As The World Falls Down

Chapter 21

"That is literally the worst coat I have ever seen."

"Oh, come on!"

Jareth tossed the coat onto the rapidly accumulating pile on the floor of his bedroom, then turning to rifle angrily in his closet for more. It was a few days before The Ball and he had dragged you straight to his room after dinner to help him pick out an outfit for the occasion, but so far you had hated on every single option, and he was clearly starting to get frustrated.

He pulled a red, velveteen coat with golden buttons and white silk accents and you immediately crinkled your nose in disgust and his head fell back as he let out an aggravated groan.

"Is there nothing you like?" he asked, looking at you with genuine exasperation.

"I mean, I like you," you offered and he rolled his eyes.

"Yes, I know that," he hissed, tossing you a look before turning to gather more garments. "Now is not the time to be cheeky, Y/N, this is serious. I need to know what I'm going to wear so I can figure out what you're going to wear and I know you're impatient to get your outfit, so if you could please just choose something, that would be delightful."

"Sheesh, someone's touchy tonight," you muttered and he shot you a very rude fairy hand gesture over his shoulder. "I'm trying, I guess I'm just picky."

"You know, this whole conversation is really shining a new light on how you must feel about my wardrobe. Be honest, do you think I have bad taste?" Jareth asked, turning to give you puppy dog eyes and a pouty lip.

"I mean, it's definitely not for me, but you make it look elegant somehow," you answered, almost shocked at yourself for the compliment.

"Aw," he said sarcastically. "I love it when you lie, darling."

"I'm serious! Have you considered maybe I'm stalling on picking your outfit because I know you're going to look so good that all the pretty fairies and nymphs are going to try to hit on you? Try and take my man?" you countered with a smile, and he looked down at you curled up on the foot of the bed with a doting softness.

"No, I haven't, because that's another lie," he affirmed matter-of-factly as he cupped your jaw in his free hand, squishing your cheeks once. "You'll pay for that later."

You gave him a dirty look and he grinned, pinching your cheeks together again so the whole bottom of your face was smushed in his grip. You frowned and he tilted your chin up and pecked you on your pursed lips in the same fluid motion, bent at the hip to level your faces.

"As if I would let this pretty face out of my sight at all during the dance," Jareth said, kissing you again then straightening, letting go of your rosy face. "They won't make any moves on either of us with you on my arm."

"We can hope," you said. "Come on, let this pretty face see some more options. This is serious business, remember?"

"Yes, yes, terribly sorry," he said sardonically. "Professional environment, got it."

"Shame on you," you whispered playfully and he gave you an amused look before holding up two more jackets, presenting them with a little push forward.

"Thoughts?" he asked and you leaned back on your hands, scanning both of them and immediately making mental notes.

The coat on the left was an opalescent white adorned with holographic stitching and shimmering embroidery vines crawling up the sleeves into holographic vinyl roses that bloomed on the shoulders then spilled a cape of petals all down the back before falling off into nothingness. It would surely make him look as elysian as he ever had; the portrait of the ideal fae man in his unearthly, graceful masculinity. This outfit was meant to sail across a marble dance floor and be seen through blurry, wine drunk eyes.