Author's Note: I couldn't resist. This is mostly PWP, which is not something I like writing, but there you go. Besides, this is an important step for the people involved. It just doesn't relate in a direct physical sequence with anything.

Author's Note 2: Hello to the two newbies who have joined us. A big smile for the both of you. And an equally big smile for my regulars, all three of them. Hmmm... considering I had eight reviewers for the first chapter I'm surprisingly not too concerned. I wonder why?


Toby could barely contain his gasping breath any more. It was stuttering in his chest and if the dots dancing before his eyes were any indication, he was in for the orgasm of his life.

And Jareth just kept kissing and sucking. Clever, clever mouth! Toby made a mental note to add it to that list of National Treasures that he'd found in the study. A wide sweep of the tongue had him groaning in despair as he wrenched hard on the handfuls of blond hair.

Jareth gave a hoarse chuckle and then that evil, evil mouth let go entirely as the fae slithered up his body to peck chastely at his mouth.

"No, no! No stopping," Toby protested, "Why're you stopping?"

"Want more?"

"For mercy's sake, Jareth! Are you trying to kill me?" His leg wrapped around slender hips and pulled desperately. Hard pressure, more beautiful than anything he had yet experienced. Oooo, went a tiny voice in his mind, perhaps this position had its advantages. The leg pulled again… and again… and got the pull and hump rhythm down to a veritable art in a matter of three tries.

And all through it Jareth purred contentedly as he kissed him, burning hot mouth sliding over Toby's lips, even as hot-skinned ribs pushed against slightly cooler muscular flesh. Smooth skin against roughed-haired skin. He adjusted himself on top of Toby and then pressed down for the kill.

But Toby was stronger than that. Or rather, was caught by another meandering thought. He could feel the Goblin King pressed against him, was well aware of that hard, hot bulge that pushed against him with an equally needy shove. But those damnable breeches were still in the way!

Jareth pulled back just a little and frowned.

"Get them off," Toby panted, skimming his hands over the waistband.

"Forget them." Jareth leaned back in and kissed, driving his tongue hard against the roof of Toby's mouth even as he started up a faster, slicker motion of his hips.

Toby moaned, but curled his fingers determinedly into the soft material.

Jareth suddenly slid away. Toby found Jareth's beautiful hand finished the job before he could get his bewildered mind around what was happening to him. Toby shuddered, losing his train of thought in the surrender, and the fingers kept plucking ruthlessly, prolonging the entire thing just a little. And then peace.

Breath short and harsh in the room. Stillness. Silence. The scorching feel of too-hot skin pressed to his side.

"Jareth?"

A soft kiss landed on his ear and the fingers let go with a business-like aplomb. "Stay here."

The Goblin King was up and out before the mortal could say a word, leaving confusion behind him. There should have been no reason for Jareth to react the way he had. Toby understood enough about people to know certain positions or pleasures were sacred and not to be allowed until the company merited it. But complete dislike of orgasm? That was strange.

He stood up, his legs just a little shaky, and stumbled to the door of the bathroom. He knew full well what that soft groan had been.

"This is not a good idea," he hissed to himself, "I can ask him! I don't need to spy!"

But his feet stopped outside the door and he held his breath before pressing his ear to the thin wooden door. The soft groan was just a little louder, cut off abruptly as if the speaker had bitten his lip to keep himself quiet. A gentle 'mmm' floated out from nowhere, making Toby swallow very hard.

He could just picture the scene, were he to admit it to himself:

Jareth would probably be kneeling by the tub, one hand clenched on the thick porcelain lip, the other fisting himself as hard as he dared without actually causing injury. Maybe he'd do that little shimmy with his fingertips…

"Gods, yes!"

Oh, he was definitely doing that shimmy if he had betrayed himself in such a manner.

A quiet babble of fae words ranging from 'suck' to 'harder' to 'more'.

Toby choked down a laugh, picturing the look on Jareth's face so close to the final break. In all likelihood, the Goblin King was a dramatic lover, so he would be kneeling there, with one hand on himself and the other on the tub, and he would throw his head back and bare his long throat in ecstasy, his eyes screwed shut until the only thing he saw was an explosion of white light behind his eyes.

"Toby, please!"

The mortal jerked back as if stung. He'd anticipated an urgent gasp. But his name? Blushing bright red, he scurried back into bed and pretended to be asleep. For good measure, he pulled the blanket up over his face so Jareth wouldn't see the blush that wouldn't disappear.

In actual fact, it was some time before the fae entered the room again.

Toby squeezed his eyes shut and cursed himself when his ears overcompensated for his refusal to open his eyes.

"Asleep?"

"Yes," he grunted.

The fae didn't take the trouble to walk around the bed. He just climbed over Toby and then settled down. His composure returned, he did not seem the type of person that masturbated over an overlarge, over-earnest mortal that was already in his bed. Why would he want to? And even assuming he did, Toby couldn't understand why he wouldn't let them touch, when he seemed to want to.

"You are not asleep."

"'M trying," Toby said.

A soft hand landed on the back of his neck and stroked soothingly.

Toby jerked upright and flipped the little switch that started up the oil lamp on the table next to the bed. "What did you do in the bathroom?" he snapped.

Jareth raised a dark eyebrow languidly. "I thought it was obvious," he commented.

"And why could you not do that here?" Toby pursued.

"I was not aware your tastes ran to voyeurism," the Goblin King commented.

"What? No! You know what I mean," Toby growled, ruffling his own hair in annoyance, "I was prepared to do it for you. Why move away?"

"I didn't know you were so willing," Jareth allowed, "I was sparing you the guilt."

"Guilt?"

"Luka," Jareth pointed out, "Touching someone else?"

"Oh." Blue eyes blinked in cooling confusion. "Guilt."

"Guilt," Jareth echoed firmly, "I am not wasting time patting your shoulder while you agonize at the end of the year."

Toby looked down at the sheets. With all his sitting up and irritation, he'd pushed the covers down off the both of them. And Jareth was still wearing those frustrating breeches. And this time they weren't even wet.

Unbidden, the remembrance of Jareth's hard, slender body wet from the swim taken four days ago came to mind, reminding him of how the cloth was liable to reveal more than conceal when it got soaked. He gulped, hearing that needy gasp once more in his ears. Looking up, he caught the interested gaze of a very curious Goblin King.

"I'm not in a relationship," Toby said, "No Luke. No guilt."

"I see." Jareth held still and watched him for just a shade longer than was necessary. After which he sighed and rolled over onto his back, giving a happy little wriggle of his hips as he lifted his legs to get the constricting trousers off. "Thank you! I was starting to think I should ask for nightshirts to be made!"

Toby raised an eyebrow at the open grin as Jareth stuck his long legs up in the air and then coiled them to get the trousers over his ankles and feet. A long, relieved huff slipped out the white throat as the breeches went sailing into the corner.

Toby was trying- very hard, in fact- not to stare. And failing miserably.

"Like what you see?"

Uh-oh. That throaty chuckle that ended on a purr.

The Goblin King nestled closer and smirked sweetly into his ward's face. "Hmmm… I was wondering how long it would take. Congratulations. Another life's lesson completed."

"An- another?"

"Mmhmm." Sharp teeth nibbled on his lower lip.

Whatever it was would be a singularly good piece of advice, Toby fervently agreed, especially if it meant he could pin those narrow hips to the bed and taste the forbidden.