A Fortnight's Apology

[vicioussweetie]

Even Ali, all unforgiving as she is, can only withstand so many apologies before even her impressive walls of resistance crumble. For two weeks, with efforts unrelenting and unmissable, Jareth had been apologizing for his case of foot-in-mouth. Not with words; that wouldn't suit either of their temperaments very well. And neither was it with

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[labyrinthking]

Sometime later, amid tumbled pillows and tousled blankets, Jareth reclines in somewhat contemplative bliss. Admittedly, the foremost question on his mind is whether to properly wake or slip back into his doze, but others manage to steal a moment here or there for themselves.

[labyrinthking]

"Have I done them harm?" he asks, "or broken my word regarding their safety?" This is probably not the best time for a semantic argument about what constitutes an invitation.

[vicioussweetie]

Ali's well aware he's trying to avoid the point, and will count it a victory that he knows he was wrong. "That isn't the point. The point is that I won't be marrying you, so there's no rush for you to be involved in their lives."

[labyrinthking]

"You won't be marrying me," he points out, "so I shan't be another father to fail them."

[vicioussweetie]

"No," she states quite firmly, "you won't. So why are you so determined to know them?"

[labyrinthking]

"Because," he answers, "they are such an integral part of you."

[vicioussweetie]

"They are," she admits after a moment's pause. "So please respect the fact that I'll know when they're ready, and for what."

[labyrinthking]

"I can but try," he murmurs.

[vicioussweetie]

"And don't think I'm ever going to let the goblins babysit. I don't need the children being around that sort of bad hygienic influence," she adds in an attempt to lighten the mood with a(n admittedly bad) joke.

[labyrinthking]

"Well, they are filthy little beasts," he readily admits. About the goblins.

[vicioussweetie]

"Right. And we have enough trouble with the brushing of the teeth. I don't want anyone thinking bathing is optional." And, now that they seem to have come to an understanding, she relaxes again. She sounds downright friendly, in fact. "Well, I suppose they could be an option..."

[labyrinthking]

He raises a brow. "A stroll past the Bog could well put them on bathing for years," he observes. He's really not trying to weasel his way in, but since she seems to be contemplating options, so will he.

[vicioussweetie]

"I didn't mean for them," she points out with a nudge.

[labyrinthking]

"Ah," he murmurs, then a much more pleased, "ahh. To the bath."

[vicioussweetie]

"That," she purrs, "was the idea."