Drabble #119: Indulgence

[jalenstrix]

...we had a nice response to the drabble prompt of Drabble 118, with entries by redwolf and me (your intrepid drabble proposer jalenstrix), and commenting love by us both as well. Hurrah! And again special labyfic love to redwolf for adding entries and comments for many previous drabble prompts. So much fun to read!





For this prompt, we continue with our one-word/phrase drabble roots:

Indulgence

What's the indulgence? Who's doing it? Why? How? Tell us all about it. Labyfic-style, of course.




Given our entries from recent months, let's continue with the suggested limit for this month of 500 words. Though remember that shorter pieces are most definitely welcome!

Your entry should take the following format, posted as a comment on this entry:
Word count: # of words
Drabble: $your_beautiful_drabble


I'll aim to get the next drabble challenge out on the first Friday of next month (October 7).

I'm also very happy to take suggestions if something in particular strikes your fancy -- comment on this post or PM me with your suggestions. You can see our current collected suggestions here.


Remember: Feedback is LOVE. So do reply to your fellow labyficcers' drabbles if so inclined. (Though be careful of concrit unless specifically okayed by the author beforehand.)

Comments

[jalenstrix]

Word count: 142

Drabble:
I inhaled deeply, letting the familiar scent of frost, Faerie, and allspice run through me, unclenching the mental knots that had accumulated. Home, sweet home. Bed, sweet bed. Goblin King shoulder, sweet Goblin King shoulder.

I smiled, my eyes still closed. “If you had told past me that a twenty minute power nap in the middle of the day would be a blissful experience rarely indulged in, past me would have definitely thought you were crazy.”

Fingertips ghosted along my skin. “I’m sure current Sarah has many thoughts that past Sarah would disagree with.”

“Like marrying the Goblin King, and having far too many children with him?”

“Wouldn’t she just?”

“After that seduction dance scene in the crystal, I’m pretty sure past me would actually have no trouble with that one.” I curled further into his shoulder, rubbing my cheek along his skin. “To be fair though, she was focused on the after-marriage pre-children activities.”

“You had good taste even then.”

“Didn’t I just?”

[redwolf]

You had me at nap on Jareth 🦊🧡

Ambush

[redwolf]

Word count: 500
Drabble:

Sarah stood in the dark, arms folded and head tilted as she listened. There was a lot of swearing and local vernacular, but she was fairly certain the speakers were of the assumption that she was one the hen’s group who had been separated from the flock after they’d had their bartender friend spike their drinks.

This had not gone according to plan. The wrong drinks had been doctored, their friend was currently in police custody and the only person roofied was Jareth, who had voluntarily done so for research purposes.

She didn’t understand why they felt the need to drug women for sex. Grae had explained that the hens group they had encountered was the local equivalent of a roving pack of feral bachelorettes. If asked, Sarah guessed it was a safe bet that one or more of them would have been more than happy to oblige the young men, but perhaps it was just a case of frail male ego overcompensating when faced with the fear of rejection.

Sarah watched the three young men stop in a pool of light and wondered if she was becoming as snobbish as Jareth over Above fashions, as she sneered at the bright, nylon leisure wear they sported like tribal plumage. She also noted they were smoking, which seemed an undertaking that risked an accidental immolation whilst wearing such clothing. As they egged each other on in their plan to assault an inpacitated woman, she could feel the low rumble of growls from Jareth and the guardsmen behind her.

“Hey,” Sarah called as she stepped to the edge of the light. “I believe you’re looking for me.” She felt a smile stretch across her face and knew it wasn’t one of mirth and frivolity. This was the rictus grin of a predator who’d spotted a fat, juicy rabbit. “I’m not helpless and I’m not alone.” Her companions slid into the light at her sides and she was betting they all sported the same expressions as two of the three men bolted in a panic. Not that they would get very far. Bishop and Rook melted silently into the darkness to retrieve the fleeing men in a short lived chase that ended in startled yelps of pain.

The remaining man was apparently too stupid to recognise a predator and continued his verbal denegration of Sarah, which lasted until she stepped into his reach and pulped his nose with the heel of her hand. As his head snapped back, she kneed him in the balls and he dropped to the ground in a foetal ball of pain.

Sarah thought it was probably best not to know why Grae carried zip tie restraints, but they served to immobilise the men until the police could deal with them.

Jareth wrapped his arms around Sarah. “Interesting choice. I would have gone for something more dramatic.”

“Tempting, but full Goblin Queen might have been counter productive and less likely to injure their pride.”

“Beautiful and clever, my love.”

Re: Ambush

[jalenstrix]

Ooooh, they certainly had it coming.

Re: Ambush

[redwolf]

Forethought does not seem to have been one of their attributes. Thanks! 🦊🧡