Chapter Five

Communication is a Lot like the Wind

Piper laid back and hummed happily to herself. After washing her hair and face she got up out of the bath and dried off. Slowly, she smoothed out her hair and tied it back. She slipped on her clothes and walked back into her room. Her ears perked as she heard the most beautiful voice singing. Slowly she made her way out of her room and walked towards the sound. It was strong and sweet all at the same time, so young and light and… perfect to the point that she couldn't fight the smile that came to her face.

"As the pain sweeps though, makes no sense for you," he hummed "every thrill is gone. Wasn't too much fun at all, but I'll be there for you-oo-oo. As the world falls down." Piper looked into the library and watched as Jareth skimmed the shelves for something. He kept singing but once he caught sight of Piper quickly stopped and cleared his throat.

"Oh I'm sorry," she said "I didn't mean to bother you." She bit her lip to keep from laughing at his jumpy expression.

"Oh no," he said giving a fake smile "is there something you wanted?" She managed to shake her head and started to walk back to her room. "Piper?"

"Hum?" she asked poking her head back into the library.

"Uh," he quickly thought of an excuse "would you help me for a moment?" Happy to be of help she nodded and came in as Jareth gave a worried expression. "Well you see," he explained "I've been looking for a book called Letters to Earth and I just can't seem to-"

"This one?" she asked picking it off the shelf and he smirked.

"Yeah," he muttered "thanks."

"Glad to help," Piper smiled looking around a bit "I mean, I know when I sing I don't pay attention to anything."

"Oh that," he muttered.

"It was great," she smiled "I didn't know you could sing. I thought only female fey could sing like that, I mean that well."

"Aw," he shrugged "you must not know much then."

"You'd be surprised," she smirked and he cocked an eyebrow.

"Really now?" he mused.

"Yes really," she said teasingly placing her hands on her hips "I WAS five once ya know." He laughed.

"If you think that all fae are cute and glittery-" he started.

"You're not like that," she said bluntly "I mean, well you know what I mean."

"What do you mean?" he teased.

"I mean," she paused "you are kinda glittery but-" she flicked some glitter off his white poet shirt "not, I don't know how to explain how I think to you. It's completely impossible." She waited a moment "you're not glittery like Tinkerbelle."

"How am I glittery then?" he mocked.

"Hence," she said pointing to the glitter where he obviously poofed in "the glitter. I mean, everyone thinks … fae are cute and everything but they just aren't."

"Thanks," he muttered dryly though she noticed the amused grimace of a smile in the corners of his mouth.

"I mean cute like puppy cute," Piper chuckled "like, HI I'm gonna grant you three wishes cute."

"So what am I?" he asked and she paused a moment.

"Handsome," she stifled and stopped herself from adding I guess to make herself feel better. She felt odd saying anything about how he looked, it was strange enough that he wore TIGHTS and poet shirts but, glitter? In fact, it did raise some suspicion. "Can I ask a personal question?"

"Sure," Jareth murmured putting the book down on his desk.

"Are you straight?" Piper asked and Jareth burst into laughter. "I'm sorry but I gotta wonder with the tights and all."

"YES I'm straight," he said still laughing. Finally when he stopped he glared mockingly "are you?"

"Last time I checked," she grinned "but then that was a while ago so…" Jareth's eyes widened. "I'm kidding. Yeah I'm very straight. That whole, girls with girls thing kinda creeps me out."

"Why?" he asked blankly.

"Don't tell me your one of those guys that gets turned on by that!?" she said giving a disgusted look. She then smirked.

"I don't," he paused and fumbled over his words "I mean. I don't get turned on by anything." He paused again, "I MEAN I don't, I was just wondering why you dislike it so much."

"It's just weird," she said, still laughing "its like, guys on guys seriously grosses me out, but girls with girls don't seem as bad as guys with guys."

"Whys that?" he murmured.

"You ask a lot of questions you know that?" Piper said, pulling a book off the shelf and looking it over. He looked up at her, expecting an answer. "There's no balance."

"Huh?" he frowned.

"When a guy and a girl are together there's a certain balance," Piper tried to explain herself "because the guy has this whole, masculine thing were their supposed to be strong and charming and, all that other crap. And the woman is sort of graceful and sweet and, just feminine. And when a guy tries to act feminine… well, it just doesn't work."

"Can a woman be masculine?" he asked looking up and Piper shifted her weight.

"I think so," she muttered "better than a man trying to be feminine." They didn't say anything for a long time.

"You think very much for someone your age," Jareth murmured looking up from the book and Piper smiled.

"There you go again about my age," she sighed "I'm beginning to think you're fixated on it or something." They both laughed and Piper watched goblins scurry around here and there outside the room. After a long time Jareth put his book down and watched her. "What's it like to fly?" she asked suddenly and he brushed the glazed look off his face.

"To fly?" he repeated and she nodded. "Like being set free."

"I thought so," she smiled.

"Thought so what?" he asked.

"That yesterday," she gave a pure look of radiance "I flew."