Author's Note: Here's something nice for this season. I couldn't resist; I really couldn't. After all, Christmas is all about salvation, isn't it? Or at least, for the Christians it is. And the rest of us just like the food and presents. Which, incidentally, are both things Jareth and Toby and their family could do with, don't you think?

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Storming into the library the next morning brought Toby straight to Jareth's back. "What are we doing for Christmas?" he asked.

Jareth looked around in some surprise, his brows pulling together into a light frown before clearing. "Christmas? I'm afraid we don't celebrate that down here, my elf. Surely you know by now?"

A trifle, Toby decided, something he waved away with a flick of his capable hand. "Not this year. This year we're doing something for Christmas. Something nice! I miss Christmas. Can't we do something down here?"

The Goblin King put down his papers and sat down in the window seat. "Christmas?" he echoed dubiously, "I'm not sure I follow you, my elf."

"Let's throw an enormous Christmas down here for the family," Toby explained, "We could invite Mom, Dad, Sarah, Ben, the various kids, and Zaraith…"

"Why Zaraith?" Jareth interrupted.

Toby sent him a speaking look. "For Arradine, naturally," he grinned, "And the humans from the Ivory Tower. They have their own Christmas celebrations; did you know that? Well, those who celebrate Christmas, and then the others just like a party. And perhaps we can get the political necessities out of the way by inviting Armand and his retinue. Oh, and a few of your nobles too. I'd love to see them squirm when they're forced to endure a few Aboveground traditions!"

"Bloodthirsty little brat," Jareth commented lovingly, smiling at him from his seat in the window. Toby grinned so sheepishly back at him that he laughed, overjoyed to actually feel this weightless sense of happiness again. "Come here, my dear. I am about to show you exactly why I cannot stand not to touch you when we're together."

Toby went willingly enough and let himself be kissed into the next world. It had been ages and he could feel the overwhelming sense of giddy delight in the world. A soft sigh and he opened physically and mentally to his lover, shivering to know how far Jareth would let them go this time. He only hoped that he'd be able to reciprocate half of what his lover gave him.

'You do,' Jareth whispered back, 'Every chance you get you show me how much you care.'

'Can't help it. Need you constantly. Never want you to stop. God, don't stop!' That delightful, long-fingered hand was smoothing down his body, making unerringly for his…

"Oh, Good God!" The open door creaked and two people turned hurriedly away again.

Toby let out a yelp and leapt backwards, hands over his mouth, and Jareth snickered wickedly at the looks on his children's faces. Stretching out his long legs, he uncurled from the window seat and took his lover's hand soothingly. "Are you alright?" he asked, wrapping an arm around his waist.

Toby still had the most delightful little blush, but he nodded and leaned intimately enough against his husband. "Fine."

Jareth didn't let go, but turned his head to quirk an eyebrow at the two watching them with barely contained glee. "Was there something you wanted?" he asked in a bored voice, letting Arradine and Aidan have the full blast of his thinly veiled desire for them to leave.

Maddeningly enough, both children came in and shut the door behind them. "We have something to discuss with you," Arradine said sweetly, "Concerning this winter. We just spoke with Sarah and she asked us to come spend Christmas Aboveground. Aidan and I have never been Aboveground and neither has Ereditha, so we thought you might perhaps agree to let us go. For family's sake, of course."

"Of course," Jareth echoed. "Well, I am afraid you have caught your dad and I at a particularly bad moment and so…"

"We chose the moment you would be most likely to want to get rid of us," Aidan advised wickedly, "You know, no long childish speeches to try to persuade you otherwise; no long attempts to bargain and plead. Just say yes and we will leave."

Jareth and Toby shared a look. "They are your children," Toby said quellingly, "Don't look at me! It's in their nature to be devious."

"We need to discuss this," Jareth offered, "Now get out."

"No," both children chorused.

Toby suddenly gave an evil little grin as Jareth said something in his head. 'Why not,' he replied back, 'it will teach them a little lesson.'

The Goblin King suddenly picked his bond mate up in his arms and walked to the raised platform where the stacks were. Levitating calmly over the railings, he disappeared between the shelves and then proceeded to drop Toby on the floor and kiss him senseless once more.

Aidan and Arradine stared in the general direction of the soft sounds of kissing and undone clothing and made the unanimous decision to flee.

Jareth stopped at the sound of a slamming door and peeped out, smirking as he turned back and nodded. "They've gone," he said smugly.

Toby laughed up at him and clapped a hand over his eyes. "I think we just traumatized them for life," he commented thickly, "Oh Lord! So, what do you think of their idea?"

The laughter stopped abruptly. "You seriously want to go Aboveground for Christmas?" Jareth asked.

Toby lowered his hand and looked up in surprise. "Well, yeah. I haven't been back home since I was sixteen. I'm thirty-five now, Jareth, and a visit back might be nice."

"You want to go back…"

"Not to leave! I want you to come with me. You've never experience Christmas, have you? Well, it can be pretty interesting. Mom would kill herself making all this food and the entire house would be full of the smell of roasting turkey and stuff, and strewn all over with torn wrapping paper and presents. It's complete and utter chaos! But it's fun. The whole family is there, yelling and screaming and fighting and drinking."

Jareth had gone pale and a little quiet. He liked enormous gatherings, but on his terms and under his roof. He wasn't very good at being a guest because he kept wanting to run things. And to go Aboveground… "You want me to meet the rest of your family, don't you?"

Toby gave up pretending. "Yes, I do, actually. I want to show you off."

"You realize that if you take me Aboveground, people are going to know that you're in a homosexual relationship? And just how will we explain the birth of our three children?"

"Arradine and Ereditha are yours and I adopted them when we got together," Toby said promptly, "Aidan can be mine from a previous relationship."

"Really. Since when do you get Aidan?" Jareth snarked in mock frustration, "I went through the hellish birth with him. I don't see why you get to be his father."

"Are you serious? Then we'll have to figure out how to explain why your son has my colouring and my two children have yours," Toby remarked acidly, "Unless you think we should go for the truth? I can just see my Aunt Heather's face- 'I'm serious, Aunt Heather! I was the size of a beach ball for the last five months of pregnancy and then I spent sixteen hours in labour, but everything was worth it when I breastfed my first-born'! Oh, yeah, she'd love that."

Jareth burst out laughing and petted Toby in apology. "I'm sorry, my elf. I didn't mean to tease you. Very well, then, consider Aidan my Christmas present."

Toby debated his next words in his mind, then plunged on recklessly- "Only Aidan? Other wives get diamonds!"

"You, my dear, are not a wife."

"I could be," Toby murmured suggestively, peeping up from under his lashes, "After all, I play the girl in this relationship. More so than many other girls, actually! I'm far more submissive to you than many married women are. I think I deserve a diamond."

"Of course! And where will it go?" Jareth purred, "Here?" He touched an earlobe but Toby only smiled enigmatically.

"On one of these perhaps?"

He fingered both sensitive nipples through Toby's shirt and felt the thrill of triumph when Toby arched.

"Or maybe…"

His hands moved lower and gently cupped his lover's growing erection. "There are those who do like to be pierced just…" he slid his hand into the uncomfortably tight breeches "… there."

"Actually," Toby whispered, "I was thinking… here." He moved Jareth's hand from his crotch to his neck, pressing the fingers to circle his throat so that he could feel the slight pressure on his thrumming pulse-point. "Collared, cuffed, and laid out for your pleasure."

Mismatched eyes darkened and began to glow as the Goblin King leaned down, slowly dropping the merest brush of a kiss onto Toby's lips before pulling away. The mortal whimpered and reached higher to make the contact last longer. But Jareth was always just that hairsbreadth away, moving further away when Toby tried to force the issue. The hand on his neck was pushing him down.

"Beg me."

"Please…"

"Please, what?"

Toby frowned slightly. "Master?" he tried tentatively.

That thin mouth moved further away. "I am not your Master," Jareth growled, "Never call me that again."

Oh right- Archer! Toby had forgotten for a while. He licked his dry lips and felt the nerve-endings tingle with the inrush of blood. He could feel his mouth, feel the air that blew gently over it and felt how it shaped itself for Jareth's kiss. He didn't think he had ever gotten this hard over being kissed before.

Jareth decided to take pity on him because he pushed aside the unpleasant memories and moved a little closer. "Tell me what you want," he instructed quietly.

"Please kiss me."

The Goblin King obliged. But that was all he obliged with and Toby wriggled helplessly, his hands lying uselessly beside his head because he knew these games and they would stop instantly if he tried to add another dimension to them. Jareth never permitted him to touch himself without permission. It was ironic, but the Goblin King only explained it away with- "This is mine. No one but myself is allowed to touch. That must include you too."

So Toby was stumped. For the most part Jareth never cared whether he masturbated or touched a spot his lover had missed; the immortal had quite a bit of the voyeur in him to like that sort of thing. But when the games began… God help him, but he'd be left hard and aching for hours with his hands chained if he tried it. The very thought of the punishment fired him even more.

Jareth felt that abandoned shudder and recognized it thrillingly for what it was. He concentrated on Toby's tongue, seducing it out into the open air and then sucking on just the tip. 'Is this all you want?' he asked mentally.

'More! Make love to me, please!' Toby's brain was beginning to come unhinged, just like it always did. It felt so dangerous to place all he was into another's hands, but he trusted Jareth implicitly not to hurt him. Never mind what he believed, he was craving something that was infinitely more than just a sweet make-out session.

"Say it," Jareth urged aloud, "Give me instructions. Where do you want me to touch you? Do I use my hands or my mouth? Am I allowed to use my tongue?"

With a start Toby recognized a new emotion in this game- Jareth was giving up control! He was in charge! He stared upward, pondering this suddenly new turn of affairs.

Goblin King smiled a little down at him, enjoying that startled look on Toby's face- "Do as I say and I will be your slave."

Toby felt his breath hitch. So this was where they were! Finally! The ultimate end! Was this still what he wanted? "My neck," he sighed, "Use your mouth and your tongue."

Jareth complied meekly, kissing and licking over the salty skin and feeling the blood rush straight down to his groin.

"Bite."

Sharp teeth were instantly fastened over his jugular, biting down hard enough to leave a severe bruise and vicious enough to actually draw a few drops of blood. Toby felt his eyes water with the pain but it was like nothing he had ever felt before. He twisted beneath it and cried out helplessly, control over himself breaking. Now neither of them was in control. He hastily magicked off their clothes and pulled Jareth's head down to his chest. "Suck," he begged, "Please! Just… suck."

The greedy mouth suckled like a child- like one of their own children. Only their children hadn't had cruel teeth that bit down every so often and sent another crash of electricity bursting through his system. He was aware that he was mewling, was aware that for some peculiar reason he was crying out for his husband to love him.

Pushing Jareth back up and lifting his own legs- "Enter me." Desperate, hoarse and pleading- "Take me!"

"Toby, you haven't been prepared…"

"Screw that! I need you and you will obey me- now!"

The long, scraping pain like sandpaper on a bullet wound ran from his protesting sphincter muscles all the way up his back to crush up against the base of his skull. He had never been more aware of the burning heat of his body, or of Jareth's, or the cold of the air and the tile. The smell of old books and learning permeated the air and now the sharp tang of sex in this timeless place. Trying to bite back a scream as Jareth tried to take him gently. Too gently.

"Tear me," Toby gasped, "I want blood. I want scars. I want to remember."

"You don't have to," Jareth whispered to him, "I'll keep reminding you. Don't hurt, Toby, please. I can't bear it."

"I love you. Please hurt me."

"No."

"You must. You promised."

"Don't ask for that…"

"Tear me or I will cut myself to draw the blood," Toby threatened. "I want to see my blood on your body. I want- I want… Gods, yes! Yes! Ahh, please, my love, harder!"

There was blood. There would be a scar, though Jareth would probably never be able to tell it from any of the other scars that he felt beneath his fingers when he inserted them. It was the first time that he had ever taken his consort without the careful oiling that he had sworn never to neglect with any of his male partners.

The heat and tight flesh rasped dryly over him and it almost hurt him too much to continue. But his body craved more and he thrust in again and again, trying not to like giving this pain, trying not to be turned on by the tears on his lover's face and the blood that acted as a late lubricant. But it was hopeless and when he felt the pleasure increase for his lover at this mishandling, he gave up trying and simply enjoyed it, working them both to fever pitch and then beyond.

Toby hadn't quite found release with him, which was only to be expected with the level of pain he had experienced. Jareth pulled away and shifted downwards, offering his mouth to be used. The first thrust was so brutal it almost made him gag, but Toby seemed too fargone to care. Shaking fingers running through his hair as Toby arched beneath him, right on the cusp of orgasm.

'Beautiful,' Jareth whispered, 'so sweet.'

That did it. Release rushed through the little figure so hard he cried out soundlessly, shivering on the cold tile as he clutched hard at his lover's hard, pressing up hard enough to get as much of himself as was humanly possibly down his lover's throat. The tight heat drew him on until he begged for mercy. Then, and only then, did Jareth let him go.

They lay there for a while, simply luxuriating in the post-coital glow that coated everything around there.

"So," Toby eventually panted, "Want to come meet my family?"

Jareth nodded and worked his jaw for a minute. "Love to," he rasped.