against Jareth’s plans for you could be useful. From everything you remembered about the fairy stories while you were growing up, there was no such thing as a true fae ally, but perhaps the enemy of your enemy could indeed be your friend… 

“Whatever you are thinking, pet,” Jareth interrupted, voice cracking harshly across your skin, “stop. If the one behind this attack is who I believe it to be, they are far more likely to kill you than help you escape me. You are of no use to me dead - they will have no such reservations.”

“Fine,” you agreed, feeling unsteady at the idea that being involved with Jareth against your will had lined up enemies against you. Talk about being kicked when you were down. “So, run when I hear hoofbeats, or get into the nearest building. No walking long distances outside, especially when I’m alone.”

“Precisely.”

Silence fell thick and uncomfortable. You shook your head sharply, pulling yourself back to the moment. The motion attracted Jareth’s attention as well. “Well, this has been an enlightening and incredibly disconcerting meeting. Thanks for that, I guess. Will you please stay out of my dreams now?” 

“I already told you, I am not the one who brought us together,” the Goblin King said. 

“Fine, then I’m going to try a second time for dreamless sleep.” You turned away. “Bye.”

“Are you certain you wish to do that?”

You stopped short, suspicion rising in you. Turning your head slightly allowed you to keep Jareth in your line of sight. “Why?”

Jareth stepped closer, motions deliberate. Of course, you were back in the nothingness where you had been the first time you met with him in a dream, so it was hard to gauge how far away he truly was. “Do you not wish to take advantage of this time? I cannot help but remember the last time we found ourselves in a position like this one.”

You gave an inelegant scoff, trying to impart the full strength of your disbelief only through an expression. “How can I even begin to list the reasons that would be a terrible choice on my part? I’ll start with the lack of sleep, continue with the light stalking you’ve been doing for the past few months, and then… Well, considering how sleeping with you worked out for me the last time…”

Jareth listened patiently through your refusal and explanation, waiting until you had stopped listing things to counter. “There is nothing more I can gain from our being together. Other than the pleasure of being with you, of course.”

“Of course,” you agreed sarcastically. “Why should I believe that?”

“Because I cannot lie to you, of course.” The gesture he gave was flourishing and entirely unnecessary. “And, much as I despise leveling accusations toward your so-impressive independence… I know that you need me.”

“To what, exactly?” You planted your hands on your hips and watched him take another subtle step toward you. “To ruin my life in even more creative ways?” 

He lifted one elegant brow. “How could your life possibly be ruined by someone whose presence you hardly notice?” 

“Your ego cannot be the reason you’re tormenting me right now.” 

“As if there is anything more important.”

You sighed sharply. “Okay, if it speeds this conversation along, I’ll bite: why do I need you?”

Jareth grinned, exposing a pearly flash of those unnervingly sharp teeth, and took a final step toward you. It closed the space that had once existed between you, and you found your heartbeat picking up at the overwhelming closeness of him. 

“You need me…” he drawled, pausing to draw a slow breath through his nose, “to satisfy that desperate ache deep inside of you. And as for biting? Do as you please.”

You did your best to ignore the filthy smirk he gave you with the invitation. Instead, you took stock of your body. Jareth was a first-class asshole, but he had a direct line to your libido. You had been too exhausted to get together with anyone since the ill-fated encounter you’d shared with Jareth, and you were feeling the lack of physical contact. Still, you would have to be stupid to fall for that again. 

But nothing said you couldn’t mess with him a little.

The duck of your head hid any mischief that might have otherwise been apparent and made you look flustered. You were fine with that. “I can take care of any aches by myself.” 

“Can you?” he asked, voice silky. “I think you fall short of it. Your fingers can’t reach where you need me, and toys only stoke the burn. Am I correct?” 

He took a half-step closer, pressing against you. The feeling of his hard length against your hip made you swallow loudly, irritated by the heat that ran through you at the sensation. That heat was stoked even further as he slotted a leg between yours. “I’m sorry, pet, I didn’t hear your answer. Am I correct?”

“I… shouldn’t,” you admitted softly. “There are things you don’t know about me. Important things.” 

“Mmm?” Jareth hummed, lips pressing just above your ear. The low laugh he gave made you shiver, chills running through every inch of you. He shifted, putting pressure on a very sensitive place with his thigh. “I know everything there is to know about you. I have made a point of it. There is nothing you could possibly have hidden.” 

“That’s not true,” you told him, though it was gasped out with a helpless moan as his teeth nipped at your neck. “You don’t know the things I did after I ran your labyrinth the first time.”

“What did you do?” he asked, sounding intrigued. “Tell me, sweet.” 

“I spent a lot of time thinking about you.” Your head fell to the side as Jareth applied stinging pressure to your skin. “And even more time… practicing…”

Jareth pulled back, mismatched eyes studying your face with intimidating intensity, heat dancing over his expression. “Practicing what?” 

Your eyes were hooded as they met his, a smile curving your lips. Your hips gave a instinctive little rock, grinding your core against the solidity of his thigh. “Lucid dreaming.”

And then you drew every ounce of strength you had, dredging up the memories of the lucid dream training you had done - on your own and encouraged by a therapist during your college years. With an incredible strain, you wrenched yourself awake. 

Even with the high of triumph, there was no getting around it: you were uncomfortable.

You were swollen and wet, which was particularly frustrating, since you had changed the sheets when you had gotten home from the coffee shop. But if that was the price you paid for making Jareth’s life less pleasant, it was one you were happy to pay. Hell, you were tempted to get yourself off. You were ready enough. In fact…

You didn’t bother turning on a light - you knew how to find everything you needed by touch alone. The top drawer of your bedside table had always been reserved for toys, and you refused to be embarrassed about that. The exhaustion of the labyrinth dreams had kept you from finding someone to sleep with, but you still had to meet your own needs. 

A pump of lube for the toy - a generously endowed rabbit vibrator - and another to increase the slipperiness of your own folds, then you were ready. When you pressed the vibrator into yourself, your folds parted easily to admit it.

The toy speared deeper and deeper and you reveled in the way it stretched you. When it bottomed out inside of you, you paused to let yourself soak it all in. You were tight around the silicone shaft, the ‘ears’ of the rabbit vibrator pressing firmly against your clit. And then you switched it on. 

The best part about that particular toy was that you didn’t have to manipulate it overly much. You didn’t get a lot from thrusting it inside of yourself, but it had the perfect curve to press against your g-spot and the clitoral stimulation was delectable. You could just insert it, set it to a vibration pattern you enjoyed, and ride the wave of sensations until you came to a gasping climax around it.

You were well on your way there already. Much as you hated to admit it, the meeting and subsequent flirtations with Jareth had left you keyed-up and ready to go. The toy was only finishing something that had already started. 

One hand kept the vibrator positioned exactly where you needed it while your other hand rose to play gently with your nipples. The additional stimulation made you clench, and you bit back a moan as your orgasm soared ever-closer. Your head tipped back, eyes closing as you tried to breathe and stay quiet at the same time. 

Your fingers slipped from the toy - your grip impossible to keep with the wetness coating the silicone and your fingers - and then it was gone. You floundered your way upright, still reeling at the edge of orgasm and looking around in search of the vibrator. With the darkness of the room, you couldn’t see it… but you heard it hit the wall with enough force that you were worried about the drywall. 

“What the hell-?” 

Greedy lips descended on yours, your mouth filling with the taste of glitter and magic. You lost yourself in the kiss for a moment, meeting the questing tongue with rhythmic presses of your own, but you soon freed yourself with a punishing nip against a plush bottom lip. 

“What are you doing?” you demanded. 

Jareth’s hand dropped from his mouth, returning your glare with one of his own. “Do you really think I am incapable of finding you? I would think you understand by now-”

“Yeah, yeah, blood and magic,” you summarized. “But why are you in my room?”

“Because you need me.”

Your brows rocketed upward. “Need you? No. I had everything I needed until you took it away. By the way, if you broke that toy, I’m going to be furious. It’s my favorite.”

“Your loneliness calls to me, little mortal,” Jareth said. Some trick of the moon outside your window illuminated him just enough to see the way his eyes had changed to that otherworldly fullness, one eye drowning in black depths while the other burned in green fire. “Despite your clever trick, we are not finished.” 

“I think we are,” you countered. 

Jareth groaned, sharp and violent and impatient. “So uselessly stubborn! I cannot leave you until you are satisfied. I have taken your needs under my care.” 

You squinted at him. “Is that an actual fae thing or something to do with your pride?”

“Perhaps I have simply decided to atone for the sleepless nights you’ve suffered alone,” he suggest. 

“Perhaps I’ve realized that, when you use ‘perhaps’, you’re trying not to lie.” 

He sighed. “You should spend less time analyzing my motivations and more time considering my offers.” 

“I haven’t heard anything tempting enough to accept your offers,” you countered. “So far, your main argument is that you would have sex with me as a gesture of goodwill. Well, I don’t accept. I’m perfectly capable of meeting my own needs - especially if you didn’t manage to break my favorite toy. But you haven’t offered anything I’m truly incapable of getting for myself.”

Jareth bared his disconcertingly sharp teeth at you. Somehow, the expression seemed less intimidating than ever-so-slightly amused. “Very well. What would you like in return for allowing me access to your delectable body?”

“Other than a limit to such cannibalistic wording?” you pressed. “To start, it wouldn’t be unlimited access. One-time access for a pre-specified amount of consecutive time-”

“My, we are laying out terms rather carefully,” Jareth murmured.

You ignored him entirely. “But in return, I want… I want dreamless sleep.” 

“No.”

“That’s not how you bargain.” 

Jareth smirked. “I am a king. Bargaining is not an overly well-developed skill of mine.”

“Hard to believe you have enemies who want to kill me,” you said dryly. “Let me help you out: you give a counteroffer that’s closer to what you actually want.”

“I want permanent access to you in every way at all times.” 

Your mouth fell open, then closed long enough for you to take a deep breath and push it out. “No.” 

“I am given to understand that is not how one should bargain,” Jareth told you helpfully.

“I want you to leave me alone, never see or speak to me again, and I want to never be touched by magic again for the rest of my life.” You crossed your arms, only then realizing that your sheets were dangerously close to exposing your legs and the fact that you were unclothed below the waist.

“Impossible,” Jareth told you, a single flick of his eyes telling you that he had noticed your attempts to subtly pull the sheets up and your shirt down. 

“Then we are apparently at an impasse.” You flicked your fingertips at the door of your bedroom. “You can go out the same way you came in. I’ll expect a new vibrator if you broke mine. Goodnight.”

Jareth didn’t move, but you managed to slip from your bed without flashing anything delicate to the room. You retrieved the toy from where it had fallen, running your fingers over the wall to be sure your unwelcome guest hadn’t put a dent in the surface. 

“Very well,” a harsh voice gritted out. You turned to find Jareth standing behind you, expression foreboding. “In return for your temporary admittance to your bed, I offer a predetermined number of dreamless nights. Is that acceptable?” 

You took a moment, pretending to consider it. In all reality, you were fighting the urge to take a large step back. It was easy to pretend sometimes, but behind the veneer of care, cordiality, and relentless pursuit, Jareth was dangerous. The menace poured from him, and something deep inside of you screamed for you to run. 

But this was not the forest or the field or the jungle. Jareth was hunting you with slow steps and measured manners, sweetly urging you to give yourself away one piece at a time. You could resist that - at least, you liked to think you could - but you didn’t seem to have an option. 

The only way to win was to leave Rachel to him. Or never speak those words at all. 

“Yes, that is acceptable,” you agreed when you were sure your voice would be steady.

The ensuing negotiating session was slow and painful, but at least it gave you an idea how highly Jareth prized getting together with you. In the end, you agreed that he could stay with you until dawn. In return, you would get seven nights of sleep with only the dreams that your mind concocted for you. 

“It seems we have reached an accord,” Jareth concluded, holding out a hand for you to shake. 

You reached out, but paused at the last moment. “And… this won’t change anything? About our situation, at least?” 

“Nothing more than an improved mood for us both,” he promised. You believed him. 

How far you had fallen.

The instant your fingers made contact with his, Jareth pulled you closer. You braced yourself for a kiss - or even a grope - but he buried his nose behind your ear, taking a deep breath. 

“Are you sniffing me?” you asked. It was a rhetorical question; there was little else he could have been doing. 

“Ah,” Jareth sighed, releasing you. “I always forget that human senses are so terribly weak.”

“And there’s the condescension,” you muttered, trying to pull back from him. 

Jareth’s grip tightened on you, locking you in place against him as he shook his head. “You cannot pick a fight with me, little champion. We have an agreement and I have no intention of releasing you from your part of it. I am here.”

“Only until dawn,” you reminded churlishly. 

“Precisely,” he agreed with a sharp grin. “There is no time to waste.”

You were in his arms, then you were in the air in his arms, then you were on the bed in his arms. The dizzied spinning of the room around you had left you fully disoriented, and you had no idea how he had managed to get both of you horizontal without releasing you. 

When Jareth’s grip on you disappeared, it was only to strip you of your sleep shirt before busily setting to work on his own clothing. Despite your nudity, your past, and the delicate situation he had interrupted when he arrived - which you still refused to think about too hard - you found yourself suddenly feeling awkward. 

“What’s on the agenda?” 

“First, I’m going to indulge in one of my longest-held fantasies,” Jareth told you, excitement glittering in his eyes. They were starting to look distinctly more fae, and that made chills run over your body. You couldn’t entirely tell whether they were from fear or interest. 

“Which is?” 

You were flat on your back in an instant, hips propped up on a pillow as Jareth’s shoulders pressed your thighs further apart. His face was poised at your entrance, lined up so perfectly that his slightest exhale made you tighten. 

“Guess,” he drawled up at you. 

Any clever response you might have offered got caught in your throat, stuck behind a noise that you would give anything not to loose. Instead, you just watched him, knowing your eyes were wide and your lips were parted. It was an expression that spoke more clearly than you wanted it to, but you couldn’t do anything to stop it. 

Jareth smirked like he knew the state of your uncontrollable thoughts and lowered his head. 

You thought briefly, fleetingly, about the sharpness of his teeth and the way you hadn’t been willing to risk this the first time you were together. The thought lingered for only a fraction of a second, because you were catapulted into the stratosphere the instant Jareth touched you with his mouth. 

He was slow, methodical, though his explorations were wicked and merciless in a way that slowness rarely allowed. He found every sensation that made you squirm, milked the way you couldn’t catch your breath when he pressed just so with his fingers inside of you, reveled in the way your hands fisted in the sheets when he teased your clit with the faintest flick of his tongue. 

Jareth didn’t pull away from you - a good thing, since you might just weep if that happened - but one of his hands snaked up to pull yours down to his hair. You didn’t need much encouragement, especially when you felt how surprisingly soft those strands were. Both of your hands sank deep into his hair, holding him in place or moving him where you needed him most.

He was shockingly obliging, allowing you to steer him as you clutched desperately at his head. But, even as your orgasm started really approaching, Jareth slowed further and further until he was barely moving. The slight pressure and warmth of his mouth wasn’t enough to push you over the edge and you groaned as you felt the pleasure start to plateau, then slowly ebb back out of you. 

“Jareth…”

“I do love when you use my name, pet,” Jareth told you, and you despised that he pulled away to say it. “But you know how I feel about your pleasure without me.” 

You stared down at him, aghast even as you remembered how he had insisted on being inside of you before either of you came last time. Mid-plea, you changed tactics. You spread your thighs still further, far enough that your hips ached with the stretch, and said, “Hurry.” 

Jareth sat up, the lower half of his face shining with you, but he certainly did not hurry as you had requested. Instead, he took an eternity cleaning his face. Not wiping it on his arm or  using the sheets to dry himself off. No, he gathered every hint of you from his face with his fingers, which trekked back and forth to his mouth until any trace had been swallowed down. You watched the process raptly, feeling as though you might actually die from arousal if he didn’t finish soon. 

He settled on the mattress beside you, seeming utterly pleased with himself when you threw your leg over his hips and pulled, dragging him against you. He smiled, murmuring something, but your entire being had narrowed down to the way his cock felt sliding through your folds and you didn’t catch what he had said. 

Jareth was still gloating when you pumped your hips again, catching his head with your entrance and pushing him partially inside of you. His otherworldly eyes went wide with shock as his body reacted without any consent from him. His hands locked onto you - one on your shoulder and the other splayed over your hip - as he gave a stuttered thrust. 

That wasn’t enough to seat him fully in you, but it was enough to make you clench so tightly around him you worried he would be forced from you. It wasn’t, obviously, and Jareth quickly used his grip to pull you down as he pushed up and in, sinking fully inside of you in a slow, stretching surge that left both of you gasping with the shock of it. 

“How are you possibly gripping me so tightly when we spent all of that time stretching you out?” Jareth asked, a hint of unsteadiness in his voice.

“Tongue ver- ah -versus dick,” you pointed out. 

Jareth grimaced. “Crude word.” 

“But accurate.” 

He withdrew rapidly, pulling out until only his head was left inside of you. When you shifted uncomfortably, he pounded back into you so hard that you could almost imagine an audible noise from his hips hitting yours. “Does a sensation like this feel like it could stem from something as crass as a ‘dick’?”

“Are you really talking about vocabulary right now?” you asked, struggling to keep the words even. 

“Perhaps I am attempting to prolong this experience,” Jareth gritted out. 

You tilted your head at him. “So much for ‘perhaps’ being a half-lie. You’re close, aren’t you? That was fast…” 

Jareth’s lip curled as his hand slid from your hip to your thigh. He tugged your knee further up, shifting his own hips just enough to hit the center of your g-spot with every thrust.

You had a split second of profound discomfort. G-spot orgasms rode on the edge of ‘too much’ even when you were feeling relaxed with someone you trusted, and they were on the wrong side of that line with Jareth. The intense pressure in the cradle of your hips made you frown, a small pained sound falling from your lips. 

You took a breath, ready to tell Jareth that he had to pick a different angle, but the hand that had once been on your shoulder disappeared from it, reappearing between your legs. With a wriggle to get between the lips of your pussy, Jareth’s thumb pressed hard against your clit. 

The spike of sensation turned the ‘too much’ pressure on your g-spot into blinding pleasure, and you were fairly certain you were screaming as your body did its best to explode from the combination. 

Jareth’s orgasm could have been kicked off by yours - probably was, owing to the vice grip of your core around him - but you were unaware of it. The pleasure hit you in wave after overwhelming wave, each one knocking you down before you had recovered from the one before it. You were robbed of sight, sound, and touch, every sense dulled by the glittering onslaught against your sanity. It turned you into a shapeless, formless thing, unable to do anything but feel, and even that was overwhelming. 

When it finally ebbed enough for you to be somewhat aware of your body again, you were trembling as you sucked in breath after breath. 

“Any further jokes about my stamina?” Jareth asked, shifting.

You caught at his shoulders, seized by the unbearable tenderness of your entrance. “No- don’t move yet.” 

He settled down once more. “I cannot say I regret the company in the afterglow.”

The smug look on his face made you frown at him. “Don’t do that again. I mean it, Jareth.”

As you had intended, the use of his name grabbed the Goblin King’s attention in a way little else did. He scowled a little. “You seemed to enjoy yourself well enough.” 

“I can’t remember the last time I came that hard.” Jareth grew smug once more, but you shook your head. “You don’t understand. It felt great, but also kind of bad. It’s… a lot. I have to be in the right mood for a g-spot orgasm, not have one pushed on me.” 

“Why?” 

If his tone had held anything other than genuine curiosity, you would have told Jareth to go to hell. As it was, you felt the need to explain. “It’s like the expression ‘flying too close to the sun’, in the true mythic way. It’s pleasure, but it’s sharp. Heavy. Intense. It makes you wonder if you’ll ever feel anything but that again. They’re nice if you’re in the right frame of mind for it, but not entirely comfortable.” 

Jareth nodded slowly. “I am sorry for pushing it on you, then. I assumed I was doing you a kindness.” 

If you didn't know better, you would think you and Jareth had just had a mature exchange. The idea was too strange. 

“Thank you for listening,” you returned cautiously. “You can pull out now.” 

He did so slowly, watching your face for any sign of discomfort. Your wetness and his cum helped him slide out without too much friction, and you relaxed when he was free of you. You curled up slightly, the closest you could get to cradling your hyper-sensitive junk in mixed company.

“That’s the other bad thing about a g-spot orgasm,” you told him. “I’m going to need a little more time to recover before I can go again.” 

“No need, little human.” Jareth nodded to the window. Your curtains were drawn, but you could see hints of light gilding the fabric edges. “Your part of our deal has been fulfilled.”

“Oh.” 

It seemed anti-climactic, though you were grateful you didn’t have to scrape up the effort for another romp with the Goblin King that night. And, to a lesser extent, you were excited to get some sleep free of fae dreams. 

“Do not sound so terribly disappointed,” Jareth said, smiling. “Your week will end almost as soon as it begins and then we will see each other once more.” 

“That makes me disappointed,” you fired back.

Jareth’s smile only widened, like he didn’t believe you. You didn’t entirely believe yourself, either.

And that scared you to death.

---

Author's Note - Guess whose one-shot grew a plot? I'm working through a backlog of fics right now, but this is one of my favorites and I'll probably end up back here sooner rather than later.

Thanks for reading! I would love to know what you thought!

[huntermanor]

'Labyrinth' and how trauma makes us search for escapism

Welcome to 'Mikaela please log off' where i talk and overanalyze movies because i'm unemployed. In today's hell of a post, i'm going to talk about probably my favourite movie and one that has shaped me for my entire life: 1986 'Labyrinth', with musical numbers written and performed by none other than Miss David Bowie himself! SPOILERS AHEAD.

Now i've seen this movie more times than i've seen my own face in the mirror. It's a movie i enjoyed in my childhood and certainly one that has shaped me, with how the puppets have a certain uncanny feel to them almost and how crazy and whimsical the whole movie is. It trully is an amazing movie that can be enjoyed by children, but also by adults as well, with many of the movie's themes and meanings being hidden or something you find with experience or relate to later in life. Because the movie is a very clear reference to fairytales like Wizard of Oz and Alice in Wonderland, is no surprise to know there are many, many different readings that can be done to it. The firts reading i made of the movie when i rewatched it as an adult was that the movie was a very clear allegory for growing up and maturing, having to leave behind your childhood but also keeping in mind your inner child so that you don't lose yourself in the labyrinth that is life.

While the allegory reading is correct, and i think it's one of the meanings behind the movie and certainly the most obvious theme, it's definetly not the only one. One thing kept me wondering after watching the movie this time: Why is the phrase 'You have no power over me' so important? It's used in the beginning of the film, with Sarah forgetting this line in her book, and by the end, when she's facing Jareth, Sarah remembers the phrase by herself, clearly showing us as viewers the inner power Sarah has over her life. It's obvious this line is meant to represent Sarah's ambition and power, but why is it this phrase? Whi is it You have no power over me and not something else like 'My power lies within me' which could tie to the end of the film, with Bowie's Within you playing? Well, after rewatching it recently, i figured it out: Sarah isn't just talking to Jareth, she's talking to her stepmother.

At the beginning of the film Sarah seems to be, on the surface, a spoiled 15 year old girl who doesn't want to do her chores and just wants to play around, not even wanting to date, something her stepmom wants her to do. Her stepmother wants her to mature and grow, to find love, etc. And Sarah and her obviously do not get along a lot. Two important details appear when Sarah goes back to her room at the beginning after fighting with her stepmother over having to take care of her little brother: her stepmother talks to her dad, telling him 'She treats me like the wicked stepmother of a fairytale', and when Sarah goes to talk to her to her room, he doesn't even bother to open the door or make sure she's okay after the fight. To some people these details seem just normal parent behaviour, but it was very clear to me after the film that Sarah is being emotionally neglected by her father, and possibly made by her stepmother to grow up to fast. Sarah is fifteen and an older sister, and unfortunately is common for older sisters to act as parents for their siblings while also not being taken care of themselves. We see Sarah clinging to her childhood as an escapism from the fact she feels completely neglected, since her dad won't even open the door to talk to her.

When Sarah tells Toby her fairytale, it's a clear depiction of how she feels like: There once was a princess who was basically a slave to her stepmother and she was forced to take her of her baby brother. Sarah takes her rage out on her brother and sends him away with the goblins, and inmediatly regrets it. She's repeating patterns of abuse. She's realizing sending her brother away is the submitting him to the same neglectful behaviour she has struggled with. So she makes a deal with Jareth to get him back.

Jareth poses an interesting character in Sarah's healing journey from her trauma. He's in love with her, in very possessive, clingy way that makes him do anything she asks him too to try to manipulate her to love him, which doesn't work on her, because she's probably used to it. The fact Sarah has a lot of toys and costumes, which makes us feel like she's spoiled, while being simultaneously emotionally neglected, is a very common way a manipulator convinces the victim there's no reason to feel that way. So seeing as she's used to being gifted things, being given 'her dreams', instead of actual emotional support and availability, Sarah is basically inmune to Jareth's advances. This could be read as Sarah's first experience with love outside of her family life, which is also a common thing in the experiences of older sisters: they date men who aren't good for them, repeating the patterns they're used to and being once again emotionally hurt. By the end of the movie, after meeting new friends Sarah loves deeply and grows to appreciate, and by being shown there are people who do care about her and who do love her and respect her, Sarah is able to fight Jareth alone, because she might be phisically alone, but she knows her friends have her back always. The found family trope is used here even until the end when we think Sarah has grown and the people she met in the Labyrinth are gone, and Sarah tells Jareth he has no power over her because she finally has healed, and she knows she deserves better.

By the end, Sarah has matured and learned, not just about herself, but about love and relationships of all kinds. She gives Toby her plushie as a way of showing she doesn't need to desperately cling to her childhood anymore, because she now has people in her life who care about her for real, and also she tucks him in as a way to show she's going to break the cycle, and show him finally the emotional support she didn't get from her parents. She keeps many things in her room, but puts others away, and when her friends from the Labyrinth appear to tell her they'll be there if she needs them, they don't simply say this and go away, but she makes them stay. 'I need you', she tells them, because even if she's healed, her life might still be filled with the remnants of her trauma, and an escapism might be needed. But most importantly, 'I need you', because they're her friends, her found family, the people who have shown her what she deserves in her life.

The movie definetly shows us the many highs and lows in life, particularely in adolescence, and how the journey to being mature can be difficult. But these subtle themes of emotional neglect, trauma, and the struggles of a young girl forced to grow up a little too soon trully give the movie another layer of depth that maybe not everyone might see, but some of us, specially those of us who relate to these struggles, do see and aknowledge, reminding us that we're not alone and that we deserve better, for our trauma has no power over us.

[laughableillusions]

Random Jareth HCs

I talk so much abt him and I have some silly ideas :3c

If he stays in owl form too long he has some trouble changing back. He gets kind of stuck a bit between. He chitters like a barn owl in “human” form, can screech like one if mad. There’s feathers in his hair, and sometimes he still has bird-feet. The worst case was when his arms were still big useless wings. It goes away after a while but he’s impatient as hell and will sulk about it and punish anyone who dares laugh at him for his chicken feet.

Jareth actually runs cold. He can change his body temperature if needed, but it’s very surface level. Usually he’s around room temperature (like a corpse). Cuddling or any close physical contact will warm his body up.

His hands are strangely rough under his gloves, they’re rough and hard like stone. He almost never removes his gloves because his touch alone can cause serious magic shit to happen if he isn’t careful. The glamour he uses to keep his more human form doesn’t really extend to his hands for whatever reason (his truest form is made of stone), so he wears gloves to sort of hide it.

Music lover, I mean duh. He sings and dances ofc, but he actually knows very little about modern music. His knowledge of humanity is still stuck in the 18th century. While he would like the idea of things like CD players and MP3 players etc etc, he will always prefer live performances, be it himself or watching someone else. He would probably go to a lot of concerts just to see what the music vibe is these days.

Doesn’t do well in human crowds. A masquerade ball in his castle is one thing, it’s his realm, it’s other fae. But you put him in a shopping mall or grocery store??? He is not having a good time. Mostly because he sees most humans as beneath him (except for the few he decides are special little princesses/princes lol). Modern humans apparently have a stench to him, and he finds it disgusting when “in concentration.”

He can make any small child stop crying however. If Toby proved anything it showed how good with kids Jareth is. He can entertain any small child with ease. Though it starts to freak the parents out when he starts talking about how much he wants to steal them away from their mothers. The man loves kids, and hopes one day he can actually keep a human baby to raise as his own.

Unbearably physically clingy. Like…unbearably. He’d be attached to his lover like a parasite whenever they try to go anywhere without him. If he can’t touch you, he’s standing behind you with his hands behind his back to keep himself from touching you. Like Jesus Christ man back up you’re not gonna go anywhere‼️‼️

Has a jealousy problem as well. With his stuff and his lovers. You do not touch his stuff without asking him, or until he lends it to you. With romantic jealousy, it’s about the same. Nobody touches what he deems his. He has enough dignity not to cause a public scene, but will glare at anyone who dares flirt with his lover- or if he thinks your not paying attention to him enough, he will give you the cold shoulder until you shove him aside and ask him what the fuck is going on.

Enjoys playing mind games. Though he’s too much of a romantic to do things that would really hurt you, at least intentionally. But his fae nature gives him a bastard side that sometimes can’t help it. But really, he would hate to actually fight with you. The last thing he wants is for you to be genuinely upset, and so will bend over backwards to keep you happy.

Speaking of that, Jareth is 100% a doormat to the ones he loves. He’s been alone for centuries (if not more). And any hope of validation he will chase like a kicked puppy. But everything he does, he expects something in return. (ex: I am exhausted by your expectations of me, isn’t that generous?) Fae are deal makers after all, and so he will create a beautiful ideallic place for you to live…but in return he expects your devotion and loyalty. It seems like a small price, until it isn’t. Sometimes, in exchange for a favor he does for you, he will ask for something in return (be it a task, or an a object).

As hedonistic and mischievous as he is, Jareth is quite emotionally intelligent. His age gives him wisdom, and sometimes it’s like he knows exactly just what to say. Humans have such predictable emotions after all, and he can use his knowledge of them as a form of manipulation if he wants/needs to. But to someone he loves, he would bring perfect comfort to. He will try and make you laugh, then ask if you want him to stay with you or leave you be, anything you ask if it would make you less upset and more comfortable he will do (doormat). If you want him to read you a bedtime story? Do a handstand? He’d fucking do it.

[gabessquishytum]

Labyrinth AU

Hob's tutoring group accidentally wish him away to the Labyrinth, where Goblin King!Jareth happily works to seduce the pretty new addition to his realm, even as he can tell Hob is marked by the Endless Dream King. (If Morpheus can't take care of his toys well enough for them not to to wind up with Jareth........his loss.)

Moreover, since Hob's dumb students/friends don't realize Hob was actually "wished" to a real place, it not like they're trying to solve the Labyrinth to get him back.....Jareth has all the time he needs to seduce Hob (and get one over on Morpheus).

Dream was going to be a little late to his date meeting with Hob, so he sends Matthew to let Hob know. Dream promised to be better at communicating with his best friend.

Luckily for him, Dream told Matthew just to go to Hob and didn’t specify the New Inn, because that was the only way he found out that Hob was in the Goblin Kingdom(, being romanced by its king ~ I'll thank you kindly to stop editorializing Matthew.). Dream storms into Jareth's castle demanding Hob back this instant! (Trying not to look at how resplendent Hob looks in the clothes Jareth offered him to wear.)

Jareth scoffs and pouts, under the rules......Dream has to solve the Labyrinth to get Hob back, since he was "formally" wished away. And while Dream is off doing that (dismissive hand wave) Jareth and Hob will continue to get better acquainted (Hob-ian blush, sweet Jareth hand kiss).

Dream solving the Labyrinth, fighting for his man, and hot Goblin King seduction on an adult.

This is SO good, Dream and Jareth having a proper slut-off for Hob’s affections is truly something I would like to see. Let’s face it, Hob wouldn’t be to shy about flirting back with the goblin king. It’s not like Jareth can really harm him and if he’s going to be stuck in a strange realm for a while, he might as well enjoy himself,,, right?

Hob gets dressed up in a gauzy white shirt that doesn’t button up very far, and Jareth insists on giving him golden jewellery (to make up for the fact that he’s trapped, poor thing). There doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of furniture around the place except for Jareth’s throne, so Hob quickly finds himself sitting in the lap of the goblin king. It’s a bit embarrassing but Hob isn’t going to refuse the attentions of a gorgeous man. Jareth is so tall and powerful, he makes Hob feel small… and he likes it very much. Being someone’s pretty plaything is kind of a fantasy he’s had for a while, although he’d always secretly imagined that it would be Dream’s lap he’d be sitting on…

By the by, Hob has to no clue that Dream is in the process of solving the labyrinth to rescue him. So when Dream does (quite quickly, he is Endless after all) come storming in and demanding that Jareth give Hob back, Hob gets quite a shock! He’s sitting there in the goblin king’s lap, half naked and with his lips quite clearly swollen from kissing (hey, a little make out sesh never hurt anyone). It’s soooo embarrassing. But Dream’s eyes just turn predatory and he stalks forward to grip one of the gold necklaces adorning Hob’s throat.

Maybe it’s time for Hob to choose between the two kings. Or maybe he’s greedy enough to want them both. If they can manage to share their pretty toy, that is. Hob might have to lay out a few demands before he finally gets what he wants…

[tinalbion]

“Wildest Dreams” ||

Jareth the Goblin King x GN!Reader 

Rating: None; slight mention of ‘unfit’ household / childhood

Length: 4.5k

Summary: You’ve had a creative imagination since you were a child, but your mind always leads back to one thing: A Goblin King surrounded by goblins of all shapes and sizes. What makes you dream of such things, and what were to happen once you begin receiving letters from a man who only signs as ‘Your King’?

A/N: This was inspired by a comfort letter I received in character from Jareth at the Goblin King masquerade ball I attended, this popped into my head and wouldn’t leave, so this came to be. If I am inspired and people tend to enjoy it, I will continue with a part 2. 

Tagging @lackingspace <3

You stared at the letter for what felt like hours, the sun rose and set, and all you could do was stare at the writing on the parchment. 

In your other hand, your fingers played with the key attached to the parchment with a royal purple ribbon, your fingers mindlessly twirled it around while your eyes reread every single line. 

You figured that all of those wild dreams you had were just that: dreams. The imagination of a child that stuck with you well into your adulthood. It only meant you were creative and had an overactive imagination, but to receive this letter on your birthday once again, well, it was almost unsettling to you. 

'If you ever wish to escape your everyday life, just clasp the key and speak into the night, your King will come.'

You've dreamt of him before, the Goblin King that whisks children away to turn into goblins, but he seemed so beautiful to be a king of such creatures. Either way, he came to you every so often and you figured once again it was just dreams. He would treat you nicely and carry you off into the mazed garden, where he would watch you as you twirled around the water fountain and you brought color to his dull world, you'd see him smile at you when you'd catch him staring. 

It was just dreams, you'd say, yet you would think of him as someone who could truly be out there, searching for you. Your friends all called you delusional and figured you still believed in invisible friends, maybe you just never grew up, and they were partially right. The day you were taken by the Goblin King because your older sibling wished you away, there was a part of you that remained there, locked away in the dungeon of his castle. 

But ever since you turned 18, you'd wondered if they were dreams that your kind used to cope with the abuse you suffered at the hands of your sibling. It was typical of them to roughhouse with you or to make you take the fall for broken or damaged items, hell, they despised you sometimes and you didn't understand why. You couldn't help that you existed. So you dreamt of a magical place that other people took for granted, and you thought that was normal. 

So the night they said those words and figured you'd be better off in the labyrinth when they didn't come for you and didn't fight through the Goblin City to bring you back, Jareth felt pity for you. As much as he figured it wouldn't bother him, he'd done this so many times before, the way he looked down at you as you looked around in confusion rather than screaming got him thinking. He held you in his arms and watched you carefully, you got along with the goblins that surrounded you, you had even laughed with them as you sat in his throne room, and yet he waited to see if you would have been rescued. Once it hit the twelve-hour mark, he had stood from his seat on the windowsill, his cape trailing behind him as he bent down and scooped you into his arms. 

When the goblins wanted to question him about his intentions, he whipped around with a fierce gaze and shut them right up. With you in his arms, he vanished from the room and appeared in the center of yours, your crib empty and messed up. He set you down and you settled in nicely, but your wide eyes stared up at him curiously. When he looked down at you and placed his slender finger in your tiny palm, you squeezed it and smiled. 

He hadn't thought of anyone but you since then, he wished that your family would care for you deeply and that your sibling wouldn't be so harsh on you, yet that wasn't the case. Time for him in the labyrinth passed differently, so he practically watched you grow, and with you, something within him grew. He felt fondness, something he hadn't even thought would come with this job, and he successfully dodged it for so long. His other special case, the one other time he allowed himself to feel, was when a girl wished her little brother away, but she was stronger than Jareth had even hoped for, and she wriggled from his grasp. 

That was so long ago, but now as he watched you from the crystal in his hand, he didn't know how to feel as you reread the letter again and again. His heart almost pounded wildly as he watched your fingers twirl the key around, he could sense how you contemplated the words written for you, how you wished you could believe it, and maybe you'd surprise him and call out to him. 

He would wait, and so he did. 

Funnily enough, he didn't have to wait long. 

As you sat in the center of your bed, your hand holding onto the key tightly, you closed your eyes and almost began to laugh at how ridiculous you felt. 

"God, what am I doing? This is stupid… But…" you sighed and sat up straight, then closed your eyes again, keeping them shut. "I wish the Goblin King would whisk me away to the castle…" 

Nothing happened at first, your eyes opened and you were still surrounded by the darkness, so you let out a disappointed sigh. With a shake of your head, you stood up and felt your feet tap onto the floor that wasn't yours. The next time you blinked, your world melted away to reveal a warmly lit hallway that looked as if it could be inside a castle. Sconces that held torches lined the wall on either side, so you looked both ways down the hallway, curious as to which direction you should go to get out of there, but something pulled you straight ahead, so you followed that feeling, and examined the walls as you did.

They had been lined with cobwebs and there had been some clutter here and there, but overall it was like any other castle. You wanted to rush to the first door you saw to find answers, but something about this intrigued you, and you couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder. Your fingers slid across the cool stone as you rounded the corner, you were greeted by a large opening that led to a familiar garden, and a large water fountain sat directly in the middle. 

You had seen this before in your dreams, where the king of these lands had kept you safe from the walls beyond the castle, and you smiled as you neared it. 

"This isn't real…" you tried to convince yourself, even if it was growing more and more doubtful in your mind. "I mean… can it be?"

"It's quite real if you believe that it is," a voice said behind you, which caused you to jump and yell out. "There is no way to tell if it's not." He smiled at you, which revealed a crooked grin as his sharp eyes watched you. 

"I… I've been here before, haven't I?"

"Have you?"

You scoffed at the vagueness of his responses, but there was something inside of you screaming, telling you the obvious answers to your questions. "You're him aren't you, you're the Goblin King."

"Yes, that much is obvious."

"Why have you written me all those letters?"

"The same reason you seem bound to this place, there is a part of you that dreams of this castle, and therefore a part of you that longs to be here. Can you not feel it when you wake?"

You stood near the edge of the fountain and looked at him, truly took a good look at him, and thought. He was right, you always did seem to be happy when you were here, and when you woke from your dreams, you felt the ache within your chest the further you pulled away. It was outrageous to think you'd long for this place that you'd only visited in dreams, how was it even possible?

"Y/N, you came here on your own accord this time, without the help of sleep to guide you, which means you wanted to be here." 

He waved his hand and suddenly a crystal ball appeared in his grasp. It had looked fuzzy at first from where you stood, but the more you focused on the images in the reflection, the clearer it became. It had been flashes of your childhood and how you had been taken here as a baby, you backed away and leaned against the stone of the fountain. 

"That was real…" you muttered aloud. "All of it."

"Indeed," was all the king said. 

You looked up at him and stared if only for a moment. "I've known you my entire life, I've felt you all my life as if you'd been watching me."

"I have, I've always kept a watchful eye on you, Y/N."

"Then why didn't you save me from that awful house? Why didn't you let me remain in the castle as a Goblin? Anything would have been better if I'd been out of there."

"You may not be able to see it right now through jaded eyes, but I can tell you that your humanity and your mortality shouldn't be taken for granted. You needed to come here on your own of your own free will."

You nodded slowly, not wanting to overthink it, but you focused on his words and couldn't help but agree. Would you have been so willing if you had been turned into one of those creatures without your thought in mind? You wouldn't be so happy if you had no choice in the matter, so you released a sigh and bit your tongue. 

"You're right, I guess that makes me happy you kept that in mind. Thanks…" The more you looked at him, the more detail you saw in his face of how sharp his features were, but something in his eyes and the way they fixated on you made you feel aflutter. You had always thought that the man in your dreams was going to be your 'knight in shining armor come to take you away', you just never realized that it could very well be a king of goblins coming to claim you to live in his castle. 

The King didn't move from his spot a few feet away, instead, he remained quite distant, wary. He wanted to gauge your reactions while refraining from overwhelming you, he was just impressed that you arrived so soon. His eyes flickered down and saw the small key still in your grasp, and there was a small pull on the corner of his mouth. 

"In lighter news," he began as he shifted, "you're welcome in the castle for as long as you deem worthy, all you need to do if you want to go back is to wish it with that." His eyes flickered back down to the key and he gestured toward it. "But if you're weary and need to rest, feel free to follow me to the great hall if you'd like. There's some food and drink to your liking that will be served."

You took a step forward and felt your stomach grumble, just now remembering that you hadn't really eaten tonight due to not wanting to hang around the dinner table for too long, so you slunk back to your room with minimal food in your stomach. "I could go for a bite…"

The king spun dramatically as his cape fluttered around him, then he walked ahead of you just fast enough that you wouldn't clip his heels. The click of his boots echoed throughout the halls as you followed obediently behind him, unable to truly say anything. What could you say to this situation anyway? 

"Say, uh, what should I call you? I've felt like I've known you forever and yet don't know your name."

He continued to walk but peeked over his shoulder at you, his piercing eye caught your gaze. "You may call me anything you like, though my name is Jareth."

"Oh, forgive me, but thank you for your hospitality, Jareth, er, your Highness. Feels weird." 

He chuckled as he turned back and continued to guide you. "All things will feel strange until you get used to them, it's nothing though, I shan't charge you with treason for not knowing my name, I promise."

"I'd be worried to find out what kind of kingdom you run if you DID charge people with treason for such a thing," you laughed. "But I do like your castle."

"You enjoyed it here as a child as well, glad to know some things haven't changed."

And then you fell silent for a while until you both turned a corner and walked into the great hall, where there had been a long table in the center of the room, only one place setting truly seemed as if it belonged there, but there had been an obvious second placement set up right beside the head of the table. On the surface, several covered silver platters shone dimly against the candlelight, and other platters that had been revealed all smelled delicious. 

You took a deep breath and sighed when you smelled the savory foods, your stomach growled louder this time, and your face glowed with embarrassment. "Sorry," you said instinctively. 

"Don't be, you must be hungry. Come, sit with me."

You followed and sat into the chair he pulled out for you, very unkingly yet you found it a kind gesture. As you settled in and stared down at the setting, you wondered if this was food made for human consumption, but once you saw Jareth sitting on the chair as he watched you carefully, he lifted his chin as you raised a cover.

“Is it not to your liking?”

“Is it… is it for humans?”

He chuckled. “Of course, it is, Y/N. You are a guest and I wouldn’t go as far as serving you food you cannot ingest.”

You looked down at it and smiled when it was a comfort plate you liked growing up, despite you being older now, the mere thought of it brought a smile to your face. As you started to bring forkfuls to your lips, only then did he begin to feast alongside you, but he remained only interested in you and what you were doing. 

“So uh,” you began after you wiped your mouth with a napkin, “why do you write me almost every year on my birthday?”

Jareth leaned back further in his seat and watched you curiously, truly wondering how he should respond to your question. How could he say that he was keeping you at arms length because he felt something for you, something he hadn’t felt in years since the one girl who he tried to give his affections had torn him down and left him alone upon his throne, yet here he was thinking of you constantly? There was something in you that he couldn’t shake from his thoughts, and the more he watched you grow up and the more he saw the true, raw power within you, it only made him ache for you further. 

“I know what it’s like to not have a childhood worth telling, and the day you arrived here was one that changed me, nothing more.” 

He was rather tight-lipped about his thoughts on the matter, but you didn’t mind, seeing him here as he just stared seemed rather mysterious, but you didn’t feel uncomfortable in his presence but quite the opposite. You trusted him more than you could ever explain to anyone like he would know all of your secrets and keep them close to his heart, but there was something unspoken between the both of you that you couldn’t put your finger on. 

You offered him a smile and pushed the plate away, having eaten your fill of food, now you just wanted to explore his world, and as if he could sense your thoughts, he stood from his chair and offered his hand.

“I will ask of you one thing, little one,” he said in a hushed tone, “that you always be honest with me. I may seem reserved, but in due time, I will be open with you, so long as you can do the same with me.”

Without hesitation, you nodded in agreement and offered him a small smile. “Of course, you whisked me away from that awful place, you offered me more than I deserve all those years ago, and I can’t thank you enough.” As you grabbed his hand and he pulled you to your feet, you stumbled slightly only to be caught by him, your bodies so close to one another that you felt the current of excitement and your nerves were on edge. 

As much as he didn't want to, Jareth pulled away and once again began to guide you away and into the depths of his castle. As you tried your best to keep up, your attention was pulled every which way you looked whenever you'd see an open door, and you had seen so many things in a short amount of time! 

There were goblins doing all sorts of chores, there had been some cooking, others causing a disturbance in one of the pantries, and even some that had been training in combat, albeit rather poorly. You couldn't help but stifle your laughter until you walked past a room door that had only been slightly ajar, and once again, your curiosity got the better of you. As Jareth continued to glide down the hall, he took notice of your now quieted footsteps, so he pretended as if it didn't catch his attention while he rounded the corner. 

He knew the room you'd stumbled upon, one that he'd visited many times as you grew, it was the one place he sought solace when he desired it the most. As you pushed the door open and it gently creaked, it revealed a large desk cluttered with papers and a quill, several ink bottles, amongst other trinkets. There had been a shelf lined with several glowing crystals, all of which sat atop a small round wooden pedestal each lined with a soft velvet cushion. Your eyes looked upon each one, all of them having the same swirling, misty look inside of them, so you walked away and continued your search as your eyes settled on the shelf that held more trinkets and some books scattered about. 

Each spine of a book was intricate in design and the covers seemed as if they were the first edition from the timelines they originated from, none of which had any titles or authors engraved on their covers. Your fingers slid across the spines but you didn't dare pick them up from their resting place, you admired them as you continued to look at each small treasure or bauble. There had been random pieces that looked like they came straight from a fairytale, like a hunk of wood that was carved delicately into a knight upon a horse, there was a ceramic creature that seemed ages old but still in prime condition, one that seemed it could have been from his childhood, but there really wasn't much else besides the mess on the desk. 

You would respect his privacy and leave that alone, but as you walked by, there had been several scribbled-out drawings smeared with charcoal that sat slightly scattered on the corner of the desk. As you passed, you saw that they had been figure drawings of a couple, one seemed so far away from the other as the other danced off in the distance, it seemed almost as if the closer figure was yearning for the other. Your eyes sat upon the drawing for a moment and felt something stir within you, you just couldn't tell what it was, but now that feeling was replaced with fear of being found out of your snooping. 

It was high time you got out of there before you were caught, so you squeezed out of the door and placed it back where you had found it, then smoothed out your shirt and made your way back to Jareth's side. As you rounded the corner where you saw him last, you practically ran into him as he leaned against the wall, as if he were waiting for you to come back. 

"Ah, there you are, I thought you'd get sidetracked in there to the point I'd have to chase after you. Find anything interesting?"

Your face flushed as you stood there, caught red-handed and filled to the brim with embarrassment, unable to find the right words to say. "I did," was all you could muster. 

He hummed and pushed himself from the wall and began to lead the way once again. "If you truly decide you don't want to go back, then would you like me to show you your quarters?"

"You'd give me a room here?"

Jareth turned to peek over his shoulder a little as he smiled. "But of course, unless you'd rather sleep with the goblins in their pile. They'd always welcome another."

"No!" You shouted loudly, suddenly. Then you flushed again and felt heat warm your cheeks. "I didn't mean it like that, I just–"

"I know very well what you meant," Jareth said abruptly, "but don't think I'd let you sleep in a goblin pile, much too unsanitary for you. I will show you to your room and then you can decide from there what you'd like to do. Sound fair?"

You nodded. "Yes, I think that's fair." While he finally arrived at the destination of the room you'd stay in if you so chose, you realized a large set of doors sat several feet away at the end of the hall. "What's in that room?"

"Those are my chambers."

You stiffened and realized his room was just near yours, this was no mere coincidence, was it? Ignoring those questions, you then pushed through the door to yours and peeked inside, and you smiled once you laid eyes upon it. "Oh wow, it's like the room I always wanted…"

Jareth smirked and leaned against the doorway as he watched you test out the bed, the mattress feeling plush and comfortable, and he watched as you flung onto your back and just laid there happily. 

"This is perfect, Jareth, I love it. It'll be nice to have space for myself, especially when my sibling is in town. I plan on moving out, you know. I've been working so much just to afford my own place, it's going to be worth it."

"Why don't you remain here, Y/N?" 

You sat up and stared at him for a moment in bewilderment. "Stay…here?"

He simply nodded. 

"How would that even work? I don't, I mean, how does your kingdom work? Would I work here to earn my keep, what would I do? It's so different from home."

"You do ask many questions, I admire your curiosity. But it would be simple, you could do whatever it is you wish; explore the Goblin City, remain on the castle grounds, you would only work if you so chose to, but it wouldn't be necessary."

"What, all of this in exchange for what? I appreciate the hospitality, but what would you gain from this?"

Jareth straightened and continued to look at you. "It's simple, you claim your spot by my side. Fear me, love me, do whatever I ask, and I will be your slave. You do feel it, don't you? The feeling we both get when you arrive here in your dreams, it's an inevitable pull even since you came here that I cannot escape."

“Those are– those are dreams, aren’t they? Something in my subconscious that happens as I sleep, it means very little in the waking world, does it not? Just because I, well uh, never mind…”

Jareth had caught your hesitation, the way you broke your gaze as you sat on the bed and played with the hem of your shirt only gave him the opening to walk up to you, and he looked down at you with a soft expression when you refused to meet his gaze. 

“You don’t understand what I’d give up for you, I have given you so much already and I would continue to do so if you just asked."

The thought of this powerful man standing before you, a king of all things, willing to give you the world and throw it at your feet if you so wished it, how did you end up in this predicament? And what was even more incredibly mindblowing is that you were considering it. 

"This path that has been placed before you is yours alone to decide, whether you deny me and the labyrinth, or you remain here with the power to come and go as you please, that is solely up to you."

"So I'm not trapped here forever?"

The king scoffed at the word. "Of course not, you are not to be my prisoner, Y/N, you are to be welcomed in the castle, in the Goblin City, whenever you please in these lands." 

How could you say no to something so deliciously tempting?

"What if I say yes?" You asked unsurely, your voice trembling slightly in fear you were to promise something you weren't sure you could quite agree to. 

Jareth tilted his head as he looked down at you, he reached out his hand a crystal appeared in his grasp, and he held it up just enough to allow you to focus on the reflection inside. Only you could see the images that played within the sphere, but what you saw was only confirmation of your dreams. 

"It shows you your dreams," he stated, "and this is not an offer for an ordinary person, you're the furthest from ordinary."

You looked up at him and smirked. "I suppose I could take that as a compliment." 

He only smirked, revealing a smile you had only recalled in your memories, you were comforted by him at this moment to the point that you reached out for the crystal as he held it, but he clicked his tongue before your fingers touched it. 

“If you take this, Y/N, you will be accepting your fate here in the Underground, so do not make this decision lightly.”

Your hand was frozen just inches from the crystal as you stared up at him, your expression unwavering as you offered a small smile to ease his ferventness as he leaned toward you, but you were unable to do much other than smile. He had taken your breath away once again and this is what it had built up to after all this time, so what would you do: would you wish yourself away from this place, to never see the Goblin King and his castle again, or would you give it all up to remain here?

[fantasies-fairytales-n-fics]

Thranduil and Josie Pt. 174- Shattered Dreams

Summary: The Manhattan trio head back to the world of dark fairytales. Clover accepts responsibility for her actions. A rescue ensues. Revelations and blood rage come forth. A dream is crushed by a ton of bricks. A journey continues. Something lost is still lost. Thranduil connects. A sweet moment turns to heartbreak for Lola. Legolas leaves the Elvenking reeling....and plotting.

*Chapter Warnings* language, angst

Notes: I have now changed to third person writing. The "you" thing just doesn't fit for the readers with Josie being an original character.

Stories Stories Stories Masterlist

Clover, Jace and Matthew were tossed into a large clearing on the Northern side of middle earth's hidden perimeters. It was too risky to just appear inside of them, for Jace's magic stele that he used to transport them had the habitual pattern of just spitting it's passengers out in a nearby vicinity of the desired location and that would be far too dangerous for them if they were spotted, especially the marked and hunted dhampir with her bewitching fiery strands. Even where the former Raven now stood, out in the open breeze, imperiled her as her cinnamon scent could easily be picked up by Viktor's nefarious death dealers or even by the vicious vampire ruler of infamous superhuman strength himself as Viktor was one of Jareth's resurrected pawns.

"Why does the sky look as if it were dusk? It's only noon. Could it be....Jar...h..him?" Clover asked, guarding herself not to mention the Goblin King's name as her eyes squinted at the familiar eerie hue of glowing amber.

As Matthew's vampire eyes reddened with caution, his sensitive nose subtly inhaled the air. "It is not he himself, but one who is now of him. The same immortal responsible for the great quake of middle earth."

Jace stepped next to his beloved dhampir and clutched her hand as they both whispered the believed identity. "The Elvenking."

Clover's mind briefly drifted. She would never forget what Thranduil had become while she had been a prisoner of his halls and what he had taken from her, but could she truly hold him accountable? Jareth had set it all into motion by torturing the King of Mirkwood and poisoning him with his warlock blood, not to mention, Thranduil now wore Jareth's citrine ring, the glue that sealed his fate. She still struggled with her loss and who was truly to blame, but after all she had taken from Thranduil, she knew damn well that she, along with her sinister mother, were the ones solely responsible for unleashing the wrath of the Elvenking. If she had merely walked away after Caroline's death instead of being the misguided monster she had always been, Thranduil would still be Thranduil, even if that in itself wasn't always a good thing and he would be with his family, living happily within his halls....but now, his heart was at war with his mind against the world and even his own Queen and another war was on the horizon. A war that Clover knew was also her fault. Everything that had happened since Chateau de Lioncourt was her fault.

Jace's squeeze to her hand released her of her torturous thoughts. "Hey...Clover, you're safe with me. I'll never let him or anyone hurt you. I promise."

She smiled sweetly at the golden haired warlock. "I know your heart is in the right place and I love you for it, but you know as well as I do that you cannot promise such a thing with all the enemies I have rightfully earned. I'm wanted Jace...and certainly not alive."

He pulled her against his brawny body and kissed her softly. "Well, they will have one hell of a fight upon their hands. I won't hesitate to kill to keep you safe."

Her loving gaze at him strayed in sadness. "What about my sister? She will never understand."

"I'll do everything in my power to make her see you the way I do."

"Respectfully Jace, your words will mean nothing to her. She will try to kill me and you know it. You shouldn't have to be in such a conflicting position because of me. I know how much you love her and she you."

"And it is that love that will defeat her hatred."

Clover playfully smirked but with a sigh. "You're too good for me and quite frankly, your optimism still makes me nauseous."

The blonde warlock shook his head and smiled. "Just shut up and kiss me."

As the new lovebirds tenderly locked lips, the tall, dark and blue eyed Brit Matthew momentarily watched them with an envious grief, for it would be years before he would unite with his destined soulmate Leeanduil and for a vampire, years felt like an eternity when one walked alone. The recluse vampire Lestat knew that all too well. The loneliness Matthew currently agonized over would only intensify, but for the Princess of Mirkwood...he would endure the internal burning flame that ignited one night with a single shooting star and remain devoutly faithful, for his futuristic visions of their love gave him the strength.

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted as he whipped his head in the opposite direction with widened eyes of wariness. In his 1500 years as a blood rage vampire, Matthew had become a very highly skilled tracker, for his nose was extremely sensitive to others of his kind, especially those who carried the gene of temporary insanity and that was when the brisk breeze alerted him to a familiar presence. He could also smell turmoil, for a distressed vampire released a particular chemical. An abhorrent aroma of burning flesh.

Clover took notice of the repulsive stink as well, but unlike Matthew, she wasn't used to it beings she was still in her newborn phase and it turned her stomach. "WHAT is that??" she cringed, swiftly bringing her hand to cover her crinkled up nose. "It smells like...like...."

She paused, finally taking in a whiff of the underlying scent that was also familiar to her. "P...pancakes. Oh my god....G!!!"

Before Matthew or Jace could even blink, Clover was gone. Disappearing into the forest, leaving a whirlwind trail of dead leaves swirling about like a cyclone. Although she knew that Garrett, who had cared for and bonded with her in her childhood, had now come to despise her, especially after their last encounter where she had wickedly tricked him into believing she was his beloved Josephine all to successfully bed him, she still cared for him.

Once the pair caught up, they found Clover at a desolate cabin, gazing in the slightly frosted window with eyes matching the blazing sky.

"Step back girl." Matthew commanded with a snarl as he glowered down at her. "Have you learned nothing of entrapment??"

Jace angrily pulled her aside. "Matthew is right. What were you thinking?? Even if Garrett is in there, others may be also or may be close."

Scoffing, she pursed her rosy lips and reluctantly submitted. "Fine...but do not man handle me warlock. I can give as good as I get."

Jace grinned and winked. "You don't have to remind me of that my firecracker."

The three then circled the small wooden structure until Matthew deemed it and the surrounding area clear of any threats and then they cautiously entered through the back door. All was quiet except for the creaking of the floorboards beneath their feet and the repetitive sound of dripping water also coming from below, ringing like bells in the two vampires' keen ears.

Clover deeply inhaled the potent aroma of molasses as her golden eyes darted about, suddenly fixating on the empty whiskey bottles upon the counter. "He's been here recently or is still here."

"So have others. Merely days ago." Matthew added as he continued into the living room. "Vampires. Two of them. One male, one female. Twice dead for their scent becomes twice as strong."

Clover gasped at an object propped against the couch with no concern over Matthew's validation. "G's guitar!! Garrett???!!" she shouted with excitement and bolted down the hall to the bedrooms only to find them both empty.

"I...I don't understand! He's here. I feel him." she reeled, bursting apart the women's modern day clothing hanging in the closet which offered her another surprising scent. "Oh...my...god. These clothes..." She ripped a dusty shirt from the hanger and shoved it under her nose. "Cherries...it's...it's...these are my sister's! This must be the cabin Josie had been held captive in last year. No wonder G was...or IS here....but where????"

As they all looked at each other with confusion and silence, the dripping from below solved the mystery. "The basement!" Clover shrieked and zipped off once again and this time, Jace was beginning to turn a little green.

There the King of Devil's Island laid, motionless, flat on his back and chained in iron shackles upon a musty old mattress, appearing deader than vampire dead.

With eyes molten as the lava, Clover unleashed her power, freeing his searing wrists from the toxic metal and then climbed onto him, slapping him on the cheek and then shaking him.

"G! Open your eyes."

Moaning, he rubbed his cheek and mumbled. "Why did you do that?"

"I'm going to do it again, much harder, if you don't wake up."

His eyes, black with thirst, complied and moved about the ceiling. "Where am I?"

Clover pulled his weak body up into a sitting position and when he saw her, he groaned as if he were in pain. "Uuuuugh. Well I just answered my own question. I've died and went straight to hell."

Scoffing, she sent him hurling back onto the bed, grunting as he hit the mattress. "Same old G with your bullshit humor. Obviously, you're going to be just fine. You're welcome!"

"Your voice. Make it stop." Garrett grumbled, palms pressed to his forehead. "Punch iron stakes in my ears or kill me. Either will do."

Matthew intervened as he stepped forward, awkwardly gazing at Garrett's chest. "You've been marked with protection."

Garrett snickered and pushed himself back up. "A lot of good that did. Well, except when I tried to end it all. Fucking faeries. Wicked little beasts underneath all that beauty. Especially Amara. Crazy bitch with a thousand razors for teeth. Makes me feel sorry for apples. She did this to me, the mark that is. All because she likes my music talent. and has nominated me for her leisurely concerts."

Jace's brows furrowed. "The seelie Queen? There must be something more she wants."

Garrett lifted his heavy eyes up at the warlock he now recognized. "Speaking of. I remember you. The day Josephine and I left Amara's court and were on our way back to the Dorwinion castle. You came out of nowhere and helped us after her mind warped father attacked us. You're her brother....Jace? That's why you had tracked her down."

His eyes glanced at Clover, then back at Garrett, reluctant to reveal it had all been a lie. "Yeah..so...who did this to you? Amara?"

"No, but she had been here prior to my being ambushed, basically to rub it in my face that I could not kill myself because of this mark she let her Chippendale satanic servant brutally burn into my chest. She had better things to go follow up on such as having Legolas for herself and keeping him away from Josephine. That was her whole end game. Games are her fetish. Wicked sadistic ones at that with her creepy crawling cray cray vines of truth. I probably shouldn't say any more. Her little minion spies are everywhere."

"G! Focus. WHO did this to you??" barked an anxiously frustrated Clover.

"Oh...that would be Craven, your bat shit crazy father, pun intended, and my newly re-headed reeking ex, Kate. Well actually, she put me down here for revenge. Craven later taunted me and left me so I couldn't try to stop him from reclaiming Devil's Island and his title as King. Fucking traitor created me and then left me to die."

Clover turned whiter than a ghost. "M...my...father is... oh my god....Jace...I...I never knew him. Haldir killed him shortly after I was born. What do I do?? I..I mean, I know he was evil but..."

Jace pulled her close and stroked her cheek. "He was still your father. I get it. But just remember who he was Clover and since Jareth brought him back, that means he will be even more deadly."

"Clover??" a confused Garrett asked. "What happened to Raven? Too dark and fitting for you?"

"If you must know..." she sarcastically replied. "I'm not that person anymore. People can change. You did because if I recall, you were no better than me once upon a time Mr. fucking hypocrite."

Garrett weakly wobbled to his feet, standing the tallest of the four and glared down at her. "Yeah well if you also recall, I wasn't born evil. You were. Just what the hell are you doing here anyways??? Especially with your sister's brother whom you seem to be all cozy with. How'd you pull that one off? Did you use your magic to get him into bed like you did to me??"

Clover felt her stomach do a flip as she fearfully glanced up at Jace, for even though he knew most of her sordid past, he didn't know about that.

In his instinct to protect her, the lovesick warlock quickly came to her defense. "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone."

The vexed vampire raised a befuddled brow. "Whatever. It's your funeral, especially when your sister finds out."

Matthew, in his rapidly growing frustration, chimed in. "Enough of this. Maybe you should be a little more grateful that we came to your aid."

Garrett's eyes bolted to Matthew. "Well I'll thank YOU... and even YOU," he exclaimed as he happily gave a single nod to Jace, but his attention swiftly redirected back to Matthew in the midst of a memory flashback. "I've seen you before....at...Lestat's masquerade ball. Drinking alone in the shadows."

Clover's eyes widened. "You were there????"

Matthew had known it could surface about his attendance at some point and he had a prepared answer to avoid revealing his real purpose for being there.

"As were many vampires on the invitation list, who like I, enjoy drinks and entertainment every so often and observing all of the creative costumes. Lestat's balls never disappoint."

"Yeah except THAT particular one did because of the death dealer attack. You knew...didn't you??? You and your visions!! And you did nothing to warn or help???"

"Hold your tongue half breed!" he growled and began to creep towards her, his eyes reddening. "You know nothing of what you spew little girl. After what you and your mother had done that night, you have the audacity to make such accusations against me?? It was you and she that everyone needed warned about but I knew nothing of your plans until long after the fact of that fateful night and to be crystal fucking clear, I had departed before Richard's ambush. Even if I had known about it, one would be a fool to interfere in Viktor's affairs as you and Caroline learned."

Clover's eyes slitted with skepticism as her intuition began to read him. "How...convenient. The timing of your departure. Surely you would have stayed for the concert which was the entertainment you speak of and of course, that's when they attacked. No, I think you were there for something...or someone else. I feel it. Someone very important to you. Someone I know. Someone we all know."

Matthew abruptly halted, perplexed by her accuracy. Simultaneously, she paused, her troubled eyes drifting away, trying to unscramble the pixeled image that taunted her mind...and then, it pieced itself together like a puzzle. "Oh my god...now I know why you told me at the old church that you had business with the elves, but you wouldn't reveal what it was! It's....it's my sister. I see Josie! You were there for her! What on earth do you want with her??? Are you...in love with her too like this fool over here is???"

As her eyes darted to Garrett concerning her last statement, the corner of his lip curled into a smug grin. "Seems you're the only fool right now."

A low emitted growl rolled up Matthew's throat as his threatening steps resumed. "Fool indeed. I do not take kindly to your intrusive perceptions of me."

Jace's eyes cautioned of yellow as he fearlessly stepped into the path of imminent destruction. "Matthew, back off. Now. I do not want to fight you, but I will to protect what I love, just as you would do to protect what you love."

As Garrett mumbled "I think I am going to ralph," Matthew submitted to the warning as he considered Jace's words, knowing that even he too was susceptible to making mistakes during a bout of blood rage and he could not risk his life over something so trivial when all he lived for was Leeanduil and someday...she would desperately need him much more than she did now.

With lightning speed, the humbled vampire zipped up the stairs, leaving an aromatic trail of lavender and vanilla in his wake. Jace spun around to Clover with an exasperated frown. "You and I will talk later."

The waspish warlock picked up a dusty bottle of cheap wine from a cobweb infested shelf and then jogged up the stairs, leaving Clover's eyes stinging of tears, for she knew the talk would be about her defiling of Garrett and not about her idiotic instigation of Matthew's rage.

"You never learn do you...Raven." Garrett reeled.

"And YOU never keep your mouth shut." she snapped and sucker punched his chest so hard, he catapulted through the air and landed in the corner, grimacing and groaning as he helplessly sat at the mercy of her fire happy hands.

The disgruntled dhampir preyed forward with angry amber hues. "I should set your ass on fire and put you out of your misery, you fucking ingrate."

Still wincing from the blow to his iron enfeebled body, Garrett managed to grunt out succumbing words that Clover related to and empathized with. "Go ahead. I've already tried, believe me. I have nothing to live for."

Her fiery orbs dissipated back to their ultramarine state as her mind witnessed another image of Josie forming from Garrett's emotions.

"God you're so pathetic." she softly murmured. "Yes you do. Get up. You need to hunt or you'll never regain your strength and power and you'll need that if you ever want to see her again."

His weepy yellowed eyes lifted up to hers as the thought of Josephine incited his will to go on and he reluctantly reached his hand out to Clover for assistance. Scoffing, she slapped his hand down and then made her way up the stairs, leaving Garrett to crawl his way up.

Matthew and Jace, who shared years of friendship, had already made their peace by the time she entered the living room where they were both sipping on the mundane vin with abhorrent frowns, for it was an abomination compared to the wickedly wonderful wine of Dorwinion.

"Atrocious." Matthew verbally verified, coughing to clear his tainted throat after swallowing much more than he had cared to of the execrable liquid. He then locked eyes of humility with Clover upon her entrance and sat his full glass down, also swallowing his pride as he shamefully turned to gaze out the window. "I offer my sincere apologies. The blood rage, as you personally know, can be quite difficult to control but even so, being a vampire with 1500 years of learning to manage such a curse, I carelessly let it get the better of me."

Clover empathized once more and felt extreme remorse for antagonizing him. "I do understand. It's a living hell all on it's own. I...I'm the one who is sorry. I provoked you and I wrongfully accused you and I...I was intrusive just as you said. Your actions were justified. Although you owe me no apology, you are forgiven."

Her reply was not what he had expected and he turned back to face her.

"You have come a long way in such a short time Clover. It is time that I am completely honest with both of you, for you were correct on why I had attended the All Hallows' Eve celebration. To observe a very pregnant Josephine, but not for the reason you mentioned. It is not her that I love, not in the way that King Thranduil does anyways and he and the other elves are the reason I departed so quickly. I had a vision of her there but they were not in it. I certainly would have never expected elves to attend a vampire gathering, especially ones of such stature and with the uncanny power of knowledge the Elvenking carries, I did not want to risk being detected, for he would not understand. Josephine did not at first either, nor did her side kick Haldir to say the least."

"Wait...I'm so lost. You...have already spoken with her? And I ask again, respectfully, why would you have visions of her?"

"I'd like to know the answer to that myself." Garrett demanded as he scuffled in, using the wall as a crutch.

"At first, I did not know the reason for the relentless visions, some of solely her and some including her King and even his son, that is why I chose to accept Lestat's invitation to try and understand what was happening, but my answers did not come that night. They came two weeks later, the night of November 2nd. I stood on a bridge in Oxford after learning of the destruction at Chateau de Lioncourt and Thranduil's sudden demise, wondering if I should attempt another visit to his Queen and in that moment, a shooting star offered me the answer with a life altering vision. Josephine and her child, who was born that same night, would need my added protection with the King gone and the war coming and in the ever so distant future as well, for Leeanduil will....become my bride. She is my star. My destiny. My one true love that I have impatiently waited agonizing, lonely centuries for."

All three mouths gaped between Clover, Jace and Garrett and then Garrett spoke, mostly to himself in confusion. "Why would Josephine not have told me about this?"

"Possibly because you were...here?" Matthew guessed. "It was only recently that I tracked Josephine down in Dorwinion city and informed her of all this. Garrett...there is something else you should know. In that particular vision, I saw myself with a fully grown Leanduil and...I saw Thranduil too. That was when I realized he had not perished like all had assumed and it was then confirmed to be true when Jace told me of all the events that partook in the dark realm of the Goblin King right after the elf lord's so called death, for Jace had been held prisoner there just as Thranduil had. The rest of the story is not my responsibility to tell."

Clover lightly gulped as Matthew glanced at her, for she had not been prepared for this. As she let her worried eyes slowly glide over to a flabbergasted Garrett, she was all too glad he was in a debilitated condition because when he learned she was the reason for Josie's unwarranted suffering, she was certain all hell would break loose, but for the time being, he was consumed with trying to wrap his head around the fact that his dreams of a future with his "little one" would now and forever be just that....a dream. In that moment, Clover witnessed the little light he had left in his eyes burn out as he staggered his way out the back door.

"Garrett!" she called out as she ran after him. "You need to know more!"

He abruptly turned around and the way he looked at her terrified her. It was complete emptiness, as if his entire soul that had kept the human side of him still alive, had been ripped out. This time, he truly DID want to die. At least before, he had a glimmer of hope that kept him alive, even through his suicidal tendencies and now... he had none.

His commanding words were flat and lifeless. "I know enough. Let me hunt in peace."

The sun was at it's highest as Thranduil and his company had stopped to briefly rest and refuel their bodies for the first time since their departure from his halls. They were now at the Eastern end of the Old Forest Road where it joined the Celduin. Soon the Elven army would continue their lengthy and tedious journey along the River Running's winding banks where it would eventually mate with the Carnen. There, they would then follow the meandering miles of the Redwater that flowed into the Sea of Rhun, but it would be many days yet before they would cross the Dorwinion borders.

Thranduil dismounted his great elk, who still remained ever so loyal to the clone of his master, and slitted his moonstone eyes at the irradiant sun trespassing through the gaps of the large and densely packed beeches. With Jareth's blood now burning through his veins, he loathed the light now just as the Goblin King did. Even the air of his own realm turned his stomach, but with his newly acquired darkness, he had poisonous plans to spread the sickness of Mirkwood throughout it's entirety. The moonlight he desperately craved. It would aid him in his malevolent quest, for like the werewolves, it transformed his physical and mental state to that of peccable wickedness.

As he now stood alone in the clad of tall trees, the Elvenking sternly snapped, startling the birds out of their nests. "Legolas!"

Deep within the depths of the Dorwinion castle, Legolas, Lola and Josselyn had just exited the password protected room where, according to Josselyn, Ashmole had last been secretly stored by Julian....but the necromantic book was no longer there and they knew this because Lola, being of warlock blood, failed to visually locate it like only witches can do.

The blue eyed beauty with long licorice locks, sighed in frustration. "I am so sorry. Maybe...maybe I cannot see it because I am not a full blooded witch like my fath...Lord Narcisse??"

Her reluctance to admit her parentage did not go unnoticed by Legolas He took her petite hand of delicate youth into his and smiled as he harbored his new feelings of desire that magically strengthened simply by her touch. "I do not know my lady, but know this. It is not your fault. Please do not apologize. Also know that you are nothing like your father."

Her dazed kitten-like eyes flitted at his words as she too was overcome with a magical sensation that she had harbored much longer for the flawless Prince.

The silent moment of connection between the two was then rudely interrupted by Thranduil's thunderous voice inside of Legolas' head. "Legolas!"

Abruptly releasing her hand, Legolas mildly gulped as he realized he had allowed his distractions to permit his father entry into his mind.

Legolas refused to speak and tightly closed his eyes, forcing his father out and resealing the doorway to his thoughts.

"Legolas?" Lola asked, lightly touching his cheek. "Are you alright?"

This time he was displeased by her touch and angry with himself, for she weakened him, something only Josie had been able to do and he couldn't allow his heart and mind to be mangled again. He still was not over the fiery Queen of hearts and was unsure if he ever would be. "Do not touch me. We need to go. I must find Josie."

Lola's eyes welled with pain as she watched her dream lover trail off without a single glance back at her and in that moment, she threw herself into her mother's awaiting arms and sobbed like she had as a child.

It was instant, Thranduil's burning rage at his son's betrayal, but one thing pleased him, for he was now aware of Legolas' newfound feelings for the one named Lola and it was even more pleasing to learn that she was the daughter of his nemesis Narcisse.

His thick brows planted firm over his glaring, hungry eyes, for both revelations had now handed him the golden opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.

@redeemer46

[m-jelly]

Mask of the heart - Chapter 11

Levi x fem!readerRoyalty, Demon Levi Ackerman, Protective Levi Ackerman, Possessive Levi Ackerman, Cuddly Levi Ackerman, Masks, Curvy Reader, mentions of blood and fighting

In this chapter: Jareth takes his life into his own hands at the risk of others. The last grand attack happens before Jareth can, but he has his own plans. Thankfully, Levi is prepared.

Warning: there are parts in this chapter that some people might find distressing.

Ao3

The end

The tension in the room was almost suffocating and everyone within it was too scared to say a word. Rage rolled off the Prince as he leaned on his desk with a bitter snarl, all his plans for the future were shattered. Nothing made him happy no matter what people or what they brought him. Jareth desired his bride, but he was never going to have you, so he had asked for war but his father had denied him. Now he was stewing in his frustration and anger with ideas burning inside him.

Mr Clarke parted his dry and cracked lips. “Your Highness.”

Just hearing two words spoken set Jareth off into a rampage. First, his desk was lifted and launched out of the window. Glass shattering filled the room and staff members raced to escape, only Mr Clarke and Milena remained to watch this disaster. Once everyone was out, the second thing he did was rip down his bookcases one after another. Chairs were slammed against walls causing them to break and crack.

For most, anger like this lasted for a short time, but for Jareth, his rage seemed to last for a long time. Screams emitted from him as he tore his office apart until there was nothing left for him to break. When he calmed down he panted and lifted a chair. He sat a moment with his head in his hands, his hair a curtain around him.

Mr Clarke approached him with caution. “Your Highness.”

His voice was haggard as he spoke. “I want him dead.”

“We will kill Count Ackerman.”

Jareth lifted his head. “No, no I want my father dead.” He tilted his head, his hair parted to show his eyes were bloodshot and pupils were wide. “He denies my war, so I will take his life, take the crown and lead the charge.”

Mr Clarke gulped hard. “K-Kill the k-king? Y-Your f-father?”

Milena hummed a laugh then started laughing hysterically. As she laughed Jareth walked closer to her and loomed. She wiped her tears and looked up at him with a similar insane look. “I think that’s a fantastic idea. Instead of waiting around, just take what you deserve. The crown is yours, King Jareth.”

Jareth grinned. “Finally, someone who has sense just like me.” He dragged his feet as he walked to the door. “Will you join me?”

“Yes. I’ve always wanted to kill a King.”

Mr Clarke was panicking but knew better than to stop the Prince. He was loyal to Jareth but couldn’t support him on his journey anymore. War was not an answer and too many innocent people were going to die because of him. He decided that it was time for him to part ways. First, he would let the two maniacs run off on their hunt and then he’d leave the palace and make it for the safe town that used to be your land.  

Jareth felt giddy with pure excitement, he always liked breaking people but now he was getting the chance to kill and it excited him in such a deep and disturbing way. He threw the throne room doors open with a loud slam with a wide grin on his face. “Father.”

The King looked over at his son. “If you’re here to talk about a war again, it is still no. I’ve told you, grab that woman and her baby and drag them both here.”

Milena hummed a laugh. “He has a new idea, a better idea.”

Jareth walked over to the decorative swords on the wall and yanked one free before approaching his father. “You won’t give me what I want, so I will get what I want.”

The King flinched and gasped as the sword swiped across his chest and caused a massive gaping wound. With wide eyes, he watched as blood danced through the air before stumbling back as a coldness rushed through him. “Y-You.”

Jareth admired his blade now dripping with blood. “I am known for torture, so why not show my father just how good I am at it?” He whipped the sword and took his father’s left foot clean off. A twisted laugh erupted from him as he watched his father fall back up the stairs to his throne. “You’re more entertaining than all the people I have hurt put together!”

The King clutched at his chest. “You’re going to kill me!?”

Jareth chuckled. “Of course, I’m taking what is mine.” He pointed his blade at his father. “You did this to your father, so I’m doing it to you.”

The King smirked showing his teeth were coated in blood. “You’ll be the end to this family. It’ll all come crashing down. Our family is fucked!” He spat blood out with his words and began laughing. “Go ahead, take this broken country from me.”

Jareth raised his sword before plunging it through his chest. He used so much force that it pierced into the marble floor below. He locked eyes with his father. “I want to see the life leave your eyes.”

The King coughed up blood. “I hope…it brings…you…peace…”

Jareth tilted his head a little as he watched his father die. “Huh, the light really does fade.”

Milena walked over and stared at the King. “You’re right. It’s like he’s an empty meat shell.”

Jareth released the sword and hummed. “He always was one.” He reached down and grabbed the crown. “Finally, this country is all mine.” He placed the bloodied crown on his head. “We need to let my people know.” He dragged his feet as he walked to the door. He pushed them open to see the royal guards with their weapons ready. “I do hope you’re not going to use them on me.”

The guard eyed the blood on the Prince and then the crown on his head. “Is the King dead?”

“Yes, by my hand. He had gone mad.”

The guard stared for a while. “We will clean up the mess, Your Majesty.” He bowed. “Blessings upon the new King.”

Jareth smirked. “Thank you. Now, I have work to do.” With an air of confidence about him, he strolled down the hallway with Milena trailing behind. “I have so much power now.”

Milena giggled. “You do. You’re incredibly powerful now.” She waited for him to stop walking when he entered his father’s office. She ran her hands up his chest. “So impressive.”

He grabbed her neck and snarled. “What are you doing!?”

She purred in delight. “Forgive me, but power arouses me. I like your power.”

He clenched her neck hard. “We had a deal, Milena. You would provide magic and spells to help me get my bride back, in return I would not kill your precious Levi so you could have him back.”

She winced a little. “I know, but the power you hold and your beauty…” She moaned a bit. “Let me have a taste.”

“I warned you. Test me again and there will be consequences.”

She laughed. “I’m not scared.”

He pressed his thumb right on her neck and felt a little snap. “So fragile.” He smirked as her eyes widened and panic seeped in. “Panic and fear look good on you.” He released her causing her to crumple to the floor. He sat down and watched with an amused smirk as she clawed at her neck. “If you’re so strong like you claimed to be, then use your magic to heal yourself.”

Milena clawed a little at her neck causing blood to be drawn and skin to gather under her nails. As her mind caught up with her panic, she soon realised what she needed to do. She grasped her neck and healed up the breakage, but because she took so long to do it her voice was forever damaged to a rough horse whisper.

She pushed herself up and croaked. “You BASTARD.”

Jareth hummed a laugh. “That was rather amusing to watch. You panicked for too long, so now your voice is fucked.” He tilted his head. “I bet Levi would not want you now. Your neck is all messed up, your voice is terrible and you look like shit.”

She crawled closer. “You did this to me.”

“I warned you. Stay loyal to your lover.”

She laughed. “Says the man who fucked a woman who looked like his bride!”

Red. He only saw red because of her words. Before he fully registered his actions, he had stood up and kicked her in the face. “BITCH!”

She slammed onto her back and grunted. “You can beat me all you like, but it doesn’t change the truth.”

“The truth is it would be better to kill you than drag you around with me. I have my crown. I have my power. What is the point of you?”

She looked up at him and felt desperate. “I can use my magic to help you in your war. I cursed Levi. I can curse him again.”

He released a long sigh. “A curse to make him think he’s ugly?” He rolled his eyes. “Yeah, sure that’ll work, it worked so well last time.”

Milena began to shake. “I-I could cast something better!”

“Why didn’t you the first time?” He laughed. “You sound like those pathetic people in my torture room. You’re trying to come up with anything so your life will be spared.”

She clenched her fist tightly on the floor and knew she had to use her emergency spell. “I hope Levi cuts your head off.”

Jareth stormed towards her and held his sword high. “You fucking bitch!” He swiped and saw her disappear into a black shimmer. “What!?” He looked around the room, but it seemed she’d vanished. “NO!”

Milena free-fell for a moment before slamming against the earth. She cried and whimpered as she lay in an open field in the middle of the night. Even the gentle twinkle of the stars above gave her no comfort. After a small moment of recovery, she rolled onto her side and pushed her broken body up to her feet. She took in her surroundings and saw where her spell had taken her, Levi’s home.

Each breath she took in was haggard and painful, but she had a new mission now. As she got closer to the grand home she saw people moving in the shadows. Before she could get dangerously close, a sword was at her neck once again but this time it belonged to a knight of the Count’s. She looked over at the knight and she could tell they recognised her.

“Before you cut my neck open, I have something to tell the Count. I won’t live very long, so you have nothing to worry about.”

The knight snarled. “You think I would let you near our Count and Countess? After everything you’ve done to them!?”

“Something wrong?” Everyone gazed at you in your night dress with a lantern in hand. You shifted closer. “Do we have an intruder?”

Another knight stood in front of you to hide you from Milena. “Your Ladyship, Countess Ackerman, please retreat inside for your protection.”

You leaned around him and saw Milena. “Milena.” You walked around the knight. “She’s harmless, she’ll die any minute now from the looks of her.”

Milena winced. “I need to talk to you and Levi.”

“Bring her inside. I’ll wake my husband.” You walked ahead as the knights dragged Milena. You led them to a meeting lounge. “Keep her here. I’ll return in a moment.”

The knight bowed. “Yes, your ladyship.”

You slowly made your way upstairs to the bedroom and saw Levi smiling in his sleep because not long before Milena had arrived, he had been balls deep inside you. A heat spread over your cheeks as you thought about how much you had come and how much Levi had filled you. You sat on the bed at Levi’s side before gently rocking him awake.

Levi inhaled deeply and smiled more as he looked up at you. “Hello, love.”

“I need you.”

“I can go again, but I’ll be sleepy sex.”

You giggled at how sweet he was. “Not what I’m talking about. I need you to wake up, my love. Milena has come here, but before you are filled with rage I need to tell you she is on death’s door. She doesn’t have long to live, but she has something to tell us.”

Levi sat up slowly before ruffling his hair. “What happened to her?”

“I don’t know, but we can find out together.” You gasped as he slipped out of bed. “Make sure you’re covered up.”

He turned to face you so you could see he was fully naked. “Mm, I will.”

You giggled as he stumbled around and pulled his clothes on. “So sleepy.”

He walked over to you and kissed you. “I’m sleepy and you rode my cock so good.”

You covered your face with your hands and whined. “So embarrassing.”

He pulled you to your feet and hugged you close. “Let’s go, my darling bunny.” He walked with you through the home to Daisy’s room and checked on her. “Let’s take her.”

You scooped up your baby girl and held her gently. “I’ve got her. I think a lot of the talks will be for you.”

Levi hummed as he walked with you. “Maybe.”

You carried your girl to the lounge where Milena was. As soon as you entered you saw she was lying on the sofa, the darkness under her eyes was worse than before and a cold sweat was clinging to her skin. “Milena.”

She looked over at you. “There she is, the child I should have had.” She gulped hard. “A war is coming.”

Levi frowned. “Not possible. The King.”

“The King is dead.” She looked over at Levi. “I watched Jareth kill his father. When he killed him he realised there was no need for me and my magic because he had all the power. He will start a war to get your wife as his.” She tried to stop her eyes from closing. “You need to act now.”

Alora hurried into the room with her sword in hand. “I heard there was trouble!”

Milena’s eyes widened as she gazed at Alora. “Such…beauty…”

Levi sighed. “This is Milena, she was the one who had cursed me.”

Milena frowned. “Who are you.”

Alora tilted her head a little. “I am Alora Sigel. I am the lost princess of King Lovell.”

“So, you’re the one to save this world.”

“I am.”

“Jareth has killed his father and taken the crown. The time to act is now.” She gulped. “I had to tell you all before I died.” She looked over at Levi. “I did deeply love you in my own sick and twisted way. Did you ever care for me?”

Levi looked at you. “Bunny.”

You smiled at him. “It’s okay. Speak the truth. I’m confident because I have you now and a baby with you.”

Levi nodded and moved closer. “Milena, I once cared for you when we were first together before you changed. I enjoyed the time we spent together and the memories we shared. So, yes I did care for you. I cared for you a lot but those feelings disappeared when you…when you became controlling and abusive.”

“I…” She smiled and closed her eyes. “Understand. At least for a short time, someone cared for me.”

Alora crouched next to her and checked her pulse. The room was quiet as everyone watched. Alora released Milena’s wrist and rose to her feet. “She’s gone.”

You squeezed your daughter. “Take her body outside. I know her people like to return to the stars. Lay her on the grass.”

A knight lifted Milena’s body and carried her outside as everyone followed. As soon as he reached the grand front garden, he lay her lifeless body in the field and retreated. “May she be at peace.”

Levi wrapped his arm around you as the two of you watched Milena’s body become stardust. “Such a beautiful way of dying.”

You looked up as the dust floated up into the night sky. “You’re right. It’s almost graceful.” You released a long sigh. “The King is dead and Jareth has taken the throne. We need to tell Erwin.”

Levi hummed. “I’ll use the communication crystal. Get to our room, okay?”

You cuddled your daughter and nodded. “I’ll keep Daisy with me.” You hurried inside and made your way to the bedroom. You carefully lay your daughter in the bed you had there for her, in case she needed you both. “Oh, Daisy…what a mess…I hope the work Alora has done so far has worked.”

“It’ll work.” Levi moved closer to you. “I promise you, it’ll work.”

You rushed him. “Levi.” You wrapped your arms around him.

He squeezed you tightly. He softly said your name as you rocked together. “Alora and Erwin and beginning their attack now. They’re not waiting around, so you have nothing to worry about, okay?”

“I do worry. I worry about you, our daughter and our friends. I don’t want people to get hurt or die.”

Levi cupped your face and showered it with kisses. “I will make sure everyone we love and care for is safe.”

You hugged your husband. “I trust you with all my love, mind and soul.” You released him. “Will you be going?”

He shook his head. “I am the strongest this country has to offer, second is Alora and Mike. I am remaining here with a few knights to make sure you are safe. While the rebellion is led by Alora with Erwin’s aid there is a high chance Jareth will have a small team come here to get you, or possibly he will come here.” He pulled you to bed. “I have to be here for the two most precious things in my life.”

You lay down and hummed. “Please don’t do anything risky, okay?”

“I won’t.” He sat next to you and played with your hair. “Rest. I’ll be right here to keep an eye on you and Daisy.”

“Don’t you need to rest?”

He smiled sweetly. “I will, but I have to make sure you’re safe.”

You yawned a little. “Mm…sweet husband.”

Alora gripped her sword tightly as she gazed out at the battlefield. A mixture of nerves and pride filled her. She was nervous to be leading the charge with King Erwin, but she was also proud that she stood up for herself and was now claiming what was hers. She had made her peace with her mother and was granted her blessing to fight. With the King dead, her mother was no longer afraid.

Since starting the rebellion a few weeks ago, Alora was shocked at how people rushed to her side. A natural leader is what she was called, but she believed it was something in her blood that made people see her as a leader. She hated her father’s blood inside her, but it helped her become this strong leader that would allow her to save her people.

Erwin stood at her side. “It’s just like all the other battles you have fought before, except this time it is a monster of a man instead of monsters.” He gazed at her. “Are you going to be okay? It is your brother.”

“I have no emotional connection to him.” She smiled. “I’ve never met him, nor have I communicated with him. We’re strangers. Killing him won’t hurt me.”

“Good. If there were a struggle, I would offer to end him.”

Alora hummed a laugh. “I think Levi would prefer to do it.” She looked ahead as the battle came to an end. “I think it’s time to make the final push inside the palace.”

Erwin climbed onto his horse. “Lead the charge, Queen Alora Sigel.”

She smiled with pride before climbing onto her horse. “Time to end this.”

The drumming of hooves soon joined the war cries of all the knights and soldiers ready to end this. Citizens from the country also helped lead the charge with the pain of their suffering pushing them to regain their freedom and happiness. The air rushing by Alora’s face and shifting her short hair was not a nice smell, it was full of blood and mud but it smelt like freedom. She inhaled deeply, raised her blade high and cried out causing a roar of cries from those charging with her. For those looking out from the palace, it appeared like an army of ants, you could not see the earth below the feet of those charging ahead.

Erwin pointed his sword. “Open the gates or we will break them down!”

Alora held her head high. “Open the gates for your Queen Alora! The lost daughter of King Lovell!”

A man looked over the wall. “Shit, she looks…get the gate open!”

With a loud rumble, the gates slowly dragged open as dirt fell from them to reveal the palace that looked pristine, almost too clean and tidy for a place that could be facing a charge. Erwin and Alora raced ahead before leaping off their horsing and racing inside the palace. The two of them hurried to the throne room but found no one. As the palace became filled with excited knights and soldiers, a dread washed over Alora and Erwin.

Erwin looked down at Alora. “He’s gone across the border. He’s gone after the Ackermans.”

Alora clenched her jaw. “Let’s hope we left enough people there.”

“Levi is the strongest demon I know. He’ll keep his wife and daughter safe.”

“I want to be there.”

Erwin hummed. “We can use a portal, but it does take a lot out of you. So, be prepared for feeling sick.”

Alora held her head high. “I need to go. I have to protect the sweet Countess.”

Erwin took a portal ball out of his pouch on his horse before throwing it ahead. The ball exploded and caused a circle of light to appear and a shimmer of Levi’s home appeared. “Move!”

The two of them raced forward and through the portal. As soon as they reached the other side they could see a fight was happening. However, it wasn’t something to worry about. Levi’s knights were clearly winning. With eyes straining they could see the front doors had been breached, which meant either people had run out or someone had broken in.

Erwin looked up at the home. “Shit, the balcony doors to their room.”

Alora gazed over. “Is Jareth?”

“Likely. We need to hurry.” He looked around and saw Levi was fighting someone with his wings standing proud. “We need to let him know.”

Both watched Levi ripped apart a knight with his blades before pausing. He looked over at his home and heard your desperate screams for him. He shouted your name and flew towards the home. Alora and Erwin raced on their horses towards the home. It was clear by the screams that Jareth was inside the home. Panic washed over everyone. Surely there was something put in place to keep you and the baby safe, so Jareth must have forced his way in causing further danger.

Before all of this madness had started, it had been a rather sweet morning for you and Levi. The two of you had made love all morning before spending breakfast feeding each other and sharing loving moments. After eating you had taken Daisy outside with the wolves and bunnies. Levi and you had marvelled at your daughter as he started crawling with the wolves and bunnies guiding her.

Eventually, Daisy sat on your lap wiggling a toy of hers as the alpha lay next to her just gazing at her. Levi sat behind you with his lips on your neck. He smiled against your skin when he noticed Daisy was staring at him. He pulled a face at her making her laugh hard. He kept pulling faces at her so she would keep laughing. He reached over and tickled her cheek.

A horn being blown echoed across the land causing Levi to shoot to his feet. He snarled a little as he looked out. “Darling bunny? Head inside with Daisy.” He whistled at the wolves. “Patrol the area.”

You hugged Daisy close and ran inside to see Anne. “Anne, we have to hide.”

Anne nodded and hurried with you upstairs. “We’ll activate the protective barriers in your room.”

You sprinted to your room and sat on the bed with your daughter as Anne started the spells. “Thank you.” You gently kissed the top of Daisy’s head. “We knew he’d come for us.”

Anne sat with you. “It seems that Jareth’s life was meant to be taken by the Count and not the Queen.”

“I just know that makes Levi happy.” You glanced over to the balcony doors. “I can hear them fighting already.”

Daisy wiggled in your arms as if something was making her unhappy or on edge. “Mm.”

You looked down at her. “Daisy? What’s wrong?”

Anne gasped. “She never does this. I’ve never known her to cry like this.”

You bounced her. “Maybe she misses Levi. She likes the three of us together.” You looked out of the closed balcony doors and felt your heart stop when you saw a hand grab the balcony railing. “What…” Your eyes widened when you saw the familiar silvery white hair you’d come to fear. “Oh no.”

Anne hurried to your side and saw Jareth climbing over the balcony with blood spattered on his clothes. “The spells should keep him out. Just stay away from the doors.”

You hurried to the other side of the bed and hugged Daisy as she cried. “It’s okay, baby, it’s okay. We’ll keep you safe.”

Anne yelped as Jareth slammed himself against the glass doors over and over. “Your Ladyship.”

“It’ll be okay. We’ll be safe.”

Anne sat with you and jumped every time Jareth slammed his body against the doors. “Just leave us!”

You made a little bed for Daisy and sat her in it. “Be a good girl and stay there for mummy, okay?”

Daisy hiccupped a moment. “Ma.”

You wiped her tears. “You are so precious and perfect, my little flower. Everything is going to be okay.” You kissed her forehead. “I love you.”

She smiled at you and wiggled her arms. “Eh! Agoo!”

You giggled. “That’s right.”

The glass smashed and Anne dropped to the floor. Panic set in when you saw some glass was in Anne and blood was seeping from her. Thankfully, she was breathing and fainted out of shock. You reached over for her as she gazed at you in a sleepy state. The two of you lightly held hands and shared a knowing look. Anne knew you would keep her safe and Anne was reassuring you she was okay.

“Finally.” Jareth shoved the doors open and smiled at you as blood dripped from his hands. “I’m in.” He smiled at you. “Hello, doll.” He walked around the bed to the side you were on. “Look at you, so beautiful.” He glanced down at Daisy sitting up in her bed of blankets. “She’s so beautiful. Let me hold her.”

You screamed as he grabbed Daisy before you could. “Let her go!”

He kicked you hard sending you to the floor. “Stay down! I’m holding our baby.” He lifted Daisy as she started crying hard. “Oh, don’t cry little one. I’m your daddy!”

You lifted your body and ignored the pain. “Put her down, please.”

He frowned. “Why won’t she stop crying?” He moved Daisy around and looked her all over. “She needs to stop. I don’t like this!”

You shot up to your feet and grabbed Daisy because you knew he was going to shake her or do something to hurt her. “Stop!” You turned your back to his and hugged her. “She’s just a baby!”

Jareth snarled at you. “Give her back!”

You ran for the door. “No!”

He grabbed your hair and yanked your head back hard as he screamed your name. “Do as I say!”

“Let go!” You tugged your head causing hair to be pulled out. You stumbled and shoved the doors open and ran down the hall. “LEVI!” You looked back to see Jareth was sprinting after you. “LEVI!”

Jareth shouted your name. “Come here!”

You saw Harold ahead and knew he was your only hope. You handed him, Daisy. “Take her and run, please.”

Harold nodded and ran with Daisy as you turned to face Jareth. “I’ll keep her safe.”

You glanced over at Daisy. “Thank you.” You grabbed a vase tightly and smashed it against Jareth’s head as soon as he rushed you. “Fuck you!”

He snarled and dove at you. The two of you fell back and hit the wooden floor together above the stairs. “You do as I say! You’re my bride!”

You clawed and slapped him as much as possible. “I am not yours!”

He grabbed your neck and squeezed hard. “You need to obey me!”

You pressed your thumb into his eye. “GET…OFF…ME!”

He pulled his head back and cried out. “Damn it!” He released your neck before pinning your arms above your head. “Do as I command! Everyone else does!”

You kneed him right in the crotch. “Eat shit!” You kicked him over and over allowing you to get him off you. You kicked him hard down the stairs and watched him fall. “Break your damn neck!”

He grabbed your ankle and pulled you with him. “You!”

You cried out and screamed as you rolled down the stairs with Jareth. You yelped when you hit the tiled floor at the bottom. Everything hurt, but you were sure it was just bruises. You winced a bit. “LEVI!”

Jareth crawled towards you. “You. Are. MINE.”

The front doors slammed open with a blast of air. Black shadows curled and crawled inside the front entrance. To most, they would be afraid, but to you, it was comforting because you knew this power was Levi’s. He came flying inside with his wings spread wide, horns standing proud and scales over his pretty face. The moment Levi saw you bloodied and bruised it enraged him.

A little squeak escaped you when shadows lovingly wrapped around you before moving you somewhere safe. You hugged the shadows and gave them sweet kisses knowing very well Levi could feel it. You closed your eyes as you heard muffled screams and shouts. You lifted your head when you heard Alora arguing with Erwin and Levi a little, so you were assuming Levi wanted to kill Jareth but Alora wanted to be the person to do it.

The shadows parted and Levi appeared in the light. Your eyes sparkled as you gazed at him. “Levi.”

Levi wrapped his arms around you. “Hello, bunny.”

You clung to him. “Is he dead?”

“Yes.”

“Did you kill him?”

Levi nodded. “Yes.”

“Is Alora mad at you?”

Levi kissed you. “A bit.” He checked you over. “Thank you for kissing my shadows, it made me happy.” He lifted you and hugged you. “You’re badly hurt. We need to get you somewhere to heal.”

You looked around. “Alora! Anne is upstairs in my room hurt. Please help her!”

Alora bowed her head. “I’ll go to her.”

You welled up. “Erwin, please find Harold. I gave him Daisy to hide with. Please find them.”

Erwin placed his hand on his heart. “I’ll find them.”

Levi carried you to a cosy lounge that you used a lot as a family. He sat you down on a bed of blankets and looked you over. “You’re badly hurt. He did this to you?”

You nodded. “Yes, but I had to protect Daisy.”

He snarled. “I wish I could kill him all over again.”

“Thank you for hiding me when you did.”

“I didn’t want you to see me kill someone.” He leaned closer and kissed you. “Let’s get you healed up, okay?” He flicked his wrist making his shadows appear with medical things. “Let’s take this slow.”

You looked up and smiled when Erwin walked in with Daisy. “Erwin.”

Erwin smiled. “She’s okay. Lots of tears, apparently. She’s very tired now.” He sat down and held her. “But she’s okay.”

Daisy looked at you with her tired eyes. “Ma, ma, ma.”

You caressed her cheek. “Hello, little flower. I love you.”

Levi leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I love you. I’m so glad you’re okay.” Levi smiled at you. “You protected her well.”

“I’m a strong momma.”

Erwin chuckled. “You are.”

[dark-elf-writes]

Jareth instead of calypso island (ya know, if Percy wasn’t like 15 when that happened)

“Stay with me.”

To anyone else it would sound like an order. A command. A king demanding Percy’s place at his side for the rest of eternity.

But Percy knew better. Had learned to read the words Jareth didn’t say just as well as those he did. Had learned to read the anxious twirling of his cane and the wistful turn his music had taken over the last few days.

“Stay with me.”

It was a plea. One full of love and agony. The king, who had sworn off love after his last disastrous attempt, had fallen again.

And Percy was going to have to break his heart all over again.

Not for the first time, Percy wished he could walk into the ocean and drown. Surely it wouldn’t hurt this much.

“I’ll come back.” His voice was thick, heavy, full of sorrow and fear and the knowledge that he very well might never be back. “I will beat Kronos and make them release you and I will be back.”

He needed it to be true. He needed to see Jareth again he needed…

(Gods why would they do this to him? Why would they give him the choice at a future where he didn’t have to fight for his life every day? Did they not want him to save the world? Did they not want him to fight Kronos? Did—)

Fingers stroked Percy’s cheek, gentle. As if Jareth was afraid Percy was a fragile as one of his crystals. Perhaps he was. All dreams were fragile even ones made of flesh and bone.

“I would wait forever for you.”

Jareth didn’t sound like he was expecting another option. Percy hated that. Hated that he didn’t expect to see this island again either.

He would see it. He would see Jareth again. He would.

Kronos would die. Jareth would be free and Percy… Percy would get a chance at a life. Maybe… if he didn’t die in a year.

(Gods he had a chance at forever here with Jareth and he wouldn’t even live past nineteen? How was that fair?)

“Not long at all then?” He asked instead trying to smile. It felt fragile. Brittle. Just like Jareth laugh.

“Go, little hero. Go back to your war. To your friends. I… I will be waiting here for you.”

Percy didn’t want to pull away. Didn’t want to leave. But he had to. He had to finish what he had started and get the leverage to free Jareth. He had to save the world.

He got onto his raft and sailed away. Unable to keep himself from looking back.

[acourtofwhatthefuck]

Fireleaf (Part Nine)

Lucien Vanserra x Reader

Hello, hello! I'm super excited to post this part - especially because @greeneyedivy wrote some of it (she’s bloody amazing) and I fucking LOVE it! We really hope you enjoy! 💋♥️

Warnings: SMUT 🌶️🌶️🌶️

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You just…needed to be away from the camp. Away from the others.

None of them could possibly understand what impact Jareth’s words had had on you. First Beron’s verbal lashing and now his…

You may as well have been walking around with every one of your flaws carved into your skin. Everything you’d ever done to disappoint your family, the people you cared about…it was no wonder, really, that they all seemed so disappointed in you.

So you walked. And walked and walked and walked. You didn’t care how dark it was, how far you wandered. You just wanted to put as much space as possible between you and that camp. You and the Vanserras. 

Did all of them discreetly think of you the same way Jareth did? If your secrets were, in fact, not secret at all…maybe they were smiling at your face and sneering behind your back. Maybe they pitied Dion, for being weighed down with you. Jareth had said it himself; good luck marrying that, brother.

That.

You barely noticed the rain that began as you slumped against a tree and buried your face into your hands. You wished Linden were here…wished you could talk to him, ask him what to do. Would Linden be disappointed in you, also? Gods, you hoped not. He was the one person you couldn’t bear it from; the one person you needed on your side. Especially now, with Dion and Willow being all about each other.

Hunched there against that tree, rain pelting down on you, it was as though the force of the last couple of months finally barrelled into you. All the stress and the pressure and the high stakes and the cutting words and glances. Everybody knew you would let them down. And you already had. It wasn’t like your behaviour since you’d arrived at the Vanserra Estate was anything to be proud of. And if your parents knew–

The sky rained down on you harder, and you cried harder. Sobbed into your hands. You didn’t know how long you sat there for as the storm stole the skies. You didn’t give a shit that you were being soaked by both raindrops and teardrops, didn’t care that your clothes were already wet-through. So be it, you thought. So fucking be it. You’d stay there all night, let the weather batter and bruise you like you deserved.

Thunder roared through the sky, a sudden clap of brutal noise that had you flinching. But still you didn’t move from the tree. Let the rain come down on you, the thunder scream at you, you wanted to feel all of it punishing you and–

Another sound reached you from behind, and you barely had a chance to look up before a horse was galloping your way. Lucien’s horse. He, too, was soaked-through as he approached. 

“What are you doing?” He yelled over the torrential rain. “You’re drenched!”

You said nothing. Made no move. All you could do was bury into your hands and cry.

There was a pause, and then the light thud of feet hitting the ground. Lucien knelt before you, peeling your hands from your face.

“Fuck, you’re freezing.” He hissed through his teeth, eyes darting to the sky as another clap of thunder sounded. “Look, we need to find some shelter–”

“I’m not going back to the camp.”

“Fine. But we need to find a cave to wait in until the storm has blown over.”

Part of you wanted to tell him to leave. To go back without you. But when another rumble of thunder had you flinching once again, he took matters into his own hands. Took you into his own hands, scooping you up as though you weighed nothing and setting you atop his horse.

He jumped up behind you, grabbing the reins. And as though he sensed your protest, he gritted out, “Don’t bother fighting. I can hear your teeth chattering from here. We’ll find a cave and make a fire.”

Whatever. You didn’t care. Not as you hunched over, gulping down the sobs that still wanted to break free. You did nothing, felt nothing but pure shame and self-hatred, as Lucien guided his horse on a brisk journey through the trees. 

You cried. And cried and cried and cried. You thought you might never stop.

⤲

It took you a while, but…you did stop.

You were still crying when Lucien led you into a cave hidden amongst the rocks. Still crying as he got to work setting a fire that simply roared to life thanks to his magic. Still crying as the rain and thunder – and now lightning, also – continued outside.

Only when you were sitting before the flames a while later, your head pounding and your clothes drenched, did you realise the tears had stopped. 

You watched the fire cast shadows on the cave wall as Lucien dug through his satchel and finally turned to you, a bread roll in his hand. He took one look at you and bit down on his lip.

“You’re still shivering,” He said.

You shrugged indifferently. “I’m soaking wet and freezing.”

With a soft sigh, he approached you. “Eat this. You didn’t have any dinner.”

He gave you no chance to argue as he dropped the roll into your lap and then moved around you. All you could hear was the rustle of his wet clothes as he eased himself down behind you. Close behind you.

“What are you–” You yelped as his hands fastened on your waist. And then he was tugging you back against him, slotting you between his legs and pressing your back to his front.

“Eat.” Was all he said.

So you did – although it was hard to concentrate on chewing and swallowing as his pleasant body warmth seeped into you. With the fire in front of you and Lucien at your back, your teeth ceased their chattering in seconds.

“How are you not cold?” You swallowed your last bite of bread. “Your clothes are just as soaked as mine.”

“Vanserra blood.” He murmured from behind you. “It’s said we have flames living under our skin.”

“Of course. How silly of me not to have assumed.”

You could almost hear him rolling his eyes. “I thought you were supposed to be upset.”

“Are you saying you want me to cry again?”

There was a pause. Just a slight, quiet pause. And then, “...No. I don’t.” Lucien seemed to swallow, hard. “I much prefer the sarcasm. I’d rather listen to you insulting me than crying.”

Whatever implication may or may not have lay in his words…it squeezed your heart, just a little. Even if he didn’t like you…even if he found you to be a nuisance more than anything…he didn’t want to see you upset. Because he was good, you supposed. Lucien was good.

Unlike Jareth. Unlike Beron. You didn’t understand how they could be from the same family. Such polar opposites. There was such a stark divide between good and bad in the family you were going to marry into.

You embraced that brilliant Vanserra warmth as you sat in silence. As you watched the flames dance around each other, so like the way you and Lucien danced around each other. Around whatever this situation was between you. He’d made it clear enough that you irritated him, but…surely he must care a little bit. Surely–

“Are you alright?” He said quietly, cutting your thoughts off. His arms held you so close against him, you felt the reverberation of his deep voice through his chest.

No, you wanted to say. But you bit out, “I’m alright.”

“You didn’t seem alright back there.”

“...Jareth just…hit a sore spot.” You could feel it – the way your head and heart wanted to recoil from being bared to somebody. Your mouth practically tried to hold itself shut as you said, “...I don’t regret what I did all those years ago. With Linden. Not one bit.”

You didn’t know why, exactly, you were telling him. If he even wanted to hear it, but…you thought that maybe…maybe you wanted to say it.

Maybe you were looking for reassurance that your lack of remorse for your actions didn’t make you a terrible person.

Lucien didn’t speak a word – and for that, you were thankful. You couldn’t…couldn’t speak about these things, while looking somebody in the face. Couldn’t bear to see the judgement in their eyes. It was a small mercy that Lucien was at your back.

“It was my choice…giving myself to someone for the first time…for it to be Linden.” You said. “He meant a lot to me. He still means a lot to me. Probably my only true friend. And our friendship was only frowned upon because he worked his way up from a poor family. But nobody had ever shown me such kindness and patience and care. Even when he was training me to my very limit, I felt good around him. And I knew what my family would one day expect of me…I knew that my life in this world holds very few choices that belong to me. So I decided to make that choice for myself. To give myself to someone who actually cared for me, even if people thought I was sullying myself. And I’ve never regretted it. Not once.”

Lucien shifted behind you; pressed you closer to his warmth. “Even when people hold it over you?”

You dipped your chin. “Even then. Maybe it was selfish and foolish of me, I don’t know, but…when people try to keep you in a golden cage, you will take any ounce of freedom you can. I was lucky I had a friend that was willing to offer me a sliver of freedom in that golden cage. And that’s why I will never, ever allow myself to regret it. No matter how much shit I may get for it. I don’t think I’d still be alive if Linden hadn’t been there for me.”

You felt the tautness of Lucien’s body behind you. Felt him tense and then relax once more. But he said nothing, did nothing, in response. 

It surprised you that it bothered you a little. Or a lot. What…what he thought…

“Go ahead,” you said quietly. “Judge me for it, if you like.”

He tensed again. And then – just slightly – the arm that was wrapped around your middle squeezed you. “Why would I judge you when you only wanted what so many of us take for granted?”

His words…the understanding…they almost had you crying all over again. Breaking all over again.

But you didn’t want to break and cry. You’d had enough heaviness weighing on you for one night. You wanted ease…the sharp-shooting banter between you and Lucien, just like he wanted your insulting, your baiting, instead of your tears. 

And if he wanted baiting and insulting, well–

“If Vanserras have fire beneath their skin,” you suddenly said, turning in his arms to look at him, “shouldn’t fucking you be outright magnificent?”

Lucien met your gaze, raising his eyebrows. “...I’m sorry?”

“Well,” you shrugged. “Your stamina could use some work.”

“My stamina?”

“Your flame did burn out rather quickly. Twice. I would think ‘spark’ would be a more appropriate description.” You stared up at him with innocent eyes. “Perhaps you should work on your technique.”

A soft snort; you felt yourself relax slightly. Felt some of that twisting in your heart ease. You needed this – needed humour and banter and lightness. You needed to spar with Lucien in the way that had become so typical for both of you.

In the way that set every one of your senses alight.

You smirked as you faced forward once more, and Lucien’s arms tightened around you.

“Tell me, lady,” His breath was hot against your neck, causing a shiver to pulse through you. “What about my technique, exactly, was not to your liking?”

A challenge – he was meeting your challenge with his own, head-to-head, and it felt good. You bit down on your lip to hide your smile as you felt him already hardening against you.

“Well,” you said. “There’s a lot which remains to be seen in the orgasm department.”

Lies. You and he both knew how hard he’d made you cum in that little gamekeeper’s cottage. How hard he could make you cum with a few filthy looks. But it was all part of the wicked, wonderful game.

He chuckled darkly. “You doubt my ability to give you what you need? You don’t think I could make you scream and turn this cave to rubble with just my fingers?”

Gods, the words made you want to claw at him, devour him. To tear his clothes off and taste every part of him.

His lips brushed the side of your neck, causing your eyes to flutter shut. And then the hand that had splayed flat against your stomach began to move.

Down.

“Perhaps,” you said a little breathlessly. “Perhaps not.”

Down.

“Perhaps,” he mocked the word. “I should remind you how to make those sweet sounds you made for me at the hamlet.”

Down.

Fingers crawling downwards slowly. No real rush.

Thank the gods, you thought to yourself, that you’d changed into leggings when your group had set up camp earlier. No real barriers. No laces or buttons–

Lucien’s fingers brushed your waistband. His other hand tugged on your body, pulled you back, back against him.

“Are you wet already?” His voice was deep, guttural, as he allowed the tip of his forefinger to run along the elasticated top of your leggings. 

You swallowed. Tried to hold onto your quick-witted, swaggering responses. “My clothes got pretty soaked–”

“No.” He interrupted. “Here.” His fingers dipped beneath your waistband, finding your bare centre, no barrier of undergarments blocking him. “You are. Whatever for?”

The smug bastard.

But you were – absolutely soaking, sopping wet already, the seam of your leggings a torturous brush of friction against you. You didn’t even care that a pathetic whimper left your throat as your hips bucked, and Lucien chuckled again, his fingers dancing just above your clit but not…not touching.

“What is it that you need, Y/N?”

It almost stunned you – how much you needed this. Needed him. The release that he could give you. And it was with unbridled desire that you bit out, “Touch me.”

The first press of his finger against your clit had you absolutely feral. Pleasant coldness shot through you. Flames of ice and fire and pleasure. But instead of rubbing you like you wanted, Lucien’s finger merely pressed against you. Like he was pushing a damn button.

“Do you need my fingers rubbing you right…here?” He spoke into your ear. “Or do you need them inside you?”

You bit your lip, writhing against his hand, pleading for that movement. “Why not both?”

His teeth grazed your neck, giving a light nip. “Why not, indeed.”

Down his fingers moved, dragging away from your clit, through your soaked folds as he gathered up your wetness. He seemed to growl in appreciation, and you wanted to swallow the sound, to feel it singing in every cell of your body.

A moan fell from your lips as you writhed against him – but he quickly scooted himself back, still maintaining his light touch. “Oh no you don’t. I’m not finished yet.”

“Neither am I.” You quipped back.

Those three words seemed to rip into him with force. He growled again, deep, hungry, and moved his fingers back to your clit. And your hips jerked, a gasp slipping past your lips as he began to rub circles into the sensitive nub.

“Wicked little mouth.” He nipped at your earlobe. “Doubting I can have you finish like this. Because there’s only a mere spark under my skin, you say? Need I remind you that it takes but a spark to set off an explosion?”

And then he slipped his other hand into your leggings. Slipped a finger into you.

Your hand immediately flew down to keep the one that was thrusting into you in place, hips canting forward in tandem with his finger.

He chuckled against you, and the pleasure was a song in your veins, your body, your entire existence. Both of Lucien’s hands worked in perfect harmony, the fingers of one toying with your clit as the other pumped in and out of you. It was too good – too damn good – and you knew you were soaking both of his hands. Absolutely drenching him.

“That’s it. Take what you need.” He licked a stripe up your neck.

“Gods,” Your head fell back against his shoulder. “Fuck,” you whimpered out.

Already, you could feel release tightening your body. The most delicious build-up of sensations as Lucien rubbed and circled and pumped, and you were little more than a moaning mess between his legs.

And by how hard he’d become against your backside, you thought he may just like it. Love it. Live for it.

“Is this what you do to yourself?” He asked. Slipped a second finger in. Pulled them both out. Pushed them back in. “What do you think about when you do?”

You couldn’t possibly think. Or talk, besides the noises that broke from your throat with every stroke and thrust of those expert fingers. You vaguely knew he’d asked you a question, but…no more. You knew no more–

He ceased movement. Went still. “Well?”

“What?” You gasped, rocking against his hand.

“You already told me once before about having your hand between your legs.” He used one finger to drag a stripe of your juices up, up around your clit. “And I think this is exactly how you do it. What do you think about?”

Him. You thought about him. His red, flowing hair and his strong jaw, those profound russet eyes, the sculpt of his body, how his cock had felt pounding into you–

He pressed down on your clit, and the word tumbled from your lips. “You.”

“What about me?”

“You–” You repeated on a gasp. “How you felt inside me.”

“Fuck.” The curse was a growl, and you felt him shift behind you, felt him sit the two of you up as he began thrusting his fingers once more, in and out and in and out, the other hand rubbing at your clit. “Cum. Come on. Cum for me.”

And Mother above, you did.

All words died on a staggered moan in your throat as release tore through you, scorching every inch of you. It may have even lifted you momentarily from the ground.

You were throbbing and tingling and twitching, and Lucien stroked you the whole way through it, even as your clit became all too sensitive and you didn’t know whether you wanted him to stop or continue until you were ready to cum all over again.

And then you collapsed against him, your heart utterly slamming against the walls of your chest. The pleasure was too much and not enough at all. You wanted more, shook with how much you needed more…

“How’s my technique now?” Lucien breathed the words into your ear, a smirk teasing his lips.

But you weren’t done playing games just yet. You angled your body to him. Maintained eye contact. Peeled off your wet shirt and threw it aside.

His eyes immediately fell to your bare breasts. And he swallowed.

“I’m starting to doubt you actually know what screaming sounds like,” you said, a wicked grin spreading on your lips.

He met your stare.

“Lift your hips.” He said, and you did.

Your leggings were yanked down to your ankles, leaving you mostly naked. There was only one person you’d allowed yourself to be so utterly bare to, and you’d trusted him implicitly. Did you trust Lucien?

Yes, you thought, you did.

And that was why nothing but sheer thrill wracked your body as you faced forward once more and heard him unbuckling his breeches. You were fighting with the urge to turn around and get an eyeful of him, to touch him, to taste him–

But he was yanking you back before you could complete any of those thoughts. You felt his hard, solid length against your backside. 

“Greedy, insatiable female. You need me to fuck you until your throat is raw from screaming?” He murmured, brushing your hair to one side, his fingers toying with your braid momentarily before he pressed a kiss beneath your ear.

“You can try.” You taunted, knowing perfectly well the male beneath you was on the brink of fucking you so thoroughly, your throat wasn’t going to be the only sore part come tomorrow morning. 

Strong, callused hands lifted your hips, and you felt the head of his cock poke at your entrance. So agonisingly slow, he pushed into you.

Those first few inches threatened to end you entirely.

You didn’t know which of you was taking the reins as you braced your hands on his legs and sunk down onto him. Down and down until he was seated inside you fully. And he was deep. So incredibly deep–

“Fuck.” He hissed, his hands still at your hips. “You have no idea what this does to me. How it feels.”

But you did. Gods, you did. Because as you began your movements, began to steadily ride him, you didn’t think you’d ever felt so alive.

Lucien used one hand to encourage the movement of your hips, to guide you on him as he reached the other up to knead at your breast. And with him inside you and touching you and hitting a spot so deep within you, you couldn’t imagine ever finding anything so utterly right as this.

“How can you feel,” he grunted, grabbing both of your hips, “even better than the first time? Gods, I can’t–”

“I know.” You gasped, rolling your hips against him. “I know.”

You weren’t going to last. You weren’t going to last, and he wasn’t going to last, and you didn’t damn well care because you wanted to feel his release meeting yours. You wanted him hitting his limit and spilling inside you.

Both of you became a frenzied flash of movement as you rode him hard and fast, your moans mingling with each other and bouncing off the walls of the cave. And when Lucien reached down and rubbed at your clit once more, you lost it – utterly fucking lost it.

“Lucien,” You jerked against him, fastening a hand on his wrist. You were scratching and clawing at his hands, drawing blood, the feeling too much, “Oh, gods.”

The scream that tore from your throat didn’t even sound like yours as your release slammed into you and you were shaking and writhing and clenching around Lucien’s cock, his hands the only thing keeping you upright as he guided your hips and circled your clit and somehow managed to touch you in every single place you needed.

“Shit, Y/N,” He choked, his hips bucking harder, faster.

An animalistic growl fell from his lips, and the cave was filled with a sensual cacophony of your moans and his groans and his skin slapping yours.

Still shaking from your orgasm, you reached back, threading your fingers within the silken strands of Lucien’s hair. And it was something in that action alone that seemed to tip him over the edge entirely.

You heard the groan hitch in his throat. You felt the way his movements seemed to falter, and he planted a hand on the ground to steady himself. He slammed into you again, again, again–

And then he was throwing his head back, roaring a sound of utter filth as he came deep inside you. The sound itself had release finding you again.

Neither of you could move. Not as your bodies seemed to twitch and tremble of their own free will. Not as you felt yourself clenching around him, his seed warm inside you, dripping from you and down his length.

You didn’t know which was your trembling and which was his. Only when he finally pulled out of you did you realise you were shaking like a damn leaf. That he’d rocked you to your very core, and you couldn’t remember how to think or speak or move.

And it seemed to be the same for Lucien – for a while, anyway, while he steadied his breaths. While he sat there behind you, his heart thudding as much as yours was. The two of you were so caught up in the wake of your releases that you barely noticed the silence that followed. The stillness.

And then gradually, the rest of the world seemed to seep back into your awareness. You heard the pounding rain once more, the boom of the thunder, the crackling of the fire before you. Felt the bite of the cold air against your skin.

Lucien was the first to move, tucking himself back into his breeches. You followed suit, pulling your leggings back up, tugging your wet shirt back on. Your clothing had already partially dried, thanks to the fire Lucien had lit. And the fire under his skin.

That fire…that fire that had just ravaged you.

“We should…probably sleep.” Lucien suddenly said from behind you, his voice gruff. “It’s no use attempting to find our way back to the camp in this weather.” 

You nodded, swallowing. The air around you had shifted. Changed. You didn’t want to meet his eyes–

Didn’t want to find the same and regret that undoubtedly lurked there, in the wake of your pleasure. 

So you simply kept your back to him. Laid down on the hard cave floor and tried to appear unbothered. 

“Goodnight, then,” you said softly.

There was a pause. A rustle. And then Lucien was at your back. 

For the warmth. Only for the warmth.

“Goodnight,” he said.

⤲

Come late morning, the storm had cleared.

You and Lucien barely spoke. Barely looked at each other. It was hard to believe that such desire had existed between you the night before.

You found your way back to the camp in silence. How the others had managed to shelter, you didn’t know. But they each looked like they’d had just as bad a night as you had. 

“I was so fucking worried.” Dion said, helping you down from Lucien’s horse.

“Sorry.” You mumbled, unable to meet his eyes. “I wandered too far and got lost and by the time Lucien had found me, the storm had started. We found a cave to shelter in.”

The kindness in his eyes almost broke you as he hugged you gently and murmured, “I’m just glad you’re alright.”

You didn’t have it in you to glance at Jareth or Rian or even Eris. Certainly not at Lucien. You merely allowed Dion to hold you – that strong, friendly embrace that kept you together as the others packed their stuff up to leave.

“Father’s going to lose his shit.” Eris commented. “He’ll go mad if we’re not back in time for this meeting in the morning.”

“Just tell him the truth.” Jareth said with a shrug. “We would have been on track if Lucien hadn’t had to go after Y/N. And this is why females shouldn’t come on The Hunt.”

You couldn’t muster the energy to react. Neither could anyone else, it seemed. Silence clouded the group as everyone readied themselves to leave. Jareth and Rian were the first to set off, and for that you were thankful. It would be a much easier journey back to the estate with only Eris and Lucien flanking you and Dion.

“I’ll just see to my needs and we can go.” Dion announced. He helped you up onto your horse before disappearing into the trees.

Which left you between Lucien and Eris. In thick, heavy silence. You stared forward, refusing to meet either of their gazes. Lucien seemed inclined to do the same.

But Eris glanced between you, tilting his head. Like he could sense that there was…something.

And then his eyes seemed to fix on one part of Lucien in particular. His eyebrows rose.

“Shit, brother.” He said, drawing both yours and Lucien’s stares to him. “You get into a fight with a cave cat or something?”

You followed his line of sight. Right to where Lucien’s hands gripped his horse’s reins. 

And the red marks all over those hands. Scratches. Like they’d been clawed at–

Which they had. By you.

The image flashed into your mind. Your nails tearing at Lucien’s hands in pure, unadulterated pleasure as he’d brought you to release. Scraping the skin and drawing blood–

The way his eyes met yours told you that the same image had invaded his mind. You quickly looked away. Prayed to the Mother that you weren’t blushing.

Eris glanced between the two of you. And snorted.

“Those damn feral cats, huh?” He said.

And it dragged Beron’s words straight back into your head. Made them echo and clang loudly around your mind.

If you wish to take the feral cat on The Hunt with you, by all means, be my guest.

But on your head be it, son, when it lashes out.

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[somedaylazysomeday]

Dreams - Part Five

Eventual Jareth x fem!reader (No use of 'Y/N')

Rating: M

Word Count: 4,600

Warnings: Themes of being hunted, stalking, descriptions of a car accident, asshole cop, manipulation, anger

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You woke, as usual, with a start. 

It was the normal jolt you felt while crossing back from the Underground rather than the holy shit, is that a horse? type, but it was still unpleasant. It was harsh enough that you sat bolt upright in your bed, panting as you stared around the room in an attempt to bring yourself fully back to wakefulness. 

As was the case all too often, your thoughts turned to the labyrinth. You still found yourself there every time you slept, but the other mysterious occupants were on your mind almost as often as Jareth himself. 

The horse and rider - and yes, to answer Jareth’s question, there had been a rider - hadn’t disappeared from your dreams altogether. They appeared occasionally in the labyrinth, though never regularly enough for you to anticipate when they would be there. 

You had been alarmed when you first realized that the pair seemed to be evolving over the handful of times when you saw them. They seemed to track you faster and more accurately every time you ran into them. The labyrinth seemed to have learned from the first time you saw them - the walls towered overhead now when the horse and rider were in the same space as you. It would impossible for anyone to vault over the stone walls, but you still did your best to avoid the heavy, ringing hoofbeats. 

No matter how silent as you managed to be, the horse and rider traced every step you took. If you were inside the walls, they were just outside of them. They kept pace with you, even when the labyrinth let you through several stone doorways until you shouldn’t rightfully have been able to be tracked through sound alone. And it took less time every dream in which you shared space with the pair. 

The most recent time you had seen the horse and rider, they had tracked you through the labyrinth unbelievably quickly. The moment you had heard the tinny ring of shod hooves on stone, they had been on the other side of a wall from you. There came a soft chanting - a low voice in a language you didn’t recognize and then the labyrinth rippled. 

You had been thrown violently away from the wall, forced to catch yourself on a jogging stride to keep from falling directly onto your face. When you turned around, only inches from the opposite wall, you found yourself standing in front of a large set of stone steps. They led down into such an uninviting darkness that you hesitated for a moment, but the chanting had started again and one of the giant stones that lined the floor of the labyrinth’s corridors started to tilt, sliding you toward the stairs. 

When you had descended, the labyrinth sealed itself again behind you. The sensation of being sealed into a rocky underground cavern wasn’t one you enjoyed, but at least it was lit. It turned out that the room had been one of Jareth’s closets, and you had amused yourself by snooping through his clothing until your alarm woke you up. 

That had been the last time you had seen the horse and rider. Your mind was jumbled with sleeplessness and the dreary trudge of passing time, but you really couldn’t remember how long ago that had been. Surely Jareth would have mentioned if he’d found a way to keep them out of the labyrinth entirely… 

Your second alarm rang in the room and you reluctantly rolled out of bed. Dreams of the labyrinth all night didn’t mean that you weren’t expected to work during the day. 

The office was quiet and boring. You enjoyed the work - other than Debbie in Accounting forgetting who you were again - but everything seemed dull compared to being dream-kidnapped every night and taken to the labyrinth where you had once fought for the soul of your roommate/friend who you had wished away in a fight. What in the real world could hope to compare? 

Still, your distraction and reduced mental sharpness had left you working slower than normal. It was almost seven when you finally finished the list of tasks you had been assigned that day and you packed up your things quickly. You had a little more than twelve hours before you had to be back, and you didn’t intend to spend any more of that time at work than you had to. 

You were halfway back to your apartment, eagerly looking forward to the leftovers in your fridge, when you heard a horn blaring in the street. You turned just in time to witness a bad accident - one car had suddenly swerved into the next lane, hitting a car and a truck. There were a half-dozen other people watching the same thing, but you called for help anyway. Emergency dispatch could sort out who was calling for the same thing and send the right number of people. From the look of the accident, it would be better to have more help. 

You winced, watching as a van drove into the back of the accident, only barely managing to tap the brakes before it joined the collision. The man next to you added that into his report to the person on the emergency line, then pulled the phone slightly away from his ear. “Anyone else calling about the accident, you can hang up! Ambulances are on the way, and we’re taking up too many lines.” 

Obligingly, you ended your call with a short explanation to the helpful woman on the other end. With a final glance back at the accident, you tucked your phone away and started walking down the street. A lifted hand stopped you short. 

“Ma’am, did you witness the accident?” The officer had clearly climbed out of the undercover cruiser parked haphazardly at the curb, and the shiny badge pinned to his shirt caught your eye. You nodded. “I’ll need to get a statement from you. Should just take a minute.”

The sudden, unwelcome sound of shod hooves on pavement made you tense an instant before an officer on horseback circled into your field of vision. “Lopez, I’ve got this one. Can you interview one of the others? They’re starting to leave and I can’t get through the crowd.” 

The officer in front of you - Lopez, presumably - paused, squinting up at the man on horseback for a long moment. “Are you sure? I can-”

“The man in the yellow shirt with the kid is walking away,” the new officer interrupted. “Can you-?” 

Lopez glanced over, then nodded and hurried away. 

Every nerve in your body was tensed with terror, but you took a deep breath to get yourself under control as the officer dismounted. The horse was chestnut brown and glanced around with a placid sort of curiosity - nothing like the giant black animal from your dreams. The officer himself looked painfully normal, pale skin and dark hair, generic features twisted into a harassed expression.

“I need to fill out a report,” he explained brusquely. “Can I get your name?” 

“Oh, uh… Do you really need that?” you stammered. 

The officer lowered his notepad slightly, peering at you warily. “Yes. It’s a report. It’s going to be used as an official statement, so I need a name and address to put on it. So, name?”

“What’s your name?” you asked instead. “You haven’t even confirmed that you’re a police officer.” 

He gave you a dry look, glancing pointedly down at himself for a moment. You shifted awkwardly. He was wearing a police uniform, complete with utility belt and shoes polished to a shine. He could have been used as the picture for ‘police officer’ in the encyclopedia.

When he dipped a hand into his pocket, you flinched, but he only pulled out a badge. It looked official, as far as you could tell. Officer F. Dunkel was inscribed across the shining surface.

“Officer Dunkel,” he read aloud before tucking the badge away. “Nice to meet you.”

You hesitated another second longer, then blurted out a name that sounded close to yours without being quite right. If this turned into an actual statement and you were asked about it, you could always correct it later. But the inclusion of a horse in the situation had you on-edge and suspicious. 

“Thanks,” Dunkel said, writing it down. “And your address?” 

Now that you’d had time to start getting yourself under control, that came easier. You gave him the address of your previous apartment. You could always claim that the stress of the situation had flustered you badly enough to give your old address. 

“Perfect.” Dunkel finished scribbling that on his notepad and tapped the page with his pen. “Now, can you tell me what you saw?” 

You did, including as much detail as you could. With any luck, no one would need to follow up with you. If certain members of the police force thought of you as an airheaded, slightly suspicious woman who had witnessed a traffic accident, you could live with that.

When you had finished, Officer Dunkel nodded, closed the notebook, and tucked it into the saddlebag on his horse. The horse snorted and took a half-step forward. Dunkel patted it soothingly on the neck and murmured something to it. 

“All right, ma’am,” he started, swinging himself back up onto the saddle. “It seems like you were one of the witnesses who saw the most of this accident. We’ll need you to come down to the station for a more in-depth witness statement. Let me grab one of the officers with a car…”

He called out the names of different officers for a considerable length of time while you thought up and discarded a half-dozen reasons you couldn’t go to the police station. Was there a polite yet official-sounding way of saying you just really, really didn’t want to? You thought there was, but under the pressure of time, you couldn’t think of anything. 

“Okay, fine,” Officer Dunkel said, turning back to you. “I guess they’re all busy with other people. I’ll give you a ride to the station myself.” 

You stared at the hand he lowered toward you for a long moment. “Uh… no. I can’t.”

“Scared of horses?” Dunkel asked knowingly. “Don’t worry about Finch. She’s a sweetheart. Great with beginners and impossible to spook. Besides, it’s only a couple of blocks.”

“No, really,” you insisted, taking a step back. “I’m sure Finch is… great. But I can’t.”

“Listen,” Officer Dunkel said, leaning down to watch you earnestly, “I can tell you’ve had some bad experiences with cops. I understand. I see a lot of that in my line of work. But I really do need you to come with me. You noticed a lot more detail than most people did, and you can help make sure that the right person is held responsible for all of this.”

You wrung your hands. “I don’t think there’s much more I can tell you.” 

“I need you to try,” he coaxed. “I’m sure you know a lot more that would be useful to us.”

“I’ll just meet you at the station,” you offered, thinking sadly about your leftovers. “I’ll try to remember anything else I may have left out.”

Dunkel’s expression hardened. “Fine, you can meet me at the station. But it has to be tonight, within the hour. If not, I’ll have to charge you with obstruction of justice.” 

Counterintuitively, his attempt to put more pressure on you simply made you snap. You straightened from the defensive hunch you had gone into, realizing abruptly that he couldn’t possibly enforce that. In fact, you had done everything you needed to by giving a statement in the first place. Anything else you did would be your own choice, and you could choose to do nothing. 

“That’s not a law,” you noted, almost smiling at the rage on Officer Dunkel’s face. “I just remembered that I have plans tonight. I won’t be coming to the police station today. Or at all, actually. I’ve told you everything I know.”

You turned on your heel and started walking away, but the large form of a horse stepped between you and the street you needed to cross. “You can’t just walk away from me. If you try it again, I might just arrest you now.”

“You have my name and address,” you told him firmly. “You can contact me there if you have any further questions.” 

By that point, you had attracted some attention from the large crowd of onlookers who had gathered to watch the flurry of ambulances and police cars that had descended on the scene. A heavily tattooed teenager with spikes embedded in a worn jacket caught your eye and cheered. “Hell, yeah! You tell him, lady!” 

Anti-police chants started as the crowd swarmed forward to surround Finch and Officer Dunkel. You ducked your head and hurried away, turning down a side street you didn’t usually use in an attempt to get out of sight sooner.

It ended up being a remarkably quiet street, actually. The buildings were tall, their glossy windows reflecting each other until the sky seemed full of blank panes of dark glass. 

You shivered, then shook yourself. The street was empty because everyone else was hurrying home or had been drawn to the accident. It was almost eight and the buildings were home to lots of bank offices, insurance companies, and other businesses that would close promptly at five. This was normal.

Despite the logic you had used, you relaxed slightly when two women rounded a corner and started toward you, chatting cheerfully. You smiled at them as they passed, and they returned the expression with an amiable greeting. 

The sound of far-off hoofbeats took a moment to register, but your shoulders were already drawn up toward your ears. The noise echoed off the buildings around you, making the source difficult to trace. 

“Mom, do you hear that?” the younger woman asked, her voice carrying back to where you walked in the opposite direction. “Sounds like a horse. Maybe there’s a mounted officer at that accident.” 

“Maybe,” her mother agreed. “That would be interesting. The police force stopped using officers on horseback almost a decade ago. It would be nice to see them bring it back. There’s just something lovely about seeing a horse in the city…”

The conversation faded as the two women passed around another corner, but your nerves were stretched so taut that you found it difficult to breathe. You remembered what Jareth had told you - if you heard a horse, you should get inside the nearest building. 

The first set of doors you tried were locked. The second, too. The hoofbeats were getting louder. 

The next set of doors were locked. And the next set. And the next. And the ones after. 

The sound of hoofbeats was loud now, much quicker than when they had started. You still couldn’t tell where they were coming from, but they had to be close. There was no way anything far away could be that loud. 

The sun had nearly set at that point, leaving the street in a shadowed half-twilight as you started walking as fast as you possibly could without running. 

Locked door. Locked door. Locked door. 

At this point, you would accept a vestibule with a potted plant you could hide behind. 

Locked door. Locked door. Locked door with a cheerful We’re Closed! sign. 

The hoofbeats were thundering in your ears now, so loud that your heart stuttered with the matching percussive pressure in your chest.

Locked door. Locked door. Open-

You were inside the building so fast that you nearly fell on the welcome mat.

The lone worker turned to stare at you, along with the handful of customers strewn among the smattering of low shelves. You straightened, offering a polite smile as you studied your surroundings.

It was a record store, half-underground in one of the street’s older buildings. The walls were painted a dull brick color and floating shelves held records from famous bands, portable players, and a variety of accessories you didn't know the names for. Potted plants were perched in every corner, battling for space between battered lamps that spilled golden light across the available records. Classic rock played softly from a large, free-standing record player near the register. 

It was hipster heaven, but you couldn't judge. It was close enough to heaven for you, too. Anything was better than being out on the street. 

“You good?” 

The question made you turn sharply, bringing you face-to-face-face with the record store employee. He was close enough that you could read the chalkboard-painted nametag pinned to his shirt: Andre. He had stepped out from behind the register without you noticing, apparently taking advantage of the lack of customers who needed his expertise. Even so, he didn’t seem to be overly concerned about you.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you answered anyway. “Just… thought I was being followed out there. Is it okay if I hang out in here until my ride gets here?” 

He shrugged. “Fine, whatever. But buy something, okay? I don’t need my boss saying I’m letting people hang out in here without buying anything.” 

“Sure.” You thumbed through the closest stack of records, looking at them only in the sense that your eyes were technically pointed at their covers. “Thanks.” 

“You-” Andre squinted at you. “You’re not gonna pass out or anything, right? Because I would need to call my boss and she told me that she never wanted to hear from me outside of work again…” 

You listened to him trail off, waiting to hear whether there would be more to that story, but it didn’t come. You shook yourself. “Uh, no. No passing out. I’m just trying to catch my breath.” 

Andre, master of human interaction, didn’t respond to that in any way. You waited until he was at the register before you pulled your phone from your pocket with trembling fingers. There was a rideshare in the neighborhood, set to arrive in four minutes. 

You plucked a record from the stack at random and took it up to Andre at the register. He glanced down at it in surprise when you handed it over. “Oh. You actually have good taste. You know, they say he redefined the genre with this album. The character-” 

That was roughly the point at which you stopped paying attention. You stared blankly at the cover, studying the image of a man in a blue jumpsuit standing under a streetlamp in an alley. You half-wished for those kinds of surroundings when you left the record store. If nothing else, it would be harder for a horse and rider to reach you past a row of parked cars. 

You numbly accepted your new record - wrapped in a thin paper sleeve with the record store’s logo - from Andre, then stepped outside. You approached the red Honda with caution, checking the driver’s name before you got too close. The driver didn’t seem to appreciate your caution, and she dropped you at your building with a cold sort of irritation. You hurried inside too quickly to take it personally.

When you reached your floor, you waved at Mrs. Karlsson, trying to look less flustered than you felt. From the confused wariness on her face, it didn’t work.

It had been over an hour since you had heard the hooves, and longer than that since you had seen anyone riding a horse. Your body didn’t seem to care about minor details like that, though - your heart was still pounding. Sweat dampened your shirt around the collar and under the arms. Your breathing hadn’t quite slowed down, either.

When you stepped into your dark apartment, the last thing you needed was to hear someone greet you. 

Your shriek echoed oddly off the front door you had just closed, but Jareth irritatedly planted a hand against the surface before you could pull it open again and bolt. “Calm yourself, pet. It is me.” 

With your knees shaking so badly, it seemed the best course of action to lean heavily against the door, one hand pressed to your heart as you tried to calm down. “Jareth, you- I didn’t know you would- It’s been a long day.” 

“Yes,” he agreed slowly. “And why? Did you, perhaps, ignore my instructions? Did you travel outdoors after the sun had set?” 

Abruptly, your fear and sadness and guilty relief at seeing Jareth flipped, turning to blinding fury in an instant. You wheeled around, glaring up at him with your voice raised in a near-shout. “Are you fucking kidding me? You said avoid people on horseback - I did! You said to go inside if I heard hooves. I did that, too! You said to avoid walking long distances outside by myself and I have! But you never - never - said anything at all about not going outside after sunset.” 

You tossed the record onto the counter, where it landed with a horrible slapping sound. “I can’t follow rules if I don’t know them, Jareth! But I also can’t live my life trying to avoid some magical monster riding an evil horse. I’m already doing my best to avoid you. I can’t plan my life around hiding from everything. And nighttime? What is it, some kind of fae vampire? This is ridiculous-” 

Jareth stepped forward, almost too close for your antagonized state of mind. You glared up at him, silently daring him to try for a kiss. You didn’t know whether you could actually harm him, but you were more than willing to try. 

Instead, he reached down to grab your wrist. When he drew it gently upward, you could see the violence of the trembling in your fingers. You stopped yelling, horrified by how deeply the near-encounter with the horse and rider had affected you. 

“Why are you here?” you whispered, throat tender with the harsh volume of your previous ranting.

“You were afraid,” he said simply. “Your fear called to me and I answered.” 

You stared at him, trying to ignore the swooping sensation in the pit of your stomach at that explanation. He was still holding your wrist, and his hand was so warm…

“Tell me what happened.” 

It was less of an order and more of an entreaty, which is the only thing that killed your rising anger. You took a deep breath, removing your hand from Jareth’s so you could pace in a tight circle as you gave a brief summary of your evening. 

When you had finished, you felt drained. The entire experience had left you shaken and bone-deep exhausted. You slumped down on the couch instead of waiting for Jareth’s response to your story, letting your eyes close as your head rested against the comfortable cushion. Maybe if you fell asleep while Jareth was there, you wouldn’t actually dream about the labyrinth…

“That vile beast.”

Any hope of sleep was dashed by the venomous hiss from the front door. You turned slightly, just enough to catch sight of Jareth from the corner of your eye. He looked utterly furious, and you swore there were more sparkles in his hair and on his clothes than ever. They shone like fire as Jareth took up the pacing that you had stopped. 

“How dare he encroach on my property?” he continued. 

You squinted at him. “By property, you better be talking about the labyrinth.” 

Jareth ignored your warning, eyebrows drawing down into a stern furrow as he shook his head. “My labyrinth. My champion. What else will he attempt to reach? My claim on my land and my companion have gone through all proper channels and neither declaration was a secret.”

“Declaration,” you repeated, sitting up despite the way every muscle protested. “Claim?”

“Yes, yes,” he said, flapping his hand casually. “There are rules to the way we do these things. I have followed every one. I will not have what is mine taken from me for something as foolish as missed banns or the wrong wards.” 

That was too much for you to follow and you found that you didn’t really want to. You felt small and impossibly weary and cold and still more than a little scared…

You laid down on the couch, only just managing to toe off your shoes first. 

“The real question,” Jareth mused, calming slightly with the intensity of his own curiosity, “is by whose order he is hunting you. I did not consider it sooner - he cannot ride but for the order of one with far more power. But who would dare? Who would move against me in my own realm?” 

You wished more than anything else that Jareth would simply leave. Having someone else in your apartment may have been a comfort, but not if he was going to pace, mutter things under his breath, and let out the occasional sharp curse. 

By that point, you were feeling so terribly sorry for yourself that a tear slipped free when you closed your eyes. Another followed and you had to sniffle to stem your leaky nose. 

There was sudden, heavy silence by the front door, followed by the light sound of impossibly graceful footsteps. 

“Are you well?” 

He was standing over you. He had to be, with how close his voice sounded. 

“No.” 

There was a sigh, then you were lifted from the couch. Despite the way your spine stiffened and your limbs jerked, Jareth managed to keep hold of you long enough to sit down with your body gathered carefully into his lap. It didn’t take much urging for you to press your cheek to his chest, though you made sure to complain a little so he didn’t think you were enjoying yourself too much. 

“I’m sorry, darling,” he apologized, managing to sound sincere about it. “I did not consider how this situation would impact you. Thank you.” 

“Why are you thanking me?” you asked with another sniffle. 

“Because you were frightened, but you still managed to do as I asked,” he answered, rubbing soothing little circles against your back. “You showed remarkable intelligence under pressure, something that is beyond the abilities of most humans. You did well. You’re safe now.” 

“Am I?” you asked, leaning against his chest a little harder. “You can’t stop this, can you? It’s just going to keep happening - in the labyrinth and outside of it.” 

“I am working toward a solution,” Jareth promised. There was a small, tense pause and you were already braced for the worst when he added, “It likely is an improper time to point out that relocating to the labyrinth permanently would stop these attacks.” 

“It’s a very improper time,” you agreed sharply. He fell silent and you sighed lightly. You didn’t like needing anything from Jareth, but you were scared and shaken. Somehow, being close like this to him - though you were sure it would be the same with anyone else - was helping. 

So you decided to take pity on him. 

“By the way, your closet is ridiculous.” 

Jareth froze for a moment, then his chest fell under an amused exhale. “Which one?” 

You smiled, feeling your cheek press against him with the expression. “I knew you had to have more than one.” 

“But of course,” he agreed. “How else would I manage to sustain such a rich and remarkable wardrobe?” 

“Magic.” 

Jareth scoffed teasingly. “Darling, why would I ever need magic when I can look this way with nothing more than my own natural gifts?”

You scoffed at that, smiling again when Jareth gave a wounded huff in reply.

---

Author's Note - I know what you're thinking: I'm making them too soft for each other too early. Fear not! There's a lot of anger and angst still to come before these two approach anything remotely resembling affection.

In other news, I have most of this story outlined. I have two other projects that need to claim my free time for a few months, then I'll look at writing some chapters of this story. Thank you to those who have waited so patiently. Your kind words have truly encouraged me to keep writing more of this!

Thank you for reading and I hope to see you soon.

(10/3 edit because I forgot my original author's note: This chapter marks the shift toward an actual story instead of a collection of smutty drabbles. This chapter - as you may have noticed - has no smut. That is because we're setting up for Plot, probably starting in the next chapter. There will be spicy chapters in the future, but not as often as there were up to this point. If that's not your thing, I don't want you to waste time reading a story that will be shifting so dramatically.)

[anne-chloe]

Trust Me | Six |

Jareth/Goblin King x F! Reader

Summary : As Sarah's next door neighbour, you're often Mrs Williams' last resort as a babysitter. Sarah had never liked this, but she can be extremely unreliable at times. One stormy night, Sarah grows frustrated with her baby brother and babysitter, resulting in saying a phrase that she later wants to take back. Now, you are stuck in The Goblin Kings realm with little hope to returning home again, unless Sarah can reach the castle and defeat Jareth in time.

"You are restless, my dear."

You paced throughout the throne room. Jareth sat on his throne with Tobey awake and babbling on his knee. Jareth wouldn't let you hold Tobey, as he feared you'd try and make a run for it the moment you had him secured in your arms.

Jareth leaned his head into his hand, which rested against the arm rest of his throne. He occasionally glanced up, amused with your consistent distress as you tried to accept your fate. His other hand held a glass ball, which held an image of Sarah as she continued to navigate through tunnels and turns.

"Sarah only has 4 hours left," you muttered aloud, to nobody in particular. You continued to look at the ever moving sand timer, and out the window which beheld Jareth's Kingdom. You fretted over the idea that Sarah and Tobey would be resigned to an eternal fate as Goblin's, forced to live under Jareth's malicious rule.

"You should rest," Jareth suggested, now lowering the glass ball to focus his attention on you. Sarah wasn't doing much else interesting; she had found herself stuck at one of Jareth's twists, setting her back at least another 15 minutes.

You glanced over at Jareth, then at Tobey, but you ultimately shook your head and brushed off his suggestion. How could you possibly rest right now? Sarah was navigating through something so dangerous, and Tobey was perched on the knee of a dangerous King. No, you couldn't rest like this, not until you knew for certain how this would all end.

With Sarah either defeating the Labyrinth, or with Sarah and Tobey turning into Goblins.

Jareth held the glass ball close to his face, and then he gently blew on it. It turned into a bubble, and it floated across the room. You spun on your heel to continue pacing, but froze in shock as the bubble popped in your face; glitter sprinkled over your eyes, and you sneezed immediately.

You used your sleeve to rub furiously at your face, to try and brush away the glitter. But all it did was cover your sleeve in the stuff. You glared over at Jareth, who continued to watch you with an amused smirk, like you were the most interesting person in the world.

"What was that for?" You grumbled, blinking rapidly to try and get the glitter out of your eyes. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt nor irritated your eyes. It did, however, create a smudge that begun to make you feel drowsy.

Jareth drummed his fingers into the arm rest of his throne. "You should rest," he repeated, his voice sounding extremely close to your ears.

You remained rooted to the spot, refusing to give in to whatever magic he had cast over you. You couldn't fall asleep, not when you needed to keep a close eye on the sand timer and ensure Tobey remained in your sight. Neither of them would be safe if you caved in and fell asleep.

"Don't fight it, [Name]," Jareth said softly, his voice causing you to close your eyes for longer than you had anticipated. Then, you could no longer feel the heaviness in your body, and it felt like you were floating.

...

Music.

It's the first thing you registered upon opening your eyes.

Then, you watched in amazement as bodies twirled and danced across the centre of the grand ballroom. It was draped in luxury; silk in every corner, crystals hanging and sparkling from the chandelier. Everyone wore a ballgown suited to royalty, and a masquerade mask settled over their faces.

You stepped slowly into the ballroom, remaining unnoticed and undetected. You turned your head to the left, catching your reflection in a golden-framed mirror.

Your gown was beautiful; reminding you of a princess from a fairy tale. You gently ran your fingers over the expensive material, fingers bumping against gemstones that blended seamlessly with the outfit. The dress was a dark blue, like the midnight sky. The sleeves were short and flowy, but your arms were covered by gloves that fit up to your elbow. Your hair was pinned half-up and half-down, with it curled and cascading like a waterfall over your shoulders. A dark blue crystal hung around your neck, and you found yourself gingerly touching the gem. You stared at the soft makeup that complimented your features, the way your lips shimmered from the gloss. A light dusting of glitter was sprinkled over your face and hair, making you sparkle under the light.

You moved away from the mirror and moved towards the main event. You tried to remain impassive to the stares from strangers, and the way they whispered of your presence. You thought it might be because you were the only one without a masquerade mask, exposed and vulnerable as you navigated the room.

But their stares were so cruel. And they laughed as you slipped by.

Why were you here?

You searched the endless sea of people, for a familiar face who could perhaps rescue you. But in a masquerade ball, finding someone familiar was basically impossible. You disliked the feeling of being so alone, so abandoned.

"Care to dance?" asked a man from behind. You turned around, hoping it would be someone you knew. But the cold, black eyes warned you otherwise. You curtsied politely, but shook your head to reject his offer.

He lowered his hand, seemingly disappointed, but stepped to the side where he engaged in those cruel whispers with people he obviously knew. They shared laughs that seemed directed at you, and so you fled from the group to create some distance.

A servant stopped in front of you, a tray of balanced glasses of wine held out for you to take. You stared at the clear alcohol and numbly plucked a glass from his tray, whispering a small 'thanks' before he moved along to the next guest, replacing empty drinks with full ones with a swiftness you couldn't believe.

You raised the glass to your nose and inhaled, finding a sweet scent instead of the expected bitter one. You then took a sip, welcoming the way warmth spread inside your chest. Weird; normally alcohol created warmth in the stomach.

Didn't it?

Then, you finally locked eyes with someone. He stared at you from across the room, standing lazily with a group of people, but disconnected from their conversation. His hair was a tamed mess, blond and long as it reached down his shoulders. His outfit was dark blue, the same midnight colour as your dress. While everyone else wore bright, popping colours, you found that you were the odd one out.

A group of people walked in front of you, blocking your eye contact with the man. You tried to look past them, catching glimpses of his face, before he finally disappeared as you blinked. You stood in awe at this, butterflies filling your stomach from the encounter.

But you felt like you knew him. His eyes were so familiar. His stance was so recognisable, like he held a power that nobody would understand. Like nobody else could possess.

You moved forward, now abandoning your drink as you gently lifted the skirt of your dress, helping you move faster as you searched with an increasing desperation for this mysterious man.

And across the room you continued to catch glimpses of him. You'd blink and he would vanish. You felt frustrated, feeling as though he was now playing a game with you. Like he was deliberately doing this because he felt some kind of amusement at your distress.

You stood with diminishing hope in the centre of the room. Couples danced freely around you, their bodies brushing against yours. You tried to escape from the circle of dancers, but their cruel stares made you suddenly aware that they were entrapping you like this. You spun in a circle, your heart hammering as you searched for an exit, but there was none in sight.

Then you saw him again. Just beyond the circle of dancers. He watched you closely, his expression blank, lacking any kind of amusement or concern. He looked like he was waiting for something.

You felt hopeless. It was like he knew that. So why wasn't he helping you?

No...

That felt familiar.

You shook off the feeling and instead locked eyes with him, and then you whispered the words, "please, help me."

You watched as his lips curled into a knowing smirk. And suddenly the circle broke, allowing him to step onto the dance floor. He stopped directly in front of you, held out his hand and bowed respectfully. You slipped your hand into his and followed his mannerisms, curtsying out of respect for your dance partner.

And then he whisked you away.

One hand remained firmly in yours, and the other placed on your waist. You directed your free hand to his chest, and allowed him to guide you into a beautiful dance across the ballroom.

You stared into his eyes, mesmerised by the way they twinkled.

Then, he leaned down into your ear. "You asked for help," he pointed out, releasing a breathy laugh.

You shuddered at his warm breath against your ear. You looked directly at his own ear, where an earring dangled from it. You gingerly reached up and touched it. He watched you from the corner of his eye, curious and amused with your actions.

"I asked for help," you confirmed, feeling as though this moment was so familiar. You blinked and eyed his mask carefully, then reached up to try and remove it from his face. He stopped your hand with his own, just as the music ended and an applause broke out across the room. He moved your hand to his lips, and he pressed a kiss against your fingers.

You stayed with him as the music started up again, and you were happy to have him choose you as a dance partner again. You let him lead you around the room, just like before, and this time you felt much more relaxed. Whether it was from his presence or the dancing that was slowly exhausting you, you couldn't quite say.

Still, you noticed how everyone had stopped staring at you with such malice, how they no longer pointed and whispered in your direction.

And as the second dance ended, the chime of a bell sounded across the room. A majority of the people ignored it, but you found your head turning to find the clock. The mysterious man placed his hand under your chin, turning your head back to face him. To regain your focus.

You blinked slowly, quickly forgetting as to why you became distracted in the first place.

"May I see your face?" You asked, your fingers brushing across the intricate design of his mask.

He smirked and nodded his head. He raised his hand, his fingers tucking under the mask, and slowly he started to lift it from his face.

The bell chimed again. Your heart skipped a beat, your attention moving away from him, and this time your eyes landing on a clock. You stared at the hands for a moment longer, not being able to read the time, but knowing it was significant to you somehow.

His fingers gently guided your face back to face him again. Again, you quickly forgot what had made you so distracted to begin with.

Now, your eyes roamed the face of the man that had helped and danced with you. You smiled softly, finding him insanely attractive. You lifted your hand and placed it against his cheek, rubbing your thumb across his skin. He relaxed into your hand, his eyes sparkling in a way that you couldn't describe. And while this happened, you still couldn't help but feel as though this man was so familiar.

"Have we met before?" You asked him softly.

He brought your faces together, his lips brushing against yours.

"A thousand times," he whispered. "I always find you in every lifetime."

Your eyes fell half lidded. "What's your name?"

"You know my name."

Did you? How did you know this man? It made sense, with the familiarity you felt, but you searched every inch of your mind for his name, and yet you couldn't find it. Though, you couldn't help but think of King when you stared deep into his eyes.

The third and final chime of the bell drew your attention again. This time, your eyes fell upon a sand timer. You heart skipped a beat as recognition flashed over you.

Jareth couldn't pull your attention back to him this time. It was too late as you stepped away from his embrace. You kept your eyes glued to the sand timer, watching as each grain fell faster and faster.

"[Name]..." Jareth warned as you started to take steps towards the timer. He reached out and grabbed your hand, stopping you momentarily. "Stay."

You didn't dare turn back to face him, afraid that you would forget again if you did. "I can't," you replied, "I can't stay here..."

Jareth snaked his arms around your waist, holding you against his chest. "Yes you can," he cooed, "you have everything you'll ever need here. Why would you want to leave this all behind?"

You placed your hands on Jareth's, then gently removed them from your waist. He allowed it to happen, watching with a frown as you still refused to look at him and instead focused on the timer.

"Because it's not real."

Your eyes snapped open in shock. Your breaths tumbled out heavy. You sat up, alarmed and frightened as you looked frantically around the room.

You were curled up on Jareth's throne, alone. The room was empty, void of any sign of Jareth, Tobey or the Goblins. You stood up and wobbled to the window, where you peered outside to witness a commotion happening in the Goblin City.

Had Sarah made it? Had she navigated the Labyrinth successfully?

You spun around, filled with hope, eyes scanning the room for the sand timer that you had previously been so fixated on. Then, your stomach dropped in disbelief, realising that there was only 10 minutes left on the timer.

[laughableillusions]

Labyrinth Clue:

[All of them standing around a dead goblin]

Jareth: who broke it?…I’m not mad, I just wanna know.

Sarah: I did, I broke-

Jareth: No. no you you didn’t. Didymus?

Sir Didymus: Don’t behold at me! behold at Hoggle!

Hoggle: What? I didn't break it!

Sir Didymus: I understand you not. Yond's weird. How'd thee coequal knoweth t wast broken?

Hoggle: Because it’s sitting right in front of us and it’s broken.

Sir Didymus: Suspicious…

Hoggle: No! it’s not!

The Worm: If it matters - probably not - but Ludo was the last one to see them.

Ludo: Liar! Ludo no break!

The Worm: Oh really? Then what were you doing outside the goblin city earlier?

Ludo: Ludo play with chickens! All know that!

Sarah: Ok, ok! Let’s not fight! I broke it, let me bury them, Jareth-

Jareth angrier: No! Who broke it??!

Hoggle: …

Hoggle: Your majesty? The wise one’s been awful quiet

The Wise one’s hat: oh REALLY?!

Hoggle: Yeah really!

The Wise One’s hat: Oh my god!

[They all start arguing]

Jareth later to his goblins: I killed him. He bit my hand so I kicked him out the window. I predict ten minutes from now they'll be at each other's throats with war paint on their faces and a pig head on a stick.

Jareth: Good. It was getting a little chummy around here.

[just-antithings]

Labyrinth fan here. You can pull my Jareth/Sarah from my cold dead hands and I will fight every anti here.

hell yeah don’t let them win

[most-screwed-by-writers-tourney]

Propaganda:

Sarah and Jareth: Not even taking the age gap into account, there’s also the weird obsession, the kidnapping her baby brother, jealousy, and drugging her with a magic peach…

Charlotte Willmore x Lizzie Wells: So, the premise of The Perfection is that musical prodigy Charlotte, who left a prestigious cello-focused musical academy a few years ago to care for her dying mother, reaches out the head of the academy, Anton, to help in selecting their new star student (which Charlotte used to be.) Now, what you need to know is that Anton is the head of an abuse ring in the academy, where elite students are punished for errors in performances with being sexually abused by him and other teachers. Charlotte managed to escape this ring, but now Lizzie has been inducted in to replace her. Back to the story. Anton takes Charlotte to meet Lizzie, their new prospective star student. Charlotte and Lizzie get drunk and have sex that night, and through a series of events that I don't want to describe for fear of accidentally triggering someone, Charlotte manipulates Lizzie into cutting off her own hand with a meat cleaver. After Lizzie cuts off her hand, Charlotte bind the wound and applies a tourniquette. Charlotte explains to Lizzie that she did this to save her from the abuse, as her disability will now make her unworthy of the academy in Anton's eyes, causing him to cast her out. Lizzie is able to break the brainwashing Anton did to her, and she and Charlotte cook up a plan of revenge. (All of this is revealed at the end of the movie, by the way.) By working together and acting their hearts out, Lizzie and Charlotte manage to gain access to the academy, drug the three main proponents of the abuse, and kill two. Anton, however, puts up a fight, and manages to severely injure Charlotte's arm before Lizzie gets the upper hand. The final scene of the movie is Anton, eyes and mouth sewn shut and limbs amputated, bound to a chair in the same hall he would force students to perform pieces in before he abused them, being forced to listen to Lizzie and Charlotte playing the cello together. As each has lost one hand (one on the right, one on the left) they sit on each side of the cello and each play with one hand in harmony.

[benossummongirlii]

A Piece Of Cake | Billy Hargrove x Reader | Labyrinth AU

So this fic is basically a Labyrinth x Stranger Things.

Summary: You and Billy had a big fight and he says something he thought he meant but really he didn't. He didn't think you'd actually be taken by the goblin king.

Warnings: Swearing

You and Billy had just gotten home from a party, and you guys were screaming at eachother.

"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE A BITCH!" Billy yelled at you, clearly furious.

"WHY CAN'T YOU JUST SHUT THE FUCK UP!" You yelled back towards him.

"MAYBE IF YOU WEREN'T SO GODDAMN POSSESSIVE, THEN MAYBE I WOULD!" He shot at you.

"YOU WERE BASICALLY EYE FUCKING THEM!"

"FOR FUCKS SAKE Y/N GROW THE HELL UP!"

"NO, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!"

"OH MY GOD, I WISH THE GOBLINS WOULD COME TAKE YOU AWAY, RIGHT NOW!" He suddenly yelled at you, turning his back away. He thought that you would say something else, but no. Just painful silence. "...Y/n..?" He asked, turning around finding out that you weren't there. He was panicking now. He then saw a small silhouette while hearing giggling behind him. Turning around finding nothing, he then hears it all around the house.

Rain, thunder and lightning makes it more intense as one of the windows bursts open, revealing a barn owl. But before he could process anything further, the owl turns into a person.

"Holy fucking shit." Billy whispered. "Are you the goblin king?" He asked the messy haired man. The only response he got was a smile. "Please bring my girlfriend back, please if it's all the same."

"Whats said is said." The king replied.

"I didn't mean it though." Billy pleaded.

"Oh you didn't!" He replied with cheek.

"Please bring her back! I'll do that whole labyrinth shit if it means I could get her back!" Billy said with determination. Then they were suddenly in front of the labyrinth.

"Alright, you have 13 hours in which to solve the labyrinth before your girlfriend becomes one of us forever. Such a pity." Jareth said, fading away.

"This will be a piece of cake. I'm sure of it." He said very un-confidently as he started to walk towards the labyrinth.

"I'm coming baby."