I surveyed the utter disaster of the room — there were blankets and toys strewn everywhere, stains on every visible inch of fabric, and one very hollow-eyed goblin king standing in the center, bouncing an extraordinarily overwrought baby against his shoulder. I sighed. “You look like a truck ran over you. I thought you had experience with little ones.”
Jareth glared. “For thirteen hours at a time.”
“It was just two days. You said you could handle it.”
“You said our son was sweet most of the time. Clearly, we both lied.”
“He’s incredibly sweet.”
“I’m sure he is when he can find his ‘lovey’. What, pray tell, is that?”
“Ah.”
“Ah, indeed.”
“I take it Feanor wasn’t able to tell you.”
“In between the sobbing gasps of uncontrolled crying, sadly no.”
I reached into my bag to pull out a plush goblin toy with glittery hair. Feanor’s eyes lit up. “I always carry an extra with me, since the Tale of the Lost Lovey occurs a lot. Honestly, I suspect your subjects of making off with them. They are remarkably shiny.” I waved the toy in front of Feanor. “Luckily, the Tale of the Found Lovey also occurs a lot, usually shortly thereafter.”
Jareth watched in silent disbelief as Feanor grabbed the toy, sighed happily, and collapsed sleepily against Jareth’s shoulder. Weary crystalline eyes flicked from Feanor to me. “This is the first time he’s been calm in 36 hours. 36 hours, Sarah.”
“He does have remarkable stamina.”
He glared at me. “You could have left spare lovies when you dropped him off.”
“I really did forget. It wasn’t on purpose.”
“I’ll have my revenge.”
“I’m sure. Are you still up for watching him next weekend?”
Jareth’s shoulders slumped as Feanor gurgled happily. Jareth ran a hand down his son’s back. “Fine. But I want fair payment. Beforehand.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“From my mortal paramour? Three guesses.”
“Ooh, I love it when you talk Faerie bargain jargon with me. So sexy. Especially with baby drool on your shoulder.”
“Cruel woman.”
“Learned from the best. Here, put that adorable sleeping boy down for a nap and let me show you some appreciation. From a mortal paramour to her bedraggled Faerie paramour.”
“I am not bedraggled.”
“Check a mirror, honey. But I love you anyway. With the full body massage love.”
His lips twitched up in a smile as he laid Feanor down. “You do know just the right things to say.”
“Lots of practice. Now come lie down over here and relax.” I ran a hand along his arm, pulling him onto the velvet couch.
“What if relaxation via massage isn’t exactly what I had in mind?”
I glanced at Feanor, letting my fingernails lightly drag against Jareth’s skin. “Then I suggest we go to a different room and discuss more thoroughly what you did have in mind.”
There was heat in his eyes and a wolf in his smile. “After you, my love.”
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Drabble:
I surveyed the utter disaster of the room — there were blankets and toys strewn everywhere, stains on every visible inch of fabric, and one very hollow-eyed goblin king standing in the center, bouncing an extraordinarily overwrought baby against his shoulder. I sighed. “You look like a truck ran over you. I thought you had experience with little ones.”
Jareth glared. “For thirteen hours at a time.”
“It was just two days. You said you could handle it.”
“You said our son was sweet most of the time. Clearly, we both lied.”
“He’s incredibly sweet.”
“I’m sure he is when he can find his ‘lovey’. What, pray tell, is that?”
“Ah.”
“Ah, indeed.”
“I take it Feanor wasn’t able to tell you.”
“In between the sobbing gasps of uncontrolled crying, sadly no.”
I reached into my bag to pull out a plush goblin toy with glittery hair. Feanor’s eyes lit up. “I always carry an extra with me, since the Tale of the Lost Lovey occurs a lot. Honestly, I suspect your subjects of making off with them. They are remarkably shiny.” I waved the toy in front of Feanor. “Luckily, the Tale of the Found Lovey also occurs a lot, usually shortly thereafter.”
Jareth watched in silent disbelief as Feanor grabbed the toy, sighed happily, and collapsed sleepily against Jareth’s shoulder. Weary crystalline eyes flicked from Feanor to me. “This is the first time he’s been calm in 36 hours. 36 hours, Sarah.”
“He does have remarkable stamina.”
He glared at me. “You could have left spare lovies when you dropped him off.”
“I really did forget. It wasn’t on purpose.”
“I’ll have my revenge.”
“I’m sure. Are you still up for watching him next weekend?”
Jareth’s shoulders slumped as Feanor gurgled happily. Jareth ran a hand down his son’s back. “Fine. But I want fair payment. Beforehand.”
“What did you have in mind?”
“From my mortal paramour? Three guesses.”
“Ooh, I love it when you talk Faerie bargain jargon with me. So sexy. Especially with baby drool on your shoulder.”
“Cruel woman.”
“Learned from the best. Here, put that adorable sleeping boy down for a nap and let me show you some appreciation. From a mortal paramour to her bedraggled Faerie paramour.”
“I am not bedraggled.”
“Check a mirror, honey. But I love you anyway. With the full body massage love.”
His lips twitched up in a smile as he laid Feanor down. “You do know just the right things to say.”
“Lots of practice. Now come lie down over here and relax.” I ran a hand along his arm, pulling him onto the velvet couch.
“What if relaxation via massage isn’t exactly what I had in mind?”
I glanced at Feanor, letting my fingernails lightly drag against Jareth’s skin. “Then I suggest we go to a different room and discuss more thoroughly what you did have in mind.”
There was heat in his eyes and a wolf in his smile. “After you, my love.”