"The Irresistible force paradox is a classic paradox formulated as "What happens when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object?"
. . .
He was an immovable object, a king at the pinnacle of earthly desire and wishes, a dealer in dreams.
Guardian to fantasy, villain to normalcy, Jareth was a creature that could never be anyone but who he was. He ruled the world with labyrinthine lies on his tongue and cruel truths in his mismatched eyes.
And his rule was unchallenged. No one could move him, and no one wanted to. A king unrivaled, and he charmed everyone he met with a caustic smirk and enchanting mystery. No one had the power to take him from his throne, and those foolish enough to try had quickly met with a merciless fate.
Jareth had discovered long ago, after all, that he could be the slave of no one but dreams. He was the master of all, and he prided the dreams he crafted above everything else. Even if that meant sacrificing his own chances for happiness, then so be it.
His labyrinth and its dreams were all the company he would ever need.
He told himself this every time he thought of her.
.
.
She was an unstoppable force, a girl at the peak of fantastical desire and wishes, a keeper of hearts.
Guardian of family, villain of injustice, Sarah was a woman that could never be anyone but herself. She traveled the world with caustic truths on her lips and gentle lies in her jade eyes.
And her travel was uncontested. No one could chain her, and no one wanted to. A woman untamed, and she charmed everyone she met with her kind smile and instant compassion. No one had the heart to clip her wings, and those heartless enough to try had quickly found the bladed edge of her mercy.
Sarah had decided long ago, after all, that she would be the slave of no one but herself. She was her own master, and even if that meant watching the world's romance pass her by, then so be it.
.
Gone now were Irene's, "When you have a child one day, you'll understand," and "So any boys I should know about?" Instead they were replaced by Irene's polite chuckles to the neighbors and her posh words, "Sarah's the kind of girl who'll never settle down."
Sarah had been in the hallway that day, just listening to the pitying sounds of the Smiths from two doors over. "Oh, how tragic. Don't worry, I'm sure she'll grow out of it and get married, have kids. What girl doesn't want that?"
But that day had also been a bright one, because somewhere in the storybook role Sarah had given her stepmother long ago, Irene had tangled up the script and laughed out, "You misunderstand. That's what I love about Sarah." Sarah had never told Irene that she overheard that conversation in the living room, that she watched the Smiths leave their house confused and seen Irene's look of sheer pride.
It was no surprise that ever since that day, Sarah never excluded Irene from the self-sacrificing love that she had bestowed upon the rest of the family.
It was a surprise, however, that it had been Irene who had been the most understanding when Sarah first decided to begin her traveling.
"I'm just surprised you stuck around for as long as you did, honey," Irene had smiled to hide her tears, "Go on then. Enjoy the world. If you ever need us, for any reason, we'll be here for you."
That night, Sarah left, leaving with a kiss from Toby that was still warm in her memory.
.
And she challenged the world, one step at a time.
No one could conquer her, few dared to try. But she was indomitable, keeping the hearts that everyone couldn't help but give to her, and giving back promises of unwavering friendship. She always did have a knack for making everlasting friends, even out of monsters.
Her family and friends were all the love she would ever need.
She told herself this every time she thought of him.
.
.
But this is a secret, she thinks.
The meeting of the immovable object and the unstoppable force. Neither said a word about the other when they were apart, because as long as they never said it out loud, then it wouldn't be a lie.
So this was a secret –
she slowly sweeps an owl-swept brow with a curious fingertip –
and this –
her eyes fall away from feather-fine frosted-blonde hair to eyes so inhuman, so predatory, that her heart quickens. Her lips smile at the challenge –
were her most cherished secrets.
She could never be tamed, could never give up herself to live like a princess – or a queen – in the highest room of the tallest tower. Walls could not confine her, even moving ones, and she knew that every time they met, they must part. She was his equal, her will was a strong as his, and just as she could not stay, he could not leave. Because he too could not change who he was, could never give himself up to live like a mortal in even the wealthiest of commons.
But in these moments, these secrets, they had each other. And in these moments, that was all that mattered.
The ordinary girl of extraordinary spirit and the extraordinary king with ordinary wishes.
She brings her smiling lips to his, to claim the heart he cannot give – but hadn't he? – and forgets the clock on the wall behind her. She doesn't need to look to know that it will soon strike thirteen.
But what need did they have with happily ever after's?
"It's only forever," he tempts when they pull away for breath, despite already knowing that she'll never stay.
"It's only a lifetime," she whispers back, even though she too knows he'll never leave with her.
They were content with unfulfilled temptations and unspoken rendezvous. Because all the time in the world could not stop them, and all the what if's could not outweigh the right now's. The world, both Underground and Above, would never know of these moments, when the unstoppable paused and the unmovable shifted.
The world didn't need to know.
It was only the two of them, and that was how they lived, the dream weaver and the dreamer.
He kisses her, tasting of peaches and dreams, and she pushes her body against his, feeling of wishes earned and journeys traveled. He does not budge beneath her, and she will not stop above him. Hands over sharp cheekbones, gloves through silky blackness, they clash and taste eternity.