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“Sarah,” her name was a croon on his lips as they hovered over her. They brushed across her temple, curving down her cheek to trace along her jaw. He took his time, seeming to enjoy the quickening of her breathing as it fanned his fair hair back. Just when he reached the corner of her mouth, he changed direction, ghosting across the bridge of her nose to her left eye. It was a maddeningly sweet form of torture that made her toes curl under as she clutched his shoulders to keep from dropping on her weak knees. One of his hands brushed her hair back from her face before curling into the strands at the base of her skull while the other looped around her back, holding her steady.
“My Sarah,” and just when she thought she would have to beg him his lips finally covered hers, warm and guiding and slow. She sighed into the kiss and molded closer against him, hands flexing around his shoulders convulsively as he…
Sarah was dreaming. She knew that even as she was helplessly ensnared within sleep’s clutches. She had had what felt like countless dreams of this nature and had long ago stopped trying to prevent them, instead taking solace in these few happy instances that her subconscious created for her. It was different every time; different places, different outfits, a different time of day. But always it was the same thing they did. He would speak her name like it was a prayer. He would hold her so tightly that she was surprised to wake up with no bruises. And he would kiss her like he was a drowning man and she his last breath of air…
It was the most wonderful thing she had ever felt, being held by this man. She knew that eventually it would end; that he would pull away, staring at her with that same desolate, heartwrenching sadness she remembered as he faded into the darkness of her room along with the solid comfort of sleep. But not now. Now she could scream, fall, fly if he would just stay. The kiss began to gather heat and urgency, eventually leaving both of them breathless and gasping loudly when they broke away. Using the hand in her hair as leverage he tipped her head back and skimmed his mouth down the length of her neck to her collarbone, lingering and planting little butterfly kisses there until both their breathing had slowed. Then he made his way unhurriedly back to her jaw, kissing and biting in equal parts. When his lips found hers again it was different. They were warm. She hadn’t noticed the lack of heat before, but this new sensation brought a blush to her cheeks. It was somehow more real. More delicious. She shut her eyes…
And opened them again to find a very real, very familiar pair of lips against her own. Very real as in that she was sure she was no longer dreaming. Very familiar as in the same ones she dreamt of often enough to recognize them anywhere. When he felt her stir he pulled back and looked down at her. And there he was, white gold hair flying unruly around his face, framing two mismatched, piercing blue eyes. He was just as pale as she remembered, maybe even more so due to the moonlight filtering through her gauzy curtains. His eyes were as unnervingly focused as she expected, but the haughty sneer she expected to see was gone, replaced by a haunted, wild expression.
“There, it has happened. Now will you please move on to the interesting parts?” Jareth was leaning over her, one arm on either side of her on the mattress, fingers twisted around handfuls of her comforter. For a moment she could do nothing but gape, staring in openmouthed wonder at the apparition before her. Surely he cannot be real, a part of her mind told her while the rest of her fervently shoved the memory of what she felt upon waking to the forefront of her mind, making it difficult to concentrate on what he had said.
Slowly she pushed herself up so that she was sitting and he moved enough to allow her room for that, but no more. His hands stayed locked on the bed at her sides and he stared at her from the unsettlingly close distance of a handspan away. She could think of nothing to say for a few moments, simply gazed at a face she never thought she’d see in the waking world again. Still so beautiful, she marveled. Finally his impatient look called to memory that he had asked her something.
“B-beg… pardon?” She asked mildly, blinking a few times. He didn’t seem to like this answer as his frown turned into a scowl, eyes snapping angrily in the darkness.
“Your dreams, dear girl. I see each and every one of them and they are slowly driving me mad. Almost every night it is the same. We meet, we hold each other, and we kiss quite feverishly but never does it go any further.” By this time, Sarah was blushing furiously, having understood fully that he saw her most private secret quite plainly and was decidedly not satisfied. Jareth watched her cheeks redden and could see no reason for it. He was doing nothing more than stating the truth, which they both knew. Clearly she had not known he could see her dreams, but it should not have shocked her so.
“I am half out of my mind waiting for something more to happen but it never escalates beyond those scattered kisses. Now that you finally have your precious first kiss, may we please move beyond it to the more grown-up activities?” Sarah suddenly couldn’t help herself. She tried desperately to hide her burning face as a giggle bubbled out of her, followed by another and another until she couldn’t control it any longer. Jareth pulled back to study her incredulously.
“I see nothing amusing about this situation,” he said, entirely indignant. His tone made her laugh so hard tears pooled in her eyes and finally streaked down her cheeks. She couldn’t stop. Every time she thought she had a hand on it she would glance at him, see his confusion and agitation and start all over again. Her face hurt and her sides were heaving when Jareth decided he couldn’t take anymore. He stood and adjusted his cloak before taking a step away from the bed.
“Well, I had no idea the notion was so entirely laughable to you. If you’ll excuse me, I have far better things to be doing with my time than to be laughed at by you.” When he tried to take another step away he found he was stopped by her hand wrapped around his wrist. He could have broken her hold; he was strong enough and certainly angry enough. But that small touch set off a flutter of hope in his stomach. She tugged gently and he allowed her to pull him back, gracefully sprawling beside her again but refusing to look directly at her. Taking a deep breath, Sarah brought her other hand around to latch onto his.
“I’m sorry, it’s nerves. I promise I’m not laughing at you, just at our… situation.” His eyes stayed trained on their hands for a moment more before flickering up to meet hers.
“Regardless, laughter is hardly the reaction I was hoping to achieve.” The mischievous light in his eyes made her blush to think just what reaction he might have in mind, nevertheless she knew there were still some things that needed discussing before she allowed any more thoughts of that nature.
“So, what exactly do you propose?”
Jareth leaned closer, splaying a hand across her lower back to make her arch toward him, purring when her chest was pressed against his. “Well, I’ve heard now and again that practice makes perfect.”
“Oh, really?” Still blushing but willing to play this game and finally finally have her expectations met, Sarah lifted her arms to drape them around his shoulders, fingers twisting a bit of his glowing hair between thumb and forefinger.
“Yes, indeed. Would you like to test that theory, precious?”
Her only answer was to gently tug him toward her until their lips met and she was hard pressed not to believe that she’d fallen right back into one of her dreams. Of course, none of her dreams had been half so delicious or graphic as what followed she was pleased to find.