For Daddy's Dearest
A/N: Happy Month of Halloween, all of you! I've been working on a Christmas Fic for The Labyrinth for quite a while, but got inspired by the chilly ( or as chilly as it gets here in Texas) weather to write an Autumn/Halloween centered one. Ahh, this is my first Labyrinth fanfiction that I'll be posting, so any advice and support you're willing to give me would be absolutely amazing! This will be a short multi-chapter fic with puffs of fluff, mostly centered around Jareth - so please please please forgive me for any OOC-ness (like I said, advice is well appreciated 3) Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoy! Reviews are always appreciated 3
Chapter 1 - We Leave After Lunch, Precious.
"Come now Sarah, you can't be serious about this." Jareth yawned as he stretched over their bed. He had awakened some minutes ago from the sound of opening and closing of cabinets and drawers, and watched his partner pack a week's worth of clothing. A child like smile graced her lips.
"Jareth, you know just as well as I do how serious I am about this! I haven't seen my family in person for over a month, and Halloween is one of my favorite holidays - it's in my blood" Sarah said, missing the pout that came over her partner's face.
Jareth climbed out of bed, and asked, "Am I not enough for my queen?" as he came up behind her, arms circling around her torso. Sarah didn't miss the hint of jealousy that made it to her ears, however, and swatted his arms halfheartedly.
"Queen - to - be mind you, and don't you start with that! Of course it's different for you, your parents come up here so often they might as well live here. Plus, it isn't like I intend to leave you behind, we're going together." she finished, leaving the king's arms to fetch a second bag from one of his many closets - and all but threw said bag into his majesty's arms.
Jareth's eyebrows rose in surprise and amusement. He set the bag next to the one that was already half way filled.
"I hadn't realized you had planned to drag me along as well precious, but I'm afraid I can't accompany you, after all I do have a kingdom to run, and the goblins can't be trusted by themselves-"
"I already asked your father to take care of things" Sarah cut him off, brushing past him to open his bag, and gesturing it to him with a raised eyebrow of her own. The other's eye twitched before he said,
"Ah I see, well that's fortunate - but you forget! I am to host court two days from now, so perhaps it's best that I stay put - "
"Your mother agreed to oversee the whole event, planning and clean up included" she rolled her eyes and began packing his bag for him - much to his dismay.
"The scheduled to tidy up the labyrinth this week - "
"I've got Hoggle on it"
"The new knights are in need of introductory - "
"Sir Didymus was appointed by me to induct them"
"The new rock gardens! Someone has to make sure the goblins don't -
"Ludo, who is probably the best for the job anyways as he is a rock guardian, was more than happy to design, arrange, and protect the rock gardens"
"...Perhaps there'll be a summoning?" Jareth asked, though his shoulders were already slouched in defeat.
"You know just as well as I do that you haven't had a summoning in two months, what more can seven days do?" Sarah replied, smirking as she set two fully packed bags in front of the fae. "Be honest Jareth, are you that against coming up above ground with me? Even for at least just a week?" she placed a hand on her hip, a pointed look coming over her face.
"Now love, it isn't that I'm against going up with you, it's just, well - it's you family" he confessed, shoulders seeing to slump even more. He snapped his head up and narrowed his eyes at the giggle that escaped his fiance.
"What's this? My big bad Goblin King is intimidated by my suburban cultured family?" Her smile only grew at seeing the scowl form on her partner's face, "Enlighten me please, love, as to why you're scared of my family. You've already met them before, and Toby adores you! He practically begged me to bring you with me" she added, sitting on their bed.
"Ah yes, and I adore your brother just as much Sarah mine" he sat down next to her, the bed dipping slightly, "But you're parents...are on a whole different level" he admitted, his scowl returning as his lover's giggling did.
"My parents?" she asked, partially in disbelief but mostly in amusement.
"Indeed, more specifically, your father" he paused to swallow, "Robert". At that, Sarah fell back in laughter, causing the fae to fold his arms in annoyance.
"Jareth, if that's all, you really have nothing to worry about! Daddy loves you - er, well, tolerates you at the very least." she sat up and waved her hand - the one wearing a simple yet beautiful engagement ring - in front of Jareth's face, "He did give us his blessings after all."
"As he rightfully should have, I've been nothing but a gentleman to you and your family -" Sarah coughed and muttered something about child snatching, and Jareth had the decency to look abashed "But every time I'm in the same room as the man, it feels at least twenty degrees colder! Every time I as so much as put an arm around you in his presence, he flashes these, these chilled eyes in my direction.". He shook his head as if to erase a memory before continuing,
"Sarah, you must understand, I am a king, and a man of nobility after that - besides you and perhaps my parents, no being would ever question my actions or existence. But your father - though he may have given us our blessings and tolerates me at best, as you have put it - it's as if he's planning my end should I even be less than five feet near you." he concluded, turning his head to meet his love's gaze.
"Jareth, he's my father, and I'm his only daughter - his princess if you will. I promise you, all fathers are like that - I'm certain if our roles were reversed and you were a girl, your father would do the same." she paused to peck him in the cheek, to which he smiled warmly at. "If anything, this gives me more of a reason as to why you need to go above with me." At the sound of disapproval, she shook her head and continued "Love, we get married the first month of Spring, not even five months from now. I've grown pretty close to your parents; I just want you to do the same with mine!" Jareth looked as if he were to argue once more, but stopped at the sulky expression Sarah wore.
"Please? It'll only be a week - no more, no less. For me?"
He fought to keep his air of authority, he truly did, but in the end it was for not. With a sigh, he said "We leave after lunch, precious." Sarah grinned and promptly hugged him, and though Jareth questioned if he could really succeed in becoming closer to her father, he returned the embrace knowing how much the other would appreciate it.
10/11/2015