Jareth refused to let go of Sarah's hand as she struggled to get away from him and instead slowly pulled her closer to him.
"So, my dear Sarah," he began in a low voice, dark with amusement but lacking its normal mocking ring. "What's this about a crush?"
"Oh, just let me go! It's nothing!" Sarah cried, still trying to wrench her hand out of Jareth's grasp. "It was ages ago and it doesn't mean a thing now!"
"Come, come, Sarah," Jareth chuckled jovially. "It may mean nothing to you anymore but this is the first I'm hearing of it and I'm quite interested to hear all about it." Instead of releasing her he pulled her to his side and finished their short trek to the dining room where he deposited her in the seat next to him, grinning widely at her angry glare.
"There's nothing to tell," Sarah stated sulkily.
Jareth leaned in, his smile widening. "Nothing at all?"
"No. Nothing at all."
"Then you won't mind if I decide to fill in the blanks for myself," Jareth said cheerfully and started a thread that he was sure went beyond what Sarah actually felt. "After you left the Labyrinth you went back to your boring life of school, chores, and taking care of your screaming brother, all under the watchful eye of your wicked stepmother. It didn't take long before you were lost in your daydreams again and a certain, familiar, dashing Goblin King came to mind."
Jareth paused and gave her a mischievous look before continuing. "However, no longer was he your adversary, someone you had to best so that you could win back the child you so hastily wished away; and you soon started remembering him as the man you'd danced with in a crystal ballroom when you felt as though you hadn't a care in the world."
Jareth looked over and noticed that Sarah had put her head in her hands and was shaking her head slowly as if to stop him from going on; he could just the bright stain of a flush on her cheeks through her fingers. "As the weeks of replaying this particular scene over and over in your mind went on you started altering things here and there until you no longer had to leave his embrace to go on and try to find what you vaguely remembered that you were looking for. Instead, you stayed there where you felt you belonged, content to dance the night away. And what started out as a gentle kiss slowly turned more passionate until you felt as though you were burning from the inside out and you found yourself wondering what it would be like if he would just –"
"Stop!" Sarah said loudly, looking up from her hands, her voice firm and ringing with her rising irritation. "Just stop."
"Mmm… I don't think that's how the story goes, Sarah. Why would anyone want to stop there?" Jareth shot a teasing smirk at her and resisted the urge to lean across the table and kiss her scowl away.
"I don't want to hear any more of your demented story or let you carry on inflating your already overly large ego by actually believing something so ridiculous," Sarah shot back. "The truth of it was that I simply found you attractive and developed a crush on your image." It wasn't completely true, but Sarah wasn't about to let him know how close to the mark he had gotten with his thread.
Jareth shrugged and waved off her explanation. "I like my version of events much better. We should stick to that story instead."
Sarah spluttered over the drink of water she was taking and gaped at him in shock. "We? Oh no. No, no, no. You just go on thinking whatever you want to in that twisted mind of yours if that'll make you happy. But if anyone were ever to ask, it's either the truth as told by me or I deny ever saying such a foolish thing."
"Oh, Sarah," Jareth began in a mocking voice. "Why do you insist on breaking my heart with your cruelty?"
"Oh, Jareth," Sarah taunted back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Why do you insist on believing you have a heart for me to break?"
Jareth gave Sarah a calculating stare and she wondered if she hadn't just stepped over some imaginary line in the sand. As his intense scrutiny continued she fought not to squirm under his gaze and jumped in shock when he threw his head back and laughed.
Jareth just laughed and laughed, pleased that she finally called him by his name and amazed that she would actually mock him so openly. She would definitely be fun to keep around, he thought to himself and debated actually not letting her go back home to her family at all.
A few moments later as their breakfast was being brought out to them Jareth calmed down and graced Sarah with a wide grin. "After breakfast we'll take a walk." His tone made it clear that he wouldn't take no for an answer and Sarah nodded her head in submission.
A temporary truce seemed to be called between the two as they walked through the castle grounds together and Sarah reflected that she rather enjoyed Jareth's company even if she wouldn't admit it to him just yet. Though his tempers were mercurial, she found that she enjoyed both matching wits with him and keeping up with his mind games. He presented a challenge to her that she found sadly lacking in most people she met and she rose eagerly to meet his challenges and in turn presented some of her own.
Days passed and Sarah and Jareth became more comfortable together, teasing and joking during their daily strolls through the garden together, and Sarah lowered her guard when Jareth didn't make any attempt to do more than hold her hand. Eventually they fell into a routine that Sarah found herself looking forward to until the morning Jareth didn't join her for breakfast.
Jareth watched through the crystal as Sarah sat down for breakfast and watched the door expectantly for his entrance. He hadn't informed her that he wouldn't be joining her this morning and wanted to monitor her reaction to see for himself if she was growing as attached to him as he hoped she was. Though he couldn't hear through the crystal, Jareth watched as a goblin came through to deliver Sarah's breakfast and saw her form the words to ask where he was. He smiled when the goblin shrugged and a play of emotions crossed Sarah's face.
Disappointment was first and was quickly followed a shake of the head, disapproval, and anger at herself, as Sarah mouthed to herself that it shouldn't matter to her anyway. Jareth continued to watch a while longer and noticed that no matter how much Sarah might try to convince herself that she didn't miss him at breakfast that morning, there was no disguising her continued, longing glances at his chair and her distinct lack of appetite this morning. She pushed her breakfast around for a short while then gave up, leaving the plate mostly untouched, and left the dining hall.
As she wandered out into the gardens, Jareth tossed the crystal away and left to meet her. He'd found out what he needed to know and decided it was time to up the stakes in the game they were playing together.
"I'm afraid I had to miss breakfast this morning," Jareth said brightly, coming up behind Sarah and taking her elbow, gracing her with a teasing smile. "I hope you didn't miss me too much."
Sarah smiled back and tried to play it off. "I wouldn't have noticed you were missing at all except for the distinct absence of our usual mental chess games."
Jareth's smile turned sly and he leaned in slightly, not enough to set Sarah's guard up but enough to make her notice him even more than usual. "Is that the only reason you wouldn't have noticed me, Sarah?"
"You never fail to try to find a way to flatter yourself, do you?" Sarah teased, unable to meet his eyes unless he saw through her.
"You're avoiding my question, Sarah," Jareth murmured, letting his hand slide down her arm to her hand. He turned her to face him, still holding her hand in his. His voice lowered to a more intimate level as he spoke again, "You're not afraid to answer, are you?"
A shiver snaked down Sarah's spine at his tone and she fought to not let him see her tremble. Pulling up as much bravado as she could, Sarah replied flippantly, "Most would take that to be a clear 'no'."
"And most would take it as such," Jareth said with laughter in his voice, his free hand coming up to wrap a stray strand of hair around his finger. "I, however, know you well enough by now to know when you're simply trying to distract me."
Sarah opened her mouth to protest, to try to defend herself without actually having to admit that she had missed him this morning, but didn't get far as Jareth closed the distance between them, cutting off any protest she could make with a kiss.
His hand tangled in her hair and the other released her hand to move to the small of her back as he pulled her closer, mentally willing her to respond to him this time. After a moment hesitation from Sarah, he got his wish as she sighed and leaned into him, kissing him back. Slowly one of her hands came up to caress the back of his neck while the other snaked between them to rest lightly on his chest. Her lips moved over his and when he bit gently on her lower lip she didn't hesitate to part her lips for him. Jareth's tongue delved in eagerly and he moaned into her mouth at his first taste of her, a moan that was quickly echoed by one of Sarah's own. Their kiss was gentle and tentatively exploring at first but quickly grew in intensity until they both broke apart, breathless and wanting more.
Jareth untangled his hand from her hair and caressed her cheek, gazing down at her with love and desire in his eyes. "I want you so much, Sarah," he whispered, voice thick with passion.
Sarah leaned into his caress, poised on the edge of giving in to him when something made her start. With a panicked look she jerked away from Jareth and started backing up slowly.
"I… I can't. I'm sorry." And she turned and fled.