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<center><h2 style="color:orange;">HAPPY HALLOWEEN!</h2></center>
First things first:
Li is: <u><<cycle "$liam" autoselect>><<option "Liam" "Liam">><<option "Lily" "Lily">><</cycle>></u>
Rory is: <u><<cycle "$rory" autoselect>><<option "Aurora" "Aurora">><<option "Roderick" "Roderick">><</cycle>></u>
What would you like everyone to call you?
<<textbox "$name" "">>
What do you call your sister?
<<textbox "$sis" "">>
<p style="text-align:right;"><h4>[[Let's go!|beginning]]</h4></p><<nobr>>
<<if $liam is "Liam">><<set $lhe to "he">><<set $lhecap to "He">><<set $lhis to "his">><<set $lhiscap to "His">><<set $lhim to "him">><<set $lman to "man">><<set $lsib to "brother">><<set $lhers to "his">><<set $lhimself to "himself">><</if>><<if $liam is "Lily">><<set $lhe to "she">><<set $lhecap to "She">><<set $lhis to "her">><<set $lhiscap to "Her">><<set $lhim to "her">><<set $lman to "woman">><<set $lsib to "sister">><<set $lhers to "hers">><<set $lhimself to "herself">><</if>>
<<if $rory is "Roderick">><<set $rman to "man">><<set $rhe to "he">><<set $rhecap to "He">><<set $rhis to "his">><<set $rhiscap to "His">><<set $rhim to "him">><<set $rsib to "brother">><<set $rhers to "his">><<set $rhimself to "himself">><</if>><<if $rory is "Aurora">><<set $rman to "woman">><<set $rhe to "she">><<set $rhecap to "She">><<set $rhis to "her">><<set $rhiscap to "Her">><<set $rhim to "her">><<set $rsib to "sister">><<set $rhers to "hers">><<set $rhimself to "herself">><</if>>
<</nobr>>"Rory, are you serious?"
It's not much of a greeting, but those are the first words out of your mouth when $rhe shows up at the door dressed as the Wolf Man, complete with puffy, furry muscle suit and ripped flannel.
$rhecap scratches at one of $rhis thick mutton chops, which you know for a fact $rhe didn't have earlier today but look surprisingly realistic. "Is it too on the nose?"
"You look great," $sis says as she rushes down the stairs, blue gingham dress swooshing loudly around her legs. She has a basket dangling from one arm, and you realize with a laugh that it doesn't contain the toy dog you expected, but <i>your</i> dog, shrunk down to the size of a Terrier and clearly very proud of his role as Toto. "Are the others not here yet?"
"Kana's next door finishing Az's make up," you tell her.
"And I think Bas is still trying to shake some holiday cheer into <<if $liam is "Lily">>Miss<<elseif $liam is "Liam">>Mister<</if>> Humbug," Rory continues. "They should be here any minute."
"They're already here."
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Next|lisebarrive]]</h5></p><<link "Credits">>
<<script>>
Dialog.setup("Credits");
Dialog.wiki(Story.get("credits").processText());
Dialog.open();
<</script>>
<</link>><a href="https://www.motoslave.net/sugarcube/2/docs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sugarcube 2 Documentation</a>
<a href="https://nyehilism.itch.io/twine-template" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">nyehilism: Twine - Sugarcube Template</a>
<a href="https://unsplash.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Unsplash</a> for sidebar image (<a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/yY66QAbGxq4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>)You turn at the very dry voice to see $liam standing in the doorway, looking even less happy to be here than you expected. $lhecap has never been a big fan of Halloween - a side effect of being a witch, you assume, though most of $lhis siblings have embraced the holiday more enthusiastically.
$lhecap is dressed... exactly as $lhe always is, in layers of black. Behind $lhim, you can see Sebastian, who also doesn't appear to be in costume beyond a plain black tie added to his normal dress shirt.
Your sister notices at the same time you do. She scowls past Li at the detective. "Sebastian Wynric, I <i>trusted</i> you."
"I am in costume,” he insists, his barely-there smile making it clear that he's trying to annoy her on purpose. "I'm Philip Marlowe."
"It seems like cheating to dress as a detective," Rory mutters, "especially one that already dresses like you do."
"Says the <i>Wolf Man</i>," $liam shoots back.
"Oh yeah, and what're you supposed to be?"
"I'm a witch. Obviously." $lhecap smirks and lifts enough layers of black fabric out of the way to show purple and black striped leggings like those you might see on a cartoon, green-faced witch.
"I tried to get $lhim to wear a hat," Sebastian adds wryly. "No dice."
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Next|azkanaarrive]]</h5></p>"Well, at least I know I can count on Kana and Azalea to dress up properly," your sister sighs, shooing you and Rory out the door so she can lock up. "But I'm gonna remember this next year."
She pauses halfway down the stairs as Sebastian puts on an old, battered fedora that you hadn't seen him holding. An unlit cigarette dangles from the corner of his mouth, and suddenly he actually looks like he's in costume.
His smile grows a little at you and your twin's dumbfounded looks. "For people with money you and your sister don't seem to have much fun," he says, exaggerating his accent a little.
"Okay, you get bonus points for quoting the book at me," $sis giggles. "And for the hat. Complaint rescinded... slightly."
She leads the way towards the house next door, ruby slippers glinting as she walks through the pool of light from a streetlamp. You all fall into step behind her; there's no doubt in anyone's mind who's in charge of this evening.
The door opens just as your sister raises her hand to knock, revealing Kana in a patchwork dress and equally patchwork makeup, looking like they'd stepped straight out of a Tim Burton film. They greet you with a proud smile. "There you are! We were starting to think you'd left without us. Time to go, honeybee!"
They step back into the house, only to reappear seconds later with Azalea in tow. She looks like a silent film star, complete with perfect finger waves, cloche hat, and grayscale makeup. She grins when she sees you. "Ready to go?"
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Next|spookytime]]</h5></p>You only have to walk a block until you find what must be the edge of the party grounds.
Where you distinctly remember there being a cul de sac with a few nondescript houses, you are now faced only with a dense, ancient forest. The trees are mostly leafless, gnarled branches reaching out to grasp at unsuspecting travelers and their roots obscured in curling mist. A chittering sound comes from somewhere deeper in, vaguely insectoid - assuming the insect in question were the size of a compact car.
"Fuck that," $liam announces.
Az grabs $lhim by the arm as $lhe moves like $lhe intends to leave. "Where's your sense of adventure?" she asks, smiling serenely at the hostile-looking trees.
"I left it at home with my holiday spirit," $lhe snaps, but $lhe doesn't try to escape her grip.
$sis approaches the sign at the edge of the woods. In large block letters it announces <i>"TRAVEL IN PAIRS OR SMALL GROUPS ONLY"</i>. Underneath it, someone has scrawled <i>"dont follow the lights"</i> in red ink.
She shrugs and turns back to the group. "Alright, then. Who's with who?"
<i>Pick your partner for the forest maze.</i>
<<nobr>><div class="choice">[[•Rory|lost-with-rory]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[•Sebastian|lost-with-bas]]</div>
<div class="choice"><<link "•$liam" "lost-with-li">><</link>></div>
<div class="choice">[[•Kana|lost-with-kana]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[•Azalea|lost-with-az]]</div>
<div class="choice"><<link "•$liam and Sebastian" "lost-with-poly">><</link>></div>
<div class="choice"><<link "•$sis" "lost-with-sis">><</link>></div><</nobr>>Rory was practically skipping through the creepy forest, beaming at $rhis surroundings in absolute delight. $rhiscap costume gives your surroundings an air of fiction, the monster makeup turning it into just a very fancy movie set. "Do they do this every year?"
"Not the spooky woods, no, but something similar," you say, walking at a more subdued pace behind $rhim. "Last year it was a corn maze. The year before that, fog. Like, Silent Hill fog. It always matches the theme of the party."
"That's so damn cool."
Suddenly, $rhe stops walking and grabs your arm. "$name, look! Look, look!" $rhe whispers excitedly, pointing at something ahead of you between the trees.
You follow the direction $rhe's pointing, squinting through the mist and crooked tree trunks until you catch a glimpse of movement. Partially obscured behind a tree is an eerie green light, floating at around your waist level. It darts behind a thick branch as if it notices you watching it before cautiously peeking back out.
Rory takes a slow step toward the light. It moves away, dashing to a different tree. $rhecap eases backwards towards you; the light drifts back to its previous location.
"You remember the sign, 'don't follow the lights'?" $rhecap turns away from the light to look at you, eyes glittering gold. "Obviously, we have to, right?"
$rhecap bounces on $rhis toes, and you can tell it's taking everything $rhe has not to rush off blindly into the woods chasing will-o-wisps. There's every chance $rhe'll get hopelessly lost without you.
<<nobr>><div class="choice">[[❤Follow Rory.|rory-romance]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[•Follow the lights.|rory-friend]]</div><</nobr>>Sebastian walks slowly through the creepy forest, peering behind every tree like he expects something to attack him. You can't tell if his clenched jaw and rigid posture make him look more like Philip Marlowe or less, but between his demeanor and your surroundings it makes what he's wearing no longer look like a costume.
"You look a little tense." It's an obvious remark, but the sound of your voice seems to relax him just a touch. "Scared of the monsters in the woods?"
He scoffs, not quite a laugh. "More worried about any poor actor that tries to jump out at me. I think most scare houses have a picture of me on their 'do not serve' list." He pauses, then adds in an almost embarrassed tone, "I don't do well with jump scares."
You try not to think about how he found that out. Someone as strong as he is that also startles easily... you feel sorry for whoever learned that lesson the hard way.
"Well, you don't have to worry about that here," you say in an attempt to lighten the mood. "They hold this party every year. It's more about the atmosphere than any actual spookiness."
You remember last year's party, a corn maze that eventually ended in a tea party hosted by scarecrows. You imagine this year won't be much different. It's unlikely you could even get properly lost in these woods - what's the point of a party if no one can find it?
"I'll take your word for it." There's a bite to his voice, but he untenses a little more, trusting that you aren't leading him into danger.
<<nobr>><div class="choice">[[❤Try to help him calm down.|bas-romance]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[•Tease him about it.|bas-friend]]</div><</nobr>>$liam scowls at nothing in particular, as if the creepy forest is responsible for every problem $lhe has with modern Halloween. $lhecap slinks along at your side, barely visible in the misty woods, black clothes and green hair blending into the trees.
"You don't need to babysit me," $lhe says suddenly. "I wasn't really gonna run off."
"I know." You've known Li long enough to know when $lhe's just being dramatic. "You really don't like this, do you?"
$lhecap shrugs sharply. "I like a bit of mischief and magic as much as the next $lman. Maybe a little more." $lhecap smirks briefly, teasing smile there and gone in a blink. "Y'know, we work hard to break the stigma around witchcraft. And every year, it's brooms and pointy hats as far as the eye can see. I fucking hate it."
You don't have anything you could say to that. You understand how awful that would be, especially when you take into account how often $lhe gets "costume party" jokes about the way $lhe likes to dress. It's not surprising $lhe'd get frustrated by it all.
"But..." $liam says quietly, looking at the passing trees as if $lhe suddenly finds them fascinating, "this part, getting lost in the woods with you." $lhe glances your direction for just a moment before looking away again. "It's not so bad."
Considering $lhis dislike of Halloween, 'not so bad' is a pretty big compliment. There has to be a way you can take advantage of that to help $lhim actually have a little <i>fun</i> on this otherwise hated holiday.
<<nobr>><div class="choice">[[❤Make a little magic of your own.|li-romance]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[•Make a little mischief of your own.|li-friend]]</div><</nobr>>The creepy forest makes Kana look even more like they've stepped out of a Tim Burton movie, the darkness leeching the color out of their patchwork dress. The crooked branches of passing trees reach out to them like they're an old friend.
"Seems I dressed for the occasion," they say, apparently thinking the same thing you are. They start to sing quietly, their voice weaving through the woods like mist, every bit as haunting and ethereal. "<i>I sense there's something in the wind, that feels like tragedy's at hand...</i>"
You follow behind them as they continue singing, weaving along the path as if they want to start dancing. You've never seen them this open before, their smile bright and genuine and <i>joyful</i>.
"You're in a good mood this evening," you say, once they've finished their song.
Somehow, Kana’s smile grows even wider. "I love Halloween. People say it's a night where you get to be someone else, but it's when I always feel the most like myself. Do you know what I mean?"
In that moment, you understand exactly what they mean. You've known them long enough to recognize how many masks they wear, how carefully they choose each word and gesture - in part because one stray word could spell disaster for them, literally. You feel like this is the first time you've gotten a glimpse of the real Kana, gliding through these crooked woods.
It's impossible not to get drawn into their revelry. It turns the eerie woods into something magical.
<<nobr>><div class="choice">[[❤You can't help but draw closer to them.|kana-romance]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[•You can't help but join in.|kana-friend]]</div><</nobr>>Azalea looks like a ghost wandering through the creepy forest, the grayscale makeup making her look less real than her surroundings. The gentle, peaceful smile on her face certainly doesn’t help matters.
"What a pretty forest," she announces, reaching out to touch the trunk of one as you walk past it. "It's not real, of course, but it's still pretty."
"You can tell it's not real?" You knew it was magic, obviously - an old forest in a place that yesterday had been a pleasant neighborhood street isn't something that happens without some kind of magical intervention - but you had assumed you were, at least, actually in the woods. Tricks with teleportation, maybe, or exploiting the old fae roads.
"I guess that's not the right word." She pauses next to a different tree, resting a hand against it as she thinks. Flowers bloom along its branches in shades of gray that match her costume.
She picks one and hands it to you; it doesn’t feel like a flower, dry and brittle like the branches it grew from. "It's real, it's just not real <i>here</i>. The trees feel... distant. Not an illusion, more like a projection." She pats the tree affectionately, then starts walking again, slowly until you can catch up. "They can still tell me the right way, though. I'll make sure we don't get lost."
"You don't seem bothered by this."
"I'm told I don't spook easily." Her smile turns a little mischievous, and she stops again suddenly, stepping off the visible path and into the dry underbrush. "Here, let me show you something."
She holds a hand out to you.
<<nobr>><div class="choice">[[❤Take her hand and let her lead you off the path.|az-romance]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[•Follow her deeper into the woods.|az-friend]]</div><</nobr>>Sebastian walks slowly through the creepy forest, jaw clenched and shoulders tense as if he expects something to jump out and attack him, though he's trying his best to appear unbothered. $liam slinks along ahead of you both, scowling as if the woods themselves are responsible for every problem $lhe has with modern Halloween.
"I would have expected you to be more enthusiastic about Halloween," Bas says, clearly trying to lighten the mood, though his own discomfort makes his tone sharper than intended. "I know your fondness for pranks."
Li slows down, letting you catch up with $lhim. $lhecap nods, smirking slightly. "Sure, that part’s okay."
"Li doesn't like $lhis family being turned into a costume," you clarify. You know how much $lhe hates the stereotypical "witch" costumes that crop up every year, especially when you take into account how often $lhe gets "costume party" jokes about the way $lhe likes to dress. It's not surprising $lhe'd get frustrated by it all.
"I understand," Sebastian says quietly, resting a hand on Li's shoulder for a moment. They both look remarkably more relaxed when he pulls away.
"I figured you might." You can think of three or four things about him just off the top of your head that could be turned into awful and insensitive costumes.
But you don't want either of them to dwell on that. This is supposed to be a fun night, and you're going to make it one. You grab each of them by the elbow, bringing them to a stop in the middle of the path, and give them a grin. "Doesn't mean we can't make the most of it."
<<nobr>><div class="choice">[[❤Drag them off into the woods to distract them.|poly-romance]]</div>
<div class="choice">[[•Drag them off into the woods until they chill out.|poly-friend]]</div><</nobr>>As soon as you're in the woods, $sis sets down her basket so your dog can climb out. He expands as if he's breathing in the mist itself, growing until he's huge and gangly like a wolf, then darts joyfully off into the woods. You catch glimpses of him occasionally, smoke and shadow darker than the creepy forest.
Your sister links her arm in yours as you walk. "I think I like the woods better than the corn maze from last year. Better atmosphere, harder to get lost."
You don't see how anything could be <i>easier</i> to get lost in than that corn maze. It took you nearly two hours to find the party at the center of it - though you have to admit, stumbling out of the labyrinth into a tea party hosted by scarecrows was certainly a memorable experience.
"How do you know we aren't lost right now?" you point out.
"Toto would tell us," she replies easily, like "Toto" wouldn't let you get deliberately lost just so he can spend more time running through the trees.
"Not scared of any lions or tigers or bears, then?"
She giggles, pointing in the direction your dog last ran off in. "Only animal in here is him. Unless Rory decided to shift." You take a moment to think about that and hope whoever $rhe's traveling with didn't leave $rhis costume behind; you doubt your hosts would be happy with Rory showing up naked to the party. "Thank you for joining me," $sis continues, shaking you out of your thoughts. "And for getting the group together."
"Anytime." It's nice to have the group all together for something that isn't life-or-death, but you don't say as much. Speaking it out loud would just be inviting disaster to come find you.
She leans her head on your shoulder. "You're pretty cool, you know that?"
"I know. You too."
Your dog eventually catches up with you, proudly dragging what he's clearly decided is the best stick in the forest along behind him.
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Eventually, you emerge from the woods.|partyarrive]]</h5></p>$rhecap takes your hand and takes off after the wisp, dragging you along after $rhim with a whoop of laughter. It's a struggle to keep up, but somehow despite the press of trees on either side of you, the path is clear and easy to traverse.
The light keeps a steady distance from you, slowing down or speeding up as you do, sometimes changing directions suddenly and leading you in a new direction.
You have no idea how long you run, Rory's hand and smile warm and the trees endless, until you stumble abruptly into a clearing.
It's not much of one, barely big enough for the two of you, but you draw to a stop as you're surrounded on all sides by more of those eerie lights. Dozens of them float around you, drifting in curious circles.
Rory watches them with open-mouthed awe. One of the lights, the one you've been chasing you're pretty sure, hovers in front of $rhis face. You hear a faint humming noise from it, as if it's trying to speak to you.
"This is amazing," $rhe says quietly. "I never knew there was so much magic in the world." $rhe finally looks away from the lights, eyes meeting yours and holding, that same awed gaze now pointed at you. $rhecap draws closer, finally letting go of your hand only to wrap an arm around your waist instead. "Thank you for bringing me here. Not just tonight, but... all of it."
$rhiscap other hand wraps around the back of your neck, thumb tracing the edge of your jaw as $rhe leans closer to close the gap. The way $rhe kisses you is its own kind of magic, somehow gentle and playful and hungry all at once. It's easy to let yourself get lost in it, the press of $rhis lips on yours chasing away any thoughts of parties or forests or floating lights.
When you finally break apart, Rory doesn't open $rhis eyes right away, a giddy smile spreading over $rhis face. "Best Halloween ever."
"Best Halloween <i>so far</i>."
$rhecap laughs and kisses the tip of your nose. "I can't wait to see how you top this next year."
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Eventually, you emerge from the woods.|partyarrive]]</h5></p>$rhecap grabs your arm and takes off after the wisp, dragging you along after $rhim with a whoop of laughter. It's a struggle to keep up, but somehow despite the press of trees on either side of you, the path is clear and easy to traverse.
The light keeps a steady distance from you, slowing down or speeding up as you do, sometimes changing directions suddenly and leading you in a new direction.
You have no idea how long you run, surrounded by endless trees and Rory's echoing laughter, until you stumble abruptly into a clearing.
It's not much of one, barely big enough for the two of you, but you draw to a stop as you're surrounded on all sides by more of those eerie lights. Dozens of them float around you, drifting in curious circles.
Rory watches them with open-mouthed awe. One of the lights, the one you've been chasing you're pretty sure, hovers in front of $rhis face. You hear a faint humming noise from it, as if it's trying to speak to you.
"This is amazing," $rhe says quietly. "I never knew there was so much magic in the world." Before you can respond, $rhe hugs you, squeezing just a little too tight to be comfortable. "Thank you for bringing me here. Not just tonight, but... all of it."
"You're welcome, Rory," you mumble into $rhis shoulder. Considering how you met, it makes you feel better to know that $rhe's started to embrace the magic in $rhis life now. Literally, in this moment, since $rhe's still hugging you.
$rhecap lets you go as the wisp gives another hum, bouncing off $rhis nose as if trying to get $rhis attention.
A wicked, playful grin is the only warning you get before $rhe takes off again, chasing the lights through the trees.
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Eventually, you emerge from the woods.|partyarrive]]</h5></p>She leads you deeper into the woods, far enough that you lose sight of the path and have to trust that Azalea knows where she’s going. There's no light this far out, but she doesn't seem to have any trouble navigating, and the underbrush is surprisingly clear of roots or other tripping hazards.
She pulls you to a stop in a small clearing. "Here we are."
"Az, what is--"
You don't get to finish your question before she reaches out with the hand that isn't still grasping yours and presses her palm to the trunk of one of the trees. "This one's a local," she explains, her voice taking on a familiar resonant quality, "which means I can do this."
Faint golden light fills the clearing, first from her eyes, then from motes of light that begin to drift from the empty branches of the tree like fireflies. One of the motes lands on your arm, light blossoming into a delicate flower before fading. It reforms a moment later and floats away.
Light expands from more trees, eerie green instead of warm gold, the entire forest responding to her magic. Even if the forest is an illusion, it's real enough to recognize dryadic magic, and it's not long before the two of you are surrounded by green and gold sparks, falling around you like rain.
Azalea pulls her hand away from the tree, but the lights linger. "See? There's nothing to fear here. The trees love you." You start to point out that it's not <i>you</i> the forest is responding to, but she silences you with a finger to your lips. "It's something we have in common, them and I."
The finger at your mouth is replaced by her lips. She kisses you gently, so so gently, but you can feel the fire of her magic just beneath the surface, as if she's filling you with light just like she did the forest. She tastes like summer, all sweetness and warmth, and the way she smiles against your lips leaves you giddy.
"We're going to be late to the party," you murmur when you finally break apart. You don't want to say it, but it needs to be said.
"We can be there anytime you want," she promises. "But I don't think they'll mind if we stay a little longer."
She kisses you again, and you let thoughts of the party leave your mind for a while.
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Eventually, you emerge from the woods.|partyarrive]]</h5></p>She leads you deeper into the woods, far enough that you lose sight of the path and have to trust that Azalea knows where she's going. There's no light this far out, but she doesn't seem to have any trouble navigating, and the underbrush is surprisingly clear of roots or other tripping hazards.
She pulls you to a stop in a small clearing. "Here we are."
"Az, what is--"
You don't get to finish your question before she reaches out a hand and presses her palm to the trunk of one of the trees. "This one's a local," she explains, her voice taking on a familiar resonant quality, "which means I can do this."
Faint golden light fills the clearing, first from her eyes, then from motes of light that begin to drift from the empty branches of the tree like fireflies. One of the motes lands on your arm, light blossoming into a delicate flower before fading. It reforms a moment later and floats away.
Light expands from more trees, eerie green instead of warm gold, the entire forest responding to her magic. Even if the forest is an illusion, it's real enough to recognize dryadic magic, and it's not long before the two of you are surrounded by green and gold sparks, falling around you like rain.
Azalea pulls her hand away from the tree, but the lights linger. "See? There's nothing to fear here." The motes start to drift lazily around you as if they're inspecting you, landing on your skin and costume curiously before darting away again. "I think they like you."
"The feeling is mutual," you laugh as one green light lands directly on the tip of your nose.
"Well, go on then," she says, to the lights you assume. "Show us the way to our friends."
The lights dance off into the night, and you follow the winding trail of them through the trees side by side.
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Eventually, you emerge from the woods.|partyarrive]]</h5></p>You reach out to touch his arm, resting your hand on his elbow. "Hey. You know I wouldn't have invited you somewhere I thought you were in danger."
He melts under your touch, tension leaving him in a quiet laugh. "Right, because you've never taken me anywhere dangerous."
You roll your eyes, but draw him closer with a small tug on his arm. "Okay, poorly worded, but you know I wouldn't have done it without telling you first."
"I know." As soon as he's near enough, he leans forward to rest his forehead against yours and closes his eyes. One hand cradles the back of your head as if to keep you close - though you know he wouldn't stop you if you tried to pull away, just as you know you have no intention of going anywhere.
You stay there like that for a long time, forest and party forgotten in favor of each other. Sebastian is warm enough that the misty chill of the autumn woods no longer seems to reach you, held at bay as if by force.
Eventually, he moves back just a little, enough that he can see you. His eyes shine bright and chatoyant in the dark. "Thanks."
"For what?"
"For inviting me. For..." he rolls his shoulders in a shrug before mumbling, "you know what for."
Bas is a man of few words, but those words are always carefully chosen, and you can't help but grin at his rare lack of eloquence. "Well, get used to it. I plan to drag you to every one of these I can."
"Good."
He's already leaning in as you cup his face to pull him closer until your lips press to his. Kissing Sebastian is like trying to hold a storm in your hands, electric and brimming with power barely contained. He keeps his hands clenched at his sides, holding himself in check, but the rumble of a growl against your lips tells you just how much effort it takes to do so.
You take mercy on him and break away, and only then do his hands come to rest on your hips. "We're going to be late," he says, a small smile lingering on his face.
"We'll tell them we got lost." He laughs as you pull him in again, and for a while you let the party go on without you.
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Eventually, you emerge from the woods.|partyarrive]]</h5></p>You grin and elbow him lightly in the side. "I've seen you face down werewolves the size of houses without flinching, but you're scared of a few trees?"
Strangely, your teasing seems to relax him, tension easing out of him at the familiar banter. "The werewolf was a lot more straightforward with its intentions."
You laugh, but put a hand on his shoulder to stop him walking. "You know I wouldn't have invited you somewhere I thought you were in danger."
He shakes his head with a quiet laugh. "Right, because you've never taken me anywhere dangerous."
You roll your eyes, but it makes you feel a little better to know he's not <i>actually</i> bothered by it. "Okay, poorly worded, but you know I wouldn't have done it without telling you first."
"Fair enough."
You start walking again, and the silence is almost comfortable, even with the eerie trees pressing in on you from either side. You have to be getting close by now, right? Just how far did they intend for you to walk?
Suddenly, Sebastian reaches out to you, putting a warm hand on your shoulder. His eyes shine bright and chatoyant in the dark. "Thanks."
"For what?"
"For inviting me. For..." he rolls his shoulders in a shrug before mumbling, "you know what for."
Bas is a man of few words, but those words are always carefully chosen, and you can't help but grin at his rare lack of eloquence. "Well, get used to it. I plan to drag you to every one of these I can."
"Good."
Neither of you say anything else. There's nothing else that needs to be said.
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Eventually, you emerge from the woods.|partyarrive]]</h5></p>"Just 'not so bad'?" $lhecap raises an intrigued eyebrow at your question. "I think I can do better than that."
That finally draws a real, lingering smile to $lhis lips. "What've you got in mind?"
You don't answer, simply taking a step backward off the trail and into the trees. $liam follows you without hesitation, a playful glint in $lhis eyes as you continue backing away.
The chase doesn't last for long. You circle around a particularly large tree, intending to double back and sneak up on Li, but instead you find yourself face to face with a very smug witch. "Going somewhere, $name?"
Before you have a chance to reply, you find yourself crowded back against the tree, anything you might have said lost as $lhis lips crash into yours. $lhiscap skin is cold, but warms up quickly enough as $lhe presses closer to you. $liam kisses you like it's the last time $lhe ever will, every time, just on the edge of desperation.
$lhecap pulls away as you thread your fingers into $lhis dark green hair, dropping $lhis forehead onto your shoulder with a shuddering sigh and a muffled curse. You stay that way for a while, the tree at your back and Li pressed to your chest, breath mingling in the cool autumn air.
"Think they'll notice if we skip out on the party?" $lhe eventually asks.
You chuckle, and you can feel $lhim smile against your collarbone. "Yes. Might be worth it."
$liam presses a firm kiss just under the edge of your jaw before moving away all at once. "Hold that thought. I intend to finish it when we get home."
It takes you a moment to readjust to the sudden rush of cold left in $lhis absence, and another to find your footing to follow $lhim back to the trail.
"Thanks," $lhe mutters, when you're once again headed in what you hope is the direction of the party.
"Anytime." You don't need to ask what $lhe's thanking you for. The distraction, the party invite, the impromptu makeout session, it could be any of them - or all of them, or something else entirely. Doesn't matter.
$lhiscap smile is a knife in the dark, sharp and bright. "I'll remember that. C'mon."
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Eventually, you emerge from the woods.|partyarrive]]</h5></p>"Just 'not so bad'?" $lhecap raises an intrigued eyebrow at your question. "I think I can do better than that."
That finally draws a real, lingering smile to $lhis lips. "What've you got in mind?"
You don't answer, simply taking a step backward off the trail and into the trees. $liam follows you without hesitation, a playful glint in $lhis eyes as you continue moving away.
You're pretty sure the forest is enchanted to make sure each group is wandering alone, but it's no match for Li. With a whisper of violet smoke, you're off hunting.
It doesn't take long before you find another member of your party. Unfortunately, it's not any of the people; instead, you circle around a large tree to find yourselves face to face with... your dog.
He's huge now, the size of a wolf rather than a terrier, and he greets you both with a grin and a bow.
$liam taps you on the shoulder. "Run." $lhecap takes off into the trees without any more warning, and you bolt after $lhim, following the sound of $lhis laughter as the wolf trails after you both. You can't remember the last time you've heard Li laugh like that - a decade ago at least, in another life - and it's worth showing up to the party late and sweaty in order to hear it again.
"Thanks," $lhe mutters as you both collapse at the base of a tree, exhausted from the unexpected chase through the woods.
"Anytime." You don't need to ask what $lhe's thanking you for. The distraction, the party invite, the slow and steady rebuilding of your friendship, it could be any of them - or all of them, or something else entirely. Doesn't matter.
$lhiscap smile is a knife in the dark, sharp and bright. "I'll remember that. C'mon."
You climb to your feet and make your way back to the path to once again head in what you hope is the direction of the party.
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Eventually, you emerge from the woods.|partyarrive]]</h5></p>They reach for you as soon as you start to move toward them, the two of you drawn together almost unconsciously. To call them magnetic is an understatement; they have their own gravitational pull and you are simply caught in their orbit.
Kana laces their fingers with yours as soon as you're close enough, their skin cool and soft. "This right here is the only thing that could have possibly made Halloween better."
"The spooky woods?" You know what they mean, but you want to see if they'll say it.
And they do. "Someone to spend it with." Their smile turns soft, and they lift their other hand to trace their thumb over your cheekbone. "<i>My dearest friend, if you don't mind, I'd like to join you by your side.</i>"
That's as far as they get before you press your lips to theirs, music devolving into fond laughter. They keep their hand in yours, kissing you gentle and sweet and slow. You linger there for as long as they let you, enjoying the closeness and letting all thoughts of parties and creepy forests fall away.
You pull away only when breathing has to take priority, and Kana laughs again like they just can't contain their joy. "There. Now the night’s perfect."
You join in, their happiness infectious. "And we haven't even gotten around to what we're supposed to be doing this evening."
Finally, you return to the path, walking slowly in the direction you hope the party's supposed to be in, Kana's hand still in yours. "It doesn’t matter," they state. "The party could be a complete dud and it would still be a perfect night. I have you to thank for that."
"You don't have to thank me," you assure them. "I like seeing you happy."
"And that," they lift your hand to press a kiss to your knuckles, "is the best part."
They continue to hum as you walk, and you find it hard to watch where you're going, your eyes drifting to the siren and their enchanting smile.
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Eventually, you emerge from the woods.|partyarrive]]</h5></p>You take the obvious opportunity and break into song yourself. "<i>My dearest friend, if you don't mind, I'd like to join you by your side.</i>"
They laugh, loud and free, then join in, singing the harmony with you. Both of you are just a little off-pitch, not concerned with sounding good as much as you are with having fun. Your voices lift into the trees, and you don't know if the magic over this forest will let anyone else hear you, but for the moment you don't care.
As the song ends, Kana sighs contentedly, turning another bright and joyous smile toward you. "This right here is the only thing that could have possibly made Halloween better."
"The spooky woods?" You know what they mean, but you want to see if they'll say it.
And they do. "Company. It's been a long time since I've... done anything like this." You can tell that's not how they wanted to end the sentence, but you don't want to pry and ruin their holiday cheer. "I didn't realize how much I needed this."
"And we haven't even gotten around to what we're supposed to be doing this evening," you point out.
They laugh again, like they simply can't contain their joy, and you can't help but join in. "It doesn't matter," they state. "The party could be a complete dud and it would still be a perfect night. I have you to thank for that."
"You don't have to thank me," you assure them. "It's nice to see you happy."
"I think I was starting to forget how it feels."
They continue to hum as you walk, and you don't fight the smile that spreads over your face, your heart lighter than it's been in a long time, despite your eerie surroundings.
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Eventually, you emerge from the woods.|partyarrive]]</h5></p>The forest ends abruptly in a clearing, eerie green wisps of light floating overhead to provide an appropriately spooky atmosphere. There are tables set out full of wooden cups full of mystery drinks and surrounded by stumps that you assume are meant to be chairs. People mill about in various states of costumed exuberance, the trees pressing in on the edges doing a good job of muting the noise and keeping it from seeming overwhelming.
Music drifts sourcelessly over the clearing, mournful cellos and wailing violins just loud enough to add to the ambiance.
It appears you're the last to arrive, so you join the rest of your group at a table they've claimed.
"Looks like we all survived the spooky woods," Rory announces. "Time to party!"
$sis grabs a pair of drinks from the table, handing one to you and lifting the other to tap the rims together. "Happy Halloween."
The rest of you join her in the toast.
"The first together of many," Azalea promises.
The first together of many. Yeah, you'll drink to that.
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[End|endcard]]</h5></p>"Come on." You tug on their arms as you step off the path, and they both follow you willingly deeper into the trees. "They won't notice if we're a little late."
That finally draws a real, lingering smile to $liam's lips. "What've you got in mind?"
You don't really have anything in mind, beyond getting Li and Bas out of their own thoughts for a minute, but luckily Sebastian saves you from finding an answer. As soon as the path has disappeared from view, he wraps an arm around your waist, his other sliding around $liam's shoulders as he pulls you both into a tight hug.
$liam's hand settles low on your hip as $lhe presses $lhis forehead to yours, and Sebastian leans his head on top of $lhers. You can feel them both relax against you, tension draining out of them as the three of you stand quietly together for a moment, Bas's warmth chasing away the autumn chill even from Li's always-cold skin.
Then $liam presses you back against Sebastian's firm chest and claims your lips in a searing, almost desperate kiss.
Being between the two of them like this is like being between a hurricane and an avalanche, but all that power and fury turns gentle in the places they meet - and the places they meet you. Two forces of nature that bow to your whim, as well as to each other's; it's a heady experience, one that time and familiarity have yet to lessen.
You pull away when you need to breathe, and Li tilts $lhis head up to give Sebastian the same treatment. You have no idea how long the three of you stay there like that, wrapped up in each other, trying to all occupy the same space, but you'd be content to stay there all night.
"We could just skip the party," $liam says, as if $lhe read your mind.
"No we can't," Sebastian replies softly. His eyes shine bright and chatoyant in the dark. "You know they'd come looking for us."
"If they do, I hope they bring some drinks."
"There's an idea," you laugh. "We could have our own party out here."
"I thought that's what we were already doing," Li grumbles as $lhe reluctantly untangles from you and starts to head back toward the trail.
You try not to feel too smug at how much calmer they both are as you continue through the woods.
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Eventually, you emerge from the woods.|partyarrive]]</h5></p>"Come on." You tug on their arms as you step off the path, and they both follow you deeper into the trees. "They won't notice if we're a little late."
That finally draws a real, lingering smile to $liam's lips. "What've you got in mind?"
You don't really have anything in mind, beyond getting Li and Bas out of their own thoughts for a minute, but luckily Sebastian saves you from finding an answer. As soon as the path has disappeared from view, he leans back against the first decently-thick tree trunk you come across, grabbing Li and pulling $lhim close as he slides down to sit on the forest floor.
You sit down next to them, watching with a smile as they relax against each other. None of you say anything for a long time.
As you sit there with your friends, the quiet of the woods stops being so eerie and settles down into something almost comforting. You think you'd be content to stay here all night.
"We could just skip the party," $liam says, as if $lhe read your mind.
"No we can't," Sebastian replies softly. His eyes shine bright and chatoyant in the dark. "You know they'd come looking for us."
"If they do, I hope they bring some drinks."
"There's an idea," you laugh. "We could have our own party out here."
"I thought that's what we were already doing," Li grumbles as $lhe reluctantly untangles from Sebastian and starts to head back toward the trail. Bas smiles knowingly at you, rolling his eyes fondly as he stands to follow. You take his offered hand and let him drag you to your feet.
You try not to feel too smug at how much calmer they both are as you continue through the woods.
<p style="text-align:right;"><h5>[[Eventually, you emerge from the woods.|partyarrive]]</h5></p><center><h2 style="color:orange;">I hope you all have a fantastic Halloween full of spooky fun!
Thank you for reading, and for all your support 🖤</h2></center>