Drabble #128: The Space Between

[jalenstrix]

...we had a nice response to the drabble prompt of Drabble 127, with entries by redwolf and me (your intrepid drabble proposer jalenstrix, who finally got her act together after a week's extension), and comments by us both as well. As always, special labyfic love to redwolf for adding entries and comments for many previous drabble prompts. Huzzah!





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

The Space Between

The space between what and what? Or who and who? What's this space like anyway? 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 Monday of next month (July 3).

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. Authors generally write for love.)

Comments

Exposé

[redwolf]

Word count: 500
Drabble:

Everyone was frustrated with the neighbouring kingdom that was pushing for significantly more advantage in what was usually a fairly straightforward arrangement that had changed little in centuries.

While Jareth had spent the day glowering at trade delegates as his advisors hammered out the details, Sarah had ensconced herself in the castle library with Bishop. They had been poring over the fine print of the deal in progress with the invaluable input of the fox shapeshifters who served as spies on behalf of the Goblin Kingdom.

Sarah thanked the tiny woman who was currently wearing the form of a dryad and waited until she left the room. “That explains why they’ve been pressing their hand.”

Bishop nodded in agreement. “But it doesn’t explain why they didn’t request our assistance.”

“Pride?” Sarah stretched her arms over her head to work out the kinks from her hours of research.

“Perhaps.” Bishop drummed his fingers on an open volume. “You’d think that if you were in need of bridge repairs your first thought would be to ask the kingdom with the huge bloody Labyrinth and legions of masons for advice. Instead there’s a nest of interconnected minor lords who are all adding their own inflated costs.” He pushed one of the reports across to Sarah. “I need more information to figure out if they’re hiring our kingdom’s expertise at a remove or are pushing their own substandard service.”

Jareth strode into the library and threw himself onto the chaise lounge, his arm flung across his eyes in an affectation of a swoon. “One more day of this and I swear I’ll bog the lot of them.” He did not react to Sarah’s soft snort of amusement at his antics and pointedly ignored Bishop’s outright laughter. “Tell me you've found something?”

Walking across the room, Sarah leaned over his chair and kissed Jareth soundly. “There has recently been a spate of significant damage to bridges on several important thoroughfares that have impacted the movement of people and goods throughout their kingdom. Nothing has yet been confirmed, but there have been whisperings of sabotage.”

Jareth swung himself into a seated position, pulled Sarah into his lap and kissed her neck before replying. “You suspect the saboteurs are offering to solve the problem for a not insignificant markup?”

Sarah ran her tongue around the shell of Jareth’s ear, grinning as he shivered in response. “There are two new members of their delegation.” He groaned as her fingers slipped inside his shirt and lightly caressed his chest.

“And it will be no surprise that they have relatives connected to the rumours we’ve been hearing.” Bishop shuffled the many reports on the table into a neat pile.

Stilling Sarah’s hand as it lay over his heart, Jareth displayed a predator’s grin of very sharp teeth. “It’s not that great a leap of deduction to guess who either.” He lifted her hand and kissed each of her fingers. “The prospect of tomorrow’s negotiations just got a lot more interesting.”

Re: Exposé

[jalenstrix]

I love love love interleaving business discussions with far more pleasurable physical activities. Love it. So much fun to read!

Re: Exposé

[redwolf]

They needed a brief respite after uncovering a nest of vipers 🦊🧡

[jalenstrix]

Word count: 405

Drabble

I didn’t know what to do with myself, and that was the truth.

Jareth, of course, would have had plenty of ideas. Very fun, very naughty ideas that would make me feel very good. But the whole point was that he wasn’t here right now. No one was — not my wonderful, highly-exasperating, Machiavellian Faerie Lord husband, not his mega-maniacal mother, not our mega-magical small children, no one. It was Jareth’s gift to me, this perfect bubble of time, distraction-free. I could do literally anything.

I could just breathe.

I watched the sunlight play along my wrist, feeling its warmth seep in.

Nice, isn’t it?

I jumped. What the…

It can be very nice here, you know. The Labyrinth’s presence curled up and around me like a cat.

I relaxed into it, imagining giving it a gentle mental stroke the way I used to give Beast, my former fuzzy grey kitty of blessed memory. I missed Beast, and hoped he was having a good roll in that great catnip patch in the sky. My chest clenched a little as I remembered how his purr would rumble through my hands. There were a lot of things I missed from my old life Aboveground, Beast one among many.

The Labyrinth purred into my mind. Beast would have been proud.

I imagined scratching behind hypothetical Faerie realm ears. You know, this was supposed to be my alone time.

Surely I don’t count as people, do I?

Beast would truly have been proud. He never counted himself as people either and intruded on my alone time with energetic aplomb. You haven’t by chance ever met a fuzzy grey cat who used to spend time with me, have you?

You mean Beast?

My heart gave a little skitter.

We talk all the time. He says hello. And that he misses you.

I swallowed hard, pushing aside impossibilities. After all, my husband could make time do aerial somersaults. Can you tell him I miss him too? And send him a good ear scratch?

Of course.

Thank you.

Did you want to go back to your quiet alone time now? I can leave.

You’re welcome to stay while I sit in the sun for a few more minutes.

The Labyrinth’s presence flopped across my mental lap in a perfect Beast imitation. The weight was warm and familiar and just right.

My breath caught for a moment, an ache fading. Thank you.

My pleasure.

[redwolf]

I think I need some alone time with the Labyrinth because that just sounds wonderful 🦊🧡

[jalenstrix]

Right?