Sally rolled over in her sleep as the first rays of the morning sun drifted from the window into her eyes, momentarily disturbing her favorite dreams - soothing sequences involving meandering strolls in the woods, the smell of cinnamon, and...Jack.
Dream Jack slipped away as the real Jack tightened his lazy hold on Sally, breathing in the scent of her hair and stretching his long, skinny legs out past the foot of the bed. She blushed and grinned contentedly to herself, savoring the moment. They had only been dating for a few months, and had only recently agreed that they were comfortable enough to sleep in the same bed...at least every once and awhile...without feeling like they were being too irresponsible or disrespectful. They wanted to save any consistencies for marriage. For now, nights spent together were treated as special, and still felt a bit bizarre to the couple. Neither of them had ever shared a bed with anyone else, and neither of them had really thought about the kinds of actions and feelings that go along with it. For now, they were just going on instinct.
"Jack...are you awake?" Sally lifted her hand to gently tousle his night cap, possibly her most favorite article of clothing he ever wore. It suited him.
"Mmmm? My dear?" His eyes fluttered open, and after a long yawn, his gaze fell upon his rag-doll. "By God, you look ravishing...Where did you ever get the nerve to be so beautiful? I'm almost offended!" His skeletal grin spread lazily across his face as he rolled slightly over her, sliding a bony hand around her waist and kissing her neck, making his way up to her mouth.
It was times like these where Sally felt like her own body was a foreign object to her. She couldn't understand the tension and warmth that arose within her when he got close like this. And she could still hardly comprehend the fact that he was this close to her at all!
"Oh Jaaack..." She felt like she was melting into the covers. "You're exaggerating again...but don't stop doing that."
"I'll never stop if you don't wish me too, dearest Sally. Except for when I have to go to work, I'll stay here stitched to your side...mmmmm..." He paused. "Speaking of work, what time is it?"
At that very moment, they were both startled by the sound of Zero barking obnoxiously, the sound growing steadily louder as he finally floated through the bedroom door and fell to enthusiastically licking his master's face.
"Zero! Calm down, boy!" Jack nearly fell off the bed trying to claim some space between him and the over-jealous ghost hound, chuckling in spite of his discomfort.
Sally had been giggling uncontrollably, not helping him in the slightest. "I think he misses you, Jack. You're always either working or with me...when's the last time you even played fetch?"
Jack's guilt was tangible as he righted himself on the bed, stroking Zero's ears affectionately. For the moment, the little dog seemed happily sedated. "I suppose you're right, as always, my love. I can't exactly expect him to understand the chaotic schedule of a Pumpkin King - especially one in the process of courting a...a Queen." They shared a nervous smile. "He's been with me since I was a little boy, you know. He's used to being a priority. But I don't have time to play fetch! I have a meeting with the Mayor and the vampires this morning! I should be dressed and on my way to Town Hall right now!" At this reminder to himself, Jack sprung nimbly out of bed and began raiding his closet for a suit. They were all almost identical, so Sally never really understood why he sometimes had terrible trouble picking one out in the morning.
Zero let out a tiny whimper as his master abandoned him on the bed, and Sally attempted unsuccessfully to appease him by replacing Jack's fingers on his ears. "I wish he'd be contented by playing fetch with me...I have more time for it than you, since my sewing is an at-home job. But he barely even glances at me when I throw anything at all!" She suddenly realized that Jack was standing there, holding a suit, and awkwardly wondering how to go about getting dressed with her in the room. She blushed. "Oh...sorry!" Sally ducked her head under the covers. "Go ahead!"
He chortled and began stripping, keeping an eye on the bed to ensure she wasn't peeking. "Someday, my dear ragdoll...for now, thank you for understanding my apprehen-" In the midst of buttoning his white shirt, a thought had occurred to him. "Sally, Zero does like you, I know he does. He just needs time to get used to the idea of you being around so often. Perhaps, in an effort to ease the transition..." He gently popped his lowest rib bone out of its' socket. "You could use this while I'm gone?"
"Is it safe to look at what you're showing me, Jack?"
"Huh? Oh...Yes, Sally. Thank you for asking."
She slowly ducked out from under the covers and sat up straight, facing him. She stared at the object he was holding out to her. "Your bone? Don't you need that?"
"What would I need it for? It's only for a few hours, and I know you'll take very, very good care of it, my dear. Please take it, I really must get going, and I don't want to be worrying about a depressed Zero all day!" He pressed the bone gingerly into her hands, closing her fingers over it.
"Alright, Jack. I promise I'll treat it like glass. Except when I play with Zero, of course." They chuckled together. "Now get going! I don't want the Mayor to think this relationship is making you shirk your incredibly important responsibilities!" She stood up and embraced him, massaging his chest lightly with one hand as she leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss his lips. He surprised her by suddenly gripping her waist and dipping her to the side so that she almost lost her delicate footing. He pressed his lips gently into hers and closed his eyes in satisfied bliss. After a few sweet moments, he pulled away and stabilized her.
"Have a fantastic day, love of my life! Try not to occupy too many of my thoughts while I'm away, I really must save some of them for Halloween!" And with that, he was springing down the steps and out the front door.
Sally sat hunched over her sewing machine in deep concentration, carefully arranging a new outfit she had designed for the upcoming holiday, Easter. She didn't really know much about it, except for what Jack had read to her about it in one of his books. This was the first time their town was celebrating it, as they had been attempting to become more "worldly" since Christmas, and she wanted to look nice for the party. Pastel colors were not her favorite, so she was just trying to integrate them as subtle accents to a simple white dress.
"Arf! ARF!"
She didn't look up. "Not now, Zero. I have to finish this."
"Arf! Arf!"
Sally stopped suddenly. She had been completely zoned out, but now her attention was all on the little dog. "Wait. You actually want to play with me?"
"ARF!" Zero wagged his tail and licked his chops, nudging her arm with his long, blinking nose.
"Alright! Finally! Let's do this! Who's a good boy? It's YOU!" She was so happy she danced over to the rib bone she had laid carefully on a pillow across the room. Picking it up, she hesitated. "I suppose Jack does this all the time, right? It must not hurt him...Well, he certainly gave me permission!" She threw the bone away from the two of them, and laughed happily as Zero floated merrily after it.
"Good boy! I knew we'd connect eventually, you adorable goon! Bring it back now, I'll throw it again!"
The Mayor of Halloween Town adjusted his tie and shuffled his paperwork nervously, glancing quickly between the gaggle of vampires sitting across from him, and the Pumpkin King at the head of the table.
"Right, so...getting started...nothing formal or anything...We just have a couple of quick concerns to discuss with you about the next, rapidly approaching Halloween! Just a few tiny details that we must cover to ensure that this year is our absolute, most frightful, most horrifying, most appalling..."
His last words were lost on Jack, who had settled back into his chair and was examining his phalanges. He had been to so many of these meetings that he knew exactly what to expect without paying much attention, and was beyond exasperated with the Mayor's one-track mind. Certainly Jack had come to peace with the fact that Halloween was HIS holiday, and no other, but sometimes he just wanted to talk about ANYTHING else...especially when October was still several months away!
"We received several complaints from the human world about your work this past Halloween. Not that they normally enjoy your blood-draining efforts, of course...but this time...apparently you've...initiated some kind of...epidemic..."
The vampires exchanged bewildered glances, shrugged, and turned back towards the Mayor.
"Epi...Whatever do you meeeean, Mayor? What is this word?"
Jack, worried as he was about the current state of affairs, decided that he could safely tune out for the next several minutes, as the Mayor attempted to bring the vampires up to speed on the situation. He began drawing mental sketches of Easter decorations to be used for the actual "rapidly approaching" holiday. 'How does one give a bunny fangs?' he wondered dreamily to himself.
"And so, when the blood of your last victim enters the bloodstream of your current victim..."
Jack felt a vague sense of slobbery discomfort somewhere in his frame at that moment, and smiled to himself. He was very familiar with the feeling. Sally must be having some success with Zero! Mmm. Sally...His daydreaming swiftly changed direction, and by this time, the meeting was nothing but distant whispers.
Sally collapsed on the couch in front of the fire, after having rinsed off the bone, her contented grin nearly ripping open the stitches at the sides of her mouth. She had done it! She had gotten Zero to play fetch with her, and they had been at it for nearly an hour. The little dog had then disappeared into Jack's room to take a nap, and Sally was of a similar mind. She relaxed into the pillows, still gripping the rib bone in her little hands, clutched at her chest, and drifted into a deep sleep.
Jack's lips were grazing her neck again, in just the same way they had that morning. He was lying next to her on the couch, pulling her in as close to his body as possible, trailing a bony finger along her collarbone, and she was melting...absolutely melting at his touch. As his lips reached hers, she sighed in bliss, and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, widening her mouth with the pressure of his own, and sliding his nimble tongue over hers. She reciprocated eagerly, although he had to do most of the work, as his tongue was much longer and more flexible. They had done this before, a couple of times, but this time felt...somehow different. He was being more assertive than usual, and had never lingered quite this long. After several long moments, he pulled away reluctantly, and gazed into her eyes.
"Sally...if I ever make you uncomfortable, please let me know."
"Nothing you've ever done has made me uncomfortable, Jack. Except for that one time, you know, the time you tried to take over Christmas..."
He laughed. "That's not quite what I meant."
She blushed and looked down. "I know."
He planted slow, soft kisses along her cheeks as he whispered softly, "You're the most stunning, terrifying creature, my Sally. You'll make the most beautiful Queen one day. I can't wait. I can't wait for a lot of things..." His fingers were gliding down the front of her patched dress now, and when they reached her knee, they began to travel upwards again.
"Jack?"
"Yes, my dearest friend?"
"I don't really understand what you're doing. But I don't want you to stop..."
He grinned slyly. "You'll understand if I show you, my doll." With that, and a reassuring kiss to her lips, he began sliding her dress sleeves off of her shoulders. He kissed his way from her neck to the top of her chest, his breath growing hotter and leaving a trail of wet patches along the cloth. Meanwhile, his hand was wandering up her thigh underneath the dress, moving as slowly as possible to allow her time to acclimate to the feeling. Sally was trying not to moan, bashful as she was, but she couldn't help emitting a series of small, feminine murmurs. When his bony hand finally arrived at the spot between her legs, she thought she'd faint, yet somehow remained conscious enough to experience a pleasurable kind of tension that she had only remotely been able to imagine before that moment.
"So you see, a few precautions must be taken this year, my most ghastly of friends. Your mouths must be sterilized between each and every victim..."
Jack was somewhere else completely. He had visions of doing a waltz with his Sally in his head, and was grinning stupidly, his head resting on one hand, his eyes nearly halfway shut.
"Jack! What do you think? Is there anything we haven't covered? You must have something important to add, no one is as wise in these matters as you!"
Jack flinched and sat up quickly, trying to pretend he had been listening attentively the entire time. "Yes of course! But how does one mix the genes of a vampire and a bunny?" His face had never appeared so serious.
The others around the table stared, utterly confused and yet unwilling to question their Pumpkin King.
The Mayor was smiling. "Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant, Jack. Let us meditate on that."
The skeleton man nodded humbly, relieved to have established some credence with his fellows, and returned to his daydreams.
It was while he was in the midst of spinning Sally away from him, one of her tiny blue hands grasped by one of his long, bony ones, when Jack felt it. The far-away slobbery sensation in his ribs had shifted. He was now experiencing something...familiar as well, but never in that particular region of his anatomy. Sally was giving his bone sweet kisses, of course, but for the moment, Jack couldn't place the odd stimulation. He began squirming nervously in his chair, his brow furrowed in thought - which was a lucky thing really, because it gave his colleagues the illusion that he was extremely devoted to their discussion.
"Do you have something to say, Jack? Please, enlighten us!" The Mayor was leaning across the table with his cheesy, happy grin, ready to hang onto the Pumpkin King's every word.
"I..." Jack was suddenly, acutely aware of a new feeling in his chest, one he would recognize anywhere. Cloth sliding across his bones. "SALLY!" He gasped and looked around wildly. His friends were gaping at him. "SALLY will know what to do! I should discuss this whole issue with her when I get home, and brief you on her response at our next meeting!" He bit his lip, hoping he was convincing. There was an awkward pause, and then...
"Yes...yes, your Sally is always so bright in these matters, Jack. You have such dreadful taste, always! Let us know what she says, please. Now, returning to the subject of our new health code... "
Jack fell back into his chair and tried to make himself more inconspicuous - not easy for a Pumpkin King. By this point, the sensation reaching him from his detached rib resembled not just cloth, but incredibly WET cloth. Jack's hands began to sweat for the first time in centuries, his legs went numb, and the dark features of his face morphed into three perfect, black O's.
"I have to go." He stood up quickly and nearly knocked over his chair. "I have...things to d..do." He realized the extreme numbness of his legs only seconds before his unsupported body fell towards the floor.
"Jack! Oh no..." Everyone at the table began to rise and rush to help, but he was already back on his feet and dashing out the door, his coattails whipping out behind him.
In the dim, candlelit living room, Sally was still reclining on the couch, slowly sliding Jack's rib bone in and out of herself. The front door flew open without warning, causing her large eyelids to jerk upwards. She extricated the bone and gawked at it in complete horror, using her other hand to adjust her dress back over her legs. Her frightened eyes then fell on Jack, who was standing in the doorway, his briefcase lying open on the floor.
"Sally...Sally...Whatever are you doing?!" He was frozen in place, his eyes the size of dinner plates.
"I...Jack! I'm so s-sorry! I-I don't even know, I was sleeping! I promise!" She was now sitting up, gripping the couch nervously, and wondering whether she should go to him, but had a terrifying worry that he would repel her touch at this moment.
He was motionless and silent for a few long moments, but gradually relaxed. "Sally, I didn't even know you knew anything about...about THAT!"
"I didn't think I did e-either, but apparently I must have picked up something somewhere, because I knew in my dreams! Oh, I'm so terribly embarrassed! And I was so disrespectful to you! How can you ever forgive me? I'll understand if you never want to see me again, dearest Jack..." She rose to begin stumbling towards the door, her eyes brimming with tears.
He caught her arm as she walked by, and gently caressed the seam nearest her hand. "Sally..." His voice softened considerably. "I would never, not this century or the next, or ever, want you to leave me. I'm just surprised, is all..." He tried to give her a comforting smile, his cheeks still as red as his Santa outfit had been.
"You...you're not angry with me?"
"Of course not! I don't think I'm capable of being angry at my Sally. And how can I blame you, if you were asleep? Heh...Certainly we're not ready for...for all those things I...assume you were thinking about.." His confidence was waning - he didn't think this conversation would be happening so early on, and he also imagined himself having to explain most, if not all of it to her first. "But it would be unnatural for you...or me...to resist the urge to...daydream about these things every now and then." He had pulled her gently against him by now, and was running his long fingers through her hair. "Just...you probably...if we're trying to be appropriate...you probably shouldn't be using my bones to assist your...fantasies..."
Sally hugged him tightly and buried her face in his neck. "Of course, Jack! It was a mistake! It'll never happen again! You can take back your bone and never let me have it ag-" She squinted. "Did you just imply that you have these kind of thoughts sometimes, too?" She gazed up at him.
"Did...did I...What do you think about mixing bunny and vampire genetics, Sally?"