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mmoosen · 8 months

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Spooktober 2023 - Day 15

Spooktober Prompts by @wolfboy88

It's Spooktober!!!☠️🎃🔮🪄🩻🍬

The prompt for today is Halloween Party, which I edited into Halloween Costume Party. Below the cut is the prompt and a couple pics as my inspo

Brett and Nolan have been dating for a couple months when Mason and Corey announce they are hosting a Halloween costume party because Mason’s parents are leaving for a fancy Halloween themed charity gala in LA. All of the lacrosse seniors and juniors, and anyone who Mason vaguely trusts to not get too drunk, is invited with the caveat: costume required.

So as Brett and Nolan are walking down the halls to their next class of the day, Brett asks,

“Lori already ordered all my stuff to be her matching angel for Mason’s party. Any idea what you’re wearing next week?”

Nolan had not thought much about it, so he responds, “I don’t know. I might just wear my Jack Frost costume from last year. It’s kinda plain though.”

“No slutty maid costume?”

Nolan nearly trips over his own feet, fumbling with the notebooks held in his right hand as Brett tightens his grip on Nolan’s left hand to prevent him from fully tripping on his face. With a bit more control over his balance, Nolan tries to get an explanation for that comment. “W-what?”

“You know? It’s Halloween and every twink is in some sexy maid costume. Just like how every straight dude who hates costumes is just gonna wear a jersey. And all the girls who think they are better than you dress in…"

Nolan lets Brett lead the conversation away from the maid costume comment into the other stereotypical Halloween costumes before they stop at his classroom. Brett gives his hand a quick squeeze before leaving him to head to chemistry, but Nolan cannot focus during his history class, always coming back to the comment. He hides his phone behind some of his books to make a quick Google search for what Brett was talking about.

The next Friday night, Brett and Lori rush out the door in their matching costumes, already ten minutes late to Mason’s party. Brett may have taken too long getting the halo in his hair to sit right and Lori’s devil makeup took her forever. The drive to Mason’s is a bit frantic but as Brett pulls around the front, he lets Lori jump out at the door so Brett can drive back to the spot Mason designated for Brett and Theo to park. By the time Brett makes his way into the living room, Lori has disappeared from sight and Brett cannot see any of his friends past the packed living room of drunk dancing teens. He had heard the loud music from down the block; being in the same room as the speaker, Brett had to turn on his werewolf senses to hear Lori talking in another room. Brett quickly makes his way through the crowd, waving to a couple acquaintances until he finds Lori in the kitchen, already with Alec.

Alec has his head almost buried in the snack table, but Brett can recognize the attempts of Alec’s karate fighter costume. Alec barely looks up to tell Brett, “Hey, nice costume.”

Brett simply nods to Alec’s back and turns back to Lori, who is sporting a much bigger smile than he was prepared for. She is reeking of mischief as she asks,

“You found Nolan yet?”

“No, why?”

“I just love his costume; how much did you pay him to dress that slutty?”

Brett immediately turns his head to frantically scan the crowd again; He didn’t hear Nolan the first time, but his interest was piqued now. A second after searching for Nolan’s voice, he hears the quiet whisper of his boyfriend asking someone to ‘stay still’ upstairs. Without giving Lori a second look back, Brett heads for the stairs with his attention focused on the area around Mason’s bedroom. He catches the whispers of Theo and Liam’s voice around Nolan as he quickly pushes through to get to the open doorway.

Finally, Brett glances into Mason’s bedroom, and he immediately stops in his tracks when his eyes catch a glimpse of skin as Nolan is slightly bent over. A pair of tall white socks go up his calves leaving a long stretch of Nolan’s pale thighs exposed before the frilly white edge of a maid’s dress stops him from being able to look any further up. The shorter skirt connects to a partially laced up corset and Brett finally sees what has Nolan bent forward. Theo is sitting on Mason’s bed as Nolan is giving him an eyeliner cat nose and whiskers. But Brett isn’t giving Theo a second look with all there is to see of his boyfriend’s ass peeking out of a maid costume.

Even hearing Liam hype Theo’s costume up and Theo laughing does not stop Brett from using all the precious time he gets to check his boyfriend out -without Nolan trying to slap his arms at least. His eyes only leave from the vast chunk of unblemished skin on Nolan’s thighs as he watches Nolan turn towards him. Brett finally sees the full costume complete with little bows and lace as Nolan brightly greets him.

“Hi, you finally made it.”

“Hey.” Brett can’t hide his awe in his voice as he finds it hard to rip his eyes away from Nolan’s costume to see everyone in the room. Nolan had presumably just finished Theo’s cat makeup to go with his fake ears, Liam is some kind of gladiator, and Mason and Corey are dressed as the popular couple from Adventure Time.

“I… I love the outfit.” Words are barely forming in Brett’s mind but he’s genuine in his compliment.

“Well, you said it’s what everyone wears.”

Nolan’s attention moves back to the small pile of makeup on the bed, so Brett whispers to himself “Thank god for that.”

Nolan finishes capping the eyeliner and quickly puts the makeup into the little bag as he asks, “I like your angel outfit, where��s your other half?”

“Lori’s downstairs with Alec.”

“I’m done with Theo’s makeup now. Wanna get me a drink?”

Brett hears the rest of boys talk about finding Hayden and Gwen before they all start heading out through the doorway, so Brett simply nods and motions for Nolan to follow out behind them; but as Nolan walks past Brett, he immediately steps right behind Nolan and stays right in his space as they head back to the kitchen.

Brett tries to casually stand in Nolan’s space without getting too handsy for a public setting, so he simply starts to play with the strings of Nolan’s corset as they wait for their turn at the drink table. Nolan seems to enjoy the silence as he leans back into Brett until the table opens. As Nolan moves towards the table, Brett is right behind him. And as Nolan shifts to the right to grab a cup, Brett shuffles with him.

He must have confused Nolan since he quickly asks over his shoulder,

“Why are you stuck to my back?”

“I can practically see your ass in this,” Brett lets his fingers graze the empty skin he’s been drawn to, emphasizing his point, “I’ll be behind you all night if it means no one else is getting my view.”

Brett watches Nolan’s hands shake and slightly spill the alcohol onto the table as Nolan turns and shouts as quietly as he can with the loud music,

“Jesus Brett!” but as with most of their flirting Nolan hits back with a sassy response. “Possessive much? What am I, your chew toy?”

Brett moves his hand to rest on Nolan’s waist as he starts to laugh through his answer,

“Only my favorite one, doll.”

Brett finds himself leaning back to not get elbowed in the gut.

#teen wolf #teen wolf fanfic #spooktober #spooktober prompt #halloween party prompt #nett #brolan #nolan x brett #nolan holloway #brett talbot #lori rohr #theo raeken #mason hewitt #I am twinkifying Nolan and I will not apologize #Nolan in a maid costume as my inspo #also Lori and Brett would 100% do sibling costumes #my posts #my writing

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chubsette · 7 months

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Feedist Kinktober - Halloween Party 🕸️

#last one!!!! wooooooo #i had so much fun drawing the prompts I wish I had had time to draw more #anyway here's aiden and chris coming home from a party #fun fact about them is that they met on halloween of their freshman year in college #getting fatter #feedist kinktober #wg art #male feedee #oc: chris #oc: aiden #chubsette art

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krenenbaker · 7 months

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Trick or Treat~!

Pairing: Che'nya x Floyd (could be read platonically or romantically)

Summary: It's finally Halloween night, but Floyd is in a bit of a slump. However, the arrival of a curious companion may just make the Halloween party a bit more interesting for him.

Notes: This is my first attempt at something following a prompt - specifically, "Trick or Treat" for the 2023 TWST Rarepair Halloween event. I'm trying to get more comfortable/practiced with writing prose (which is why this wasn't posted on the 30th... oops), and only vaguely ended up following the prompt. I'm fairly happy with how this little piece turned out, though!

Tags: @dove-da-birb, @azulashengrottospiano, @inkybloom-luv, @eynnwwyjth, @officialdaydreamer00 (please let me know if you'd like to be included or excluded from future writing of mine, or only want to be included in specific types of creations)

Floyd wanted to take a break.

It was Halloween, and all he had done the entire week was work, work, work. Getting costumes ready, decorating, helping with their dorm's presentation, plus cooking and serving at the Lounge, all on top of normal classes?

Sure, it was fun, especially getting to show off Octavinelle's cool setup, and 'taking care of' those misbehaving visitors. But now? Everything felt draining and boring, and Floyd simply wanted to leave, which sucked because the actual Halloween party had just started!

Maybe he should just ditch and go back to his dorm; being in a funk when everyone else is having fun around you is not enjoyable. He slumped down on a bench and unwrapped a sweet he had picked up earlier, before wrapping it up again. Ugh, not even in the mood for that candy he wanted only a few minutes ago.

As he shoved the sweet back into his pocket and was about to get up from the bench to leave, Floyd heard a rustle behind him. Someone was quietly humming, and… laughing? The sound gradually moved to his side, towards the empty side of the bench.

“Trick or treat~”

Floyd turned to face the voice. "Listen, man, I'm not in the mood to—” he froze, staring at the figure beside him. “Hang on a second, where's your body!?"

A toothy smile came to the face of the head that currently floated beside Floyd. "Oh, it's here.... or maybe it's there." A pair of hands materialized on either side of this boy's head, followed by the rest of his body.

“I'm just kidding. Mind if I take a seat? I’d like to rest up before I keep purrowling around and startling people.”

Floyd blinked, then raised an eyebrow. “Uh, go for it.”

This guy was... weird, and it was hard to tell if he'd be annoying, or interesting. "You don't go here, do ya? At least, I’ve never seen you before. And you’re no ghost, either.”

The cat-like boy shook his head, his jewellery jingling softly. "I'm just passing through for the festivities and collecting treats. Scaring some people, too. That’s loads of fun. And it's always nice to see my friends let loose."

Floyd had a vague memory surface. "Ohh... you must be that RSA boy who's friends with Sea Turtle and Goldfishie."

"'Sea Turtle' and 'Goldfishie', hey? Those are good names for my green and red friends. Cats are known for liking fish." He leaned forward, his grin growing. “Artemiy Artemiyevich Pinker. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Floyd nodded, “Floyd Leech. It's nice to meet you, too.” He looked curiously at the boy beside him, taking in his shaggy hair, piercings, and impish smile.

"You're not what I expected.” Floyd smiled, "But you seem fun, Catfish. I didn't think Goldfishie would get along with someone so... interesting."

Che'nya's eyes lit up slightly. "Catfish? Heh heh heh, most people call me Che'nya, but I guess that works. And I’ve heard some… interesting stories about you, too."

He stretched his legs out in front of him, leaning back with his arms behind his head as he sighed. "But yeah, I don't think Riddle could shake me if he tried."

"I'm almost jealous." Floyd tipped his head slightly. "Most of the time, Goldfishie likes to swim away before I can play with him."

Che'nya laughed, "Well, if you're wondering, he 'swam off' that way." He pointed off to the side. “Just don’t be rough with him. I don’t like people mistreating my friends.”

Floyd looked off into the crowd where he had pointed, and let out a small laugh. “Alright, good to know. Maybe I’ll find him later, if I feel like it”, he smiled and sat back. “And Goldfishie’s stronger than he looks, but I guess you’d know that.”

Che’nya nodded, then leaned closer with a mischievous glint in his eye. "You know, I bet we could do something that would really surprise him.”

Floyd turned slightly towards Che’nya, and flashed a smile. “Yeah, we probably could. I think we should talk more in the future, Catfish. You seem pretty fun.”

Che’nya grinned, “You seem pretty fun, too.”

"Well,” he stretched his arms above his head. “I think I’m going to go and find some more treats… and play some more tricks tonight. I'll catch you around, Floyd."

With a haunting giggle echoing in his ears, Floyd watched as the boy beside him faded into nothingness, just the same way he had arrived.

What a weird guy.

Floyd unwrapped the candy he had pocketed earlier, then popped it into his mouth. Maybe this party was worth staying at after all.

#twst #twisted wonderland #twst rarepair halloween #rarepair halloween #floyd leech #che'nya #artemiy artemiyevich pinker #che'nya x floyd #krenenbaker's :)#krenenbaker's creations #and now... for the ramble-y tags #first: I desperately need more people to write Che'nya and Floyd interacting. their dynamic would be so damn silly!!#second: I had SUCH a hard time figuring out Che'nya's speech patterns - he really doesn't have many lines in canon!#I based some of his lines on the Cheshire Cat's lines in the 1951 film. I think they fit?#and I have no idea is this feels at all natural or in character for either Che'nya or Floyd... but there was an attempt :)#I need to practice writing more stuff like this #I also went through about 4 different possible ways their conversation could have gone before getting this down #here... it's almost like Che'nya's taking a break from tricking AND treating at the NRC Halloween party #that's how I'm saying the prompt applies at least #anywho... I GOT IT FINISHED! I WROTE A THING!!#and I'm going to write more. that IS a threat ^v^

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girlwithherheadinthestars · 3 months

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"Don't worry! I can handle it. Geez, you're acting like you haven't even met me I'm so responsible."

"...have you met you?"

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im-totally-not-an-alien-2 · 2 years

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Halloween prompts no. 25

Nightwing came across some supernatural entities walking down the dark streets of Bludhaven. Upon confronting them he found out they were sloshed beyond belief and in a great mood. After chatting with them, they revealed they had just come from a party full of other supernatural beings and told him he should go too.

After getting the location from them he went on his way to investigate. If this party was harmful then he'd shut it down, if not, well. It had been a while since he cut loose.

Arriving at the location he found a bit more than just a party, but a full supernatural rave! It was hard to see past the darkness and the colorful lights shows, but everything was actually covered in a thick layer of ice. The walls, the floors, the cielings, heck, even the electronics, lights and discoballs were made of the stuff. It wasn't very cold to the touch and wasn't slick at all so he let it go for now.

The techno music began to wind down as a figure walked onto the stage in the back and people from the various dance floors and platforms cheered. Appearently the preformer had left for a bit on a break but was ready to start up again.

After greeting the crowd and hyping them up a bit he jumped straight into a new song called Monster Disco, a playful upbeat halloweenish tune that soon had Dick bopping to the beat. Nightwing did not expect for the spotlight to land on him or for him to be peer pressured into dancing by a bunch of excited mythical creatures, but superhero life is just like that.

Besides. He had a lot of moves to show off. His siblings didn't call him "Discowing" just for the old suit after all ;)

He knew he was being recorded even before the crowds parted to make a ring around him and the preformer. The kid looked around 14 or so, maybe younger and glowed with a soft white light. He looked ethereal and dick just wanted to ruffle his hair. He did so and got an indignant squad for his efforts and a challenge to a dance off. It was great and they wound up just dancing together in the end anyway.

Turns out the kids name was "Phantom", an obvious fake name but whatever, and his goal with the traveling party was for monsters and humans to have a good time without worrying about what society thinks of them. He confessed he was a type of undead and that he had a really hard time withing the first few years after his death, especially once he discovered he wasn't aging and couldn't pretend to be alive for much longer. This party was ment to bring joy to the people who came to it. Dick could understand that, he used to be in the circus after all. He spotted another camera on the icy cieling and waved at it.

He wondered what his family would say when they saw the video.

Nightwing was declared missing three days later.

#you want to see nightwing dancing the disco admit it #fanfiction prompts #prompts #danny phantom #dp x dc #danny fenton #nightwing #dick grayson #the batfam are freaking out #especially after seeing the video because a lot of the creatures in the background are known man eaters in folklore #phantoms freaking out because his little party has potentially hurt someone #halloween prompts #maybe danny comes forward with as much information as he can to the batfam #maybe danny avoids them and launches his own investigation #maybe hes the one behind Nightwings disappearance for whatever reason #who can say :)

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makenna-made-this · 8 months

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BAWKtober Day 11 - Pumpkin Patch Party

Party bawkers in the hoooousee toniiiight

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small-spark-of-light · 7 months

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day 28 was to pick a show/movie and draw one of the actors

#good omens #everything everywhere all at once #crowley #aziraphale #evelyn wang #30 day challenge #sparks creations #funny thing #i dont watch shows #or movies much #so i looked up good omens cause i knew of them and the show is good apparently #and everthing everywhere all at once because i wanted to draw a character thats a poc #i was gonna do more but i was busy the entire day pretty much ;A;#i was planning on doing like 20 D: i was gonna draw 10 separate actors twice #had to prep for a halloween party(its going well :D)#the prompt didnt specify if i shouldve drawn full body people or not and i figured i needed help with portraits so #im proud of aziraphales smile :D

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aliasimagines · 2 years

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mary goore stuff

a/n: this is stupid and very short and im very tired :( (Absolutley not profreaded, i just barfed it into a google document and copied it here)

Once you were out of the lively crowd of drunk and soon to be drunk young adults Mary fished a pack of cigarettes out his tight jeans pocket.

“Can’t belive you introudused me as ‘the person I fuck’” you say leaning against the cold wall.

He lit his cigarette and rolled his eyes at you.

"Yo, like what am I supposed to say? Some sappy bullshit like 'they are the Sally to my Jack Skellington?' Nah, man, I don't think so."

"Ahh, I thought you were gonna say Romeo and Juliet."

"Now why the fuck would i say that? Stupid little kids weren't even in love, they 'known' each other for like three fucking days, the whole play is a goddamn parody of young 'love' and how stupid people are."

"Wow, okay Shakespeare, so you're saying we are in love?

"Of course we fucking are!" He exclaims, throwing his hands up. He tosses the cigarette butt, grabs your face and smashes your lips together with such force you stumble backwards and can't help but hold onto Mary's arm for support. He slips his tongue in your mouth and accidentally knocks his teeth against yours.

You both pull away gasping for air, desperately grasping one another.

"We fucking are.." he repeats, still out of breath. You reach up to caress his face, smudging his makeup, on his cheeks and onto your fingers, not that any of you care. You slowly kiss him, much more gently than he did before.

Mary wraps his arms around your waist pulling you closer to him.

"I love you."

He hums and kisses your forehead. "I do too."

#mary goore x reader #mary goore fic #mary goore #gif not mine #halloween prompt #not actually ut i imafined mary and reader are on a halloween party #alias imagines

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yournotsolocalcryptid · 8 months

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🎃 Halloween ‘23 dialogue prompts 🎃

I write for any one listed here. Feel free to mix and match prompts and add any details or directions you'd like it to go as well as pronouns/gender if you'd like something specific other wise I try to write gender neutrally. Happy spooky season yall!

don't forget you can request moodboards and headcanons too!

“We’re not alone here”

“It’s freezing outside”

“I’ve watched enough horror movies to know a weirdo in a mask is never friendly”

“It’s Halloween, everyone’s entitled to a good scare”

“Is that my sweater?”

“Are you scared?”

“Hey, that's/it's not funny”

“Boo!”

“It’s a scream, baby!”

“I think we’re lost”

“I’ll keep you warm”

“I’ll keep you safe”

“Sharing is caring”

“Bite me”

“I may or may not have stayed up to watch a horror movie and now I can’t sleep... can you please come over?”

"I have a collection on horror movies, assorted candy and a pizza on the way"

"let's go to bed"

"truth or dare?" (you can add which + question asked choose your own adventure style but you don't have to)

"quick, hide”

“When was the last time we had a real conversation?”

“Pick your poison”

“You've got leaves in your hair.”

“why can’t we stay here forever?”

"Being alone together was not the best idea.’’

"you look cold"

"It's cold"

REQUEST AWAY!

#2023 halloween party #spooky season #eddie munson #freddie mercury #roger taylor #brian may #john deacon #ben hardy #gwylim lee #joe mazzello #pedro pascal #kal speaks #kallan writes #request away #dialogue prompts #writing prompts

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theladycarpathia · 1 year

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Everything was different this year.

“Let’s go, Harrington,” Billy crows, slinging an arm around Steve’s shoulders. Ahead of them the house is lit up with strings of lights and gaudy cackling Halloween decorations. Steve eyes a skeleton dressed in a top hat and wonders if he’s made the right decision. Robin and Vickie are watching A Nightmare on Elm Street in Vickie’s basement and he’s starting to think that maybe they had the right idea.

“I’m not carrying you home if you get drunk,” Steve promises, and Billy gives him a flash of teeth. It’s surprisingly fitting - with the shaggy headdress, wolf ears and tight jeans, Billy’s an odd sort of werewolf but it works. His eyes are just the right shade of bright blue, the lean, tanned stomach that is only just made decent by the denim, the glittering pendant hanging against his bare chest. It’s designed to draw attention.

“Sick from doing that last year?” he asks, and Steve bristles. But before he can point out that he didn’t carry Nancy home, Billy has dragged him through the front door, and is relieving a vacant looking basketball player of a few beers out of a cooler.

“Have a drink and lighten up,” Billy says, pressing a cold bottle into Steve’s hand. Condensation drips against Steve’s fingers, wet and sharp.

“No kegs this year?” Steve asks pointedly. Billy is already unscrewing the cap and tipping the bottle back, the long lines of his throat rippling as he swallows.

“Not yet,” Billy says, licking foam off his lips. He always gets oddly manic on nights like this, like he has something to prove. Steve hates it. Hates this. “But the night is young.”

A few cheerleaders wander by, teetering along in their high heels. They haven’t put much effort into their costumes, all three clad in identical crisp white dresses, little nurses’ caps pinned into their hair. Billy grins at them as they wander by, relishing in how their eyes drift to his bare chest.

“Tramp,” Steve mutters around his beer. He mostly means Billy, who never seems to mind being objectified.

“Try and have some fun, Stevie,” Billy says, his arm like a weight around Steve’s neck. The fake wolf fur is tickling Steve’s nose, smelling faintly of must and wet dog. He should probably be glad that Billy’s not wearing a tail. “You used to love this shit.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t anymore,” Steve mutters. Billy purses his lips.

“Right, well you loved this shit with Wheeler,” he says pointedly, Nancy’s name falling off his tongue like a curse. Steve winces. He hadn’t meant it to sound like that. But of course, Billy would think that Nancy was special, that she’d been able to have more influence over Steve than he has.

“I was different when I was dating Nancy,” he tries to explain, but Billy has already slipped away, beer bottle held aloft. Steve watches him go, wondering when watching movies at home became more fun than dancing in a room with dozens of other heaving, sweating bodies, people that he barely likes.

No, actually, he knows when. But Billy still loves this, still thrives on arriving late to a party like the King of Hawkins High. It’s a rush that Steve’s forgotten all about.

Sighing, Steve dumps his bottle onto the nearest counter and makes for the punch. Time to pull a Nancy.

The punch is overly sweet and smells of strawberries but has a kick that burns the whole way down Steve’s throat. Steve drinks until the unease in his belly has settled and the party has settled into a more palatable haze.

He wants to go home. He doesn’t belong here anymore. But this is Billy’s last Halloween party of high school and he knows what it’ll look like if he vanishes now. There’s no way Billy won’t take it as a snub.

Billy would almost certainly take it as a rejection.

“Steve!” The girl who appears at his elbow has had far too much alcohol for her tiny frame. It takes a minute for Steve to recognise her under the frothing white dress and the voluminous curls.

“Hey, Amy,” he says fondly, slinging an arm around her bare shoulders, grateful to see a friendly face. She’s an adorable, totally wasted Madonna, little white gloves and all. The remains of the wine bottle slosh as she flings an arm around his waist, settling easily around his hips. Steve eyes the bottle warily, wondering if Tina’s parents are going to miss that.

“Having fun?” Amy chirrups, seeming to not notice or mind that she’s basically using him to hold herself upright. Steve knocks back the last of his punch and grimaces.

“No,” he says, crumpling up the cup and dropping it onto the counter. “Got any of that wine left?” She passes him the bottle and he tries to ignore the smear of lipstick at the rim.

“But it’s a party?” she says, with a careful blink of her dark, slightly smudged eyes. “You used to like parties.”

Yeah, he had. He’d be enjoying this one if he could be with Billy. But he’s vanished into the heaving crowds, without a single look back. Steve gets that it’s only out of hurt and jealousy that Billy’s ditched him but still. It doesn’t make it any better.

“Not enjoying this one,” Steve says miserably. He’s deeply fond of Amy - a cute little cheerleader he made out with once, before he started dating Nancy - but he’s not about to spill his guts. He’s not that stupid. Billy still has months left before he’s free of Neil.

“Wanna make out?” Amy asks, all too easily, and it’s a good offer. An offer Steve would have taken. Should take, because clearly he’s not gonna kiss anyone else this evening. Some horrible bitter part of him considers it, tilting Amy’s chin up and kissing her until everyone notices. He wants to be noticed.

But then the poison drains away, and he gently pats Amy’s cheek.

“Thanks,” he says, because that’s not the warm body he wants. “But not tonight.”

All too soon, the bottle is gone and they stumble outside, Amy tipping her head back to inhale the sharp night air. The party has spilled out here too - more lights wound between the trees, skeletons hanging from the gazebo, a few messily carved Jack-O-Lanterns glowing from the patio. Some of Amy’s fellow cheerleaders wave to her from the deck chairs but she stays where she is, clearly clinging to Steve’s warmth. There’s loud cheers and shouting from a group crowded around something - someone - and Steve cranes his head to see what’s going on.

It’s Billy, tipped over head first into Tina’s hot tub and Steve would panic if he hadn’t spotted the bobbing little red jewels gleaming on the water. Someone has tipped apples into the still water of the tub, and typically Billy is here, making a show of it as he tries to bite down on an apple.

There’s a spray of water as he emerges from the tub, water dripping obscenely down his chest, soaking the fur of his costume and his prize clenched between his teeth. There’s howls of delight, Tommy and a few others slapping Billy on the back, king once more. Billy reaches up for the apple and bites down on it, gleefully ripping into the tender red skin.

Halloween is a time for putting on masks and acting the part and no one does it better than William Hargrove.

Steve knew this going in. He’s always known, and he can’t deny he didn’t. The terminator costume, the keg, the attitude. Billy came in last year, meaning to make an impression. Put Billy on a stage and does he perform.

But the problem with that? Steve doesn’t like that Billy. That’s not the Billy he wants. He wants the Billy who paints his nails with polish pilfered from Mrs Harrington’s dresser. The Billy who traces words in the bare flesh of Steve’s leg late at night. The Billy who knows the names of stars and bakes sugar cookies and shares lazy, heated breaths with Steve.

He doesn’t know this Billy.

Which is why his stomach curdles when Billy swaggers over, dripping wet, apple clutched in his fist like a trophy. His eyes turn cold when he spots Steve, his arm still slung around Amy.

“Harrington,” he says cooly, eyes flicking disdainfully to Amy’s fishnets, the smeared lipstick on her mouth.

“Hey,” Steve says, because this is his fucking boyfriend and he’s not playing this game. He had that with Nancy, bullshit and bullshit, and he won’t be sucked into that again. “You remember Amy?” Billy nods and Amy is too drunk to notice much of a snub. Instead, she pecks Steve gracefully on the cheek.

“Thanks for keeping me company,” she says, releasing her grip on him and immediately wobbling. Steve rushes to hold out a hand to steady her.

They watch her stumble off to join the other cheerleaders, a drunken, perfumed collection of Madonna’s, bunnies and corpse brides.

“Cute date,” Billy jabs, fingers twitching in the way that they do when he wants a smoke. Steve rolls his eyes.

“We’re friends,” he retorts. “And she’s so pissed she can barely stand up.”

“I noticed,” Billy says, a touch too jovially. There’s a glitter in his eyes, something visible in the flickering candlelight. Steve feels a jolt of satisfaction. Billy’s jealous after all.

“I’m having fun,” he says, wishing dearly that he had another drink. He can’t take the burning in Billy’s eyes. “Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“Yeah,” Billy says, lobbing the half eaten apple into the trees. Behind them, someone else has taken up the game, and the cheering makes for an odd backdrop for their fight. “Bullshit, Harrington.”

A knife would have been easier than that word.

“Fuck off,” Steve says in a low voice. This one hurts just as badly and he wonders if he’s not meant to last a Halloween party as a boyfriend. So much for things being different.

Maybe the problem is Steve.

“I won’t,” Billy says and he crowds into Steve’s space, so close that Steve can smell the apple and beer on his breath. “And you are. You’re not fucking having fun, Steve. Not unless drinking bad punch and hanging off some girl you almost definitely ate out counts as fun.” Steve takes a deep breath and tries to remember that this isn’t Billy. Just the monster that lives in his skin.

“I never had sex with Amy,” he says, in the most even tone he can manage because all he wants right now is to shove Billy’s head underwater until he drowns on old water and apple pips. “She’s a friend. Don’t be an asshole.”

Billy purses his lips, something bitter and rueful. For a minute there’s the flash of the real Billy, before it’s wiped clean.

“Thought you knew that about me, Harrington?” he says, in a voice that Steve just doesn’t quite believe.

“Yeah,” Steve says, jamming his hands into his pockets. Back in the house there’s a crash as someone drops a bottle and Steve feels like he can relate to being shattered. “I do. Just never thought you’d be like that with me.”

“Bet you thought that about Wheeler too, huh?” Billy says quietly, and Steve’s not quite sure what game he’s playing here. All he knows is that he’s tired of whatever Billy is trying to prove.

“Are you trying to prove you are like Nancy?” he says, pointedly. Because as much as Billy hates it, there’s similarities there, always has been. “Because well done. You’re dumping me at a Halloween party. Feels pretty fucking similar to me.” Billy’s eyes widen.

“I’m not…” he starts, before remembering where they are. There’s a beat in the pulse at his neck, the same spot that Steve’s kissed so many times.

“Well, it feels like you are,” Steve mutters darkly. He turns his head away “I get that you don't like Nancy. You really don’t like that I was in love with her. Just stop…fucking acting like her.”

Dylan from the basketball team stumbles over, and clearly misses the razor thin tension, because he slings an arm around Billy’s neck. Judging by the water dripping down his neck, he’s also been bobbing for apples. While Billy looks good with the damp softening his curls and pooling in the curve of his collarbone, Dylan just looks like a drowned rat.

“Hey, Harrington,” he slurs, rubbing at his damp mouth with an equally damp hand. His demon horns are lopsided on his head, the cheap plastic of a last minute store bought outfit. “You gonna play?”

Steve looks at Billy but can’t see anything past the mask that has slid back into place. It’s not something he understands and maybe it’s from having Neil as a dad. Maybe if you have to wear a mask all the time to hide every real, true part of you, then it becomes second nature to wear that mask. Maybe Steve’s been shitting himself to think that he was special. Like Billy Hargrove was going to love him.

“No,” Steve says briefly. He wonders if there’s something in that punch that rots the insides of every person he’s ever loved. He shifts his feet and turns away, pretending that he doesn’t see the flicker of guilt in Billy’s eyes. “I’m leaving.”

“Leaving?” Dylan asks, sounding confused. Billy’s face is hollow like he was expecting this. Like this is what he was always expecting to happen. “Mate, you can’t go. It’s fucking Halloween.”

“Yeah, well, not having fun,” Steve says, still waiting. But if he’s hoping for Billy to say anything, then he has better chances of Amy being able to do algebra in her current state. Billy will choke on his words, regardless of whether they’re poison or not. “Going home.”

Dylan flicks his eyes over Billy and then to Steve. He almost suspects something has happened but he’s too drunk to really put the pieces together.

“Alright,” he says slowly. “See you around.” Steve nods and turns, but stops just before he walks away, out of Tina’s house and down the street to his empty home, where he can examine the torn pieces of his heart.

“No one’s home,” he adds, unable to close that door entirely. It’s pathetic and he hates it. It’s the cloying smell of roses rotting in his backseat all over again. “Just gonna…watch films.”

Dylan’s face says that he clearly didn’t ask but Billy finally looks up to meet Steve’s gaze head on for the first time since he called bullshit. Steve holds it for a moment, wondering if when this night is over, if Billy will stumble up the pathway and through his patio doors. If he’ll climb into Steve’s bed, with cold skin that smells of apples, and murmur apologies into Steve’s mouth.

He hopes so, and he tries to fool himself that he’ll be fine if Billy doesn’t. But it’s for the best. He’s tired of begging people to love him. It didn’t work with Nancy, and it won’t work here.

He slips back through Tina’s house, ducking past the merry revelers, the James Deans, the Bowies, the Cindy Laupers. He supposes that this time at least he doesn’t have to worry about Billy going home with another guy. He’s also been wrong before.

The house is still when Steve lets himself in through the backdoor, his parents not due home until sometime in November. Steve wearily flings his jacket down, and turns the oven on, rummaging in the freezer for a pizza. He doesn’t have the energy for anything else and when the cheese is bubbling away, he steals one of his dad’s beers and drops onto the couch.

It’s fine. It’s fine, it’s all fine.

He eats his pizza on autopilot, licking grease stains from his fingers. He half absorbs some shitty horror film, and he pretends that he doesn’t jump at every little sound outside, hoping that it’s Billy.

He can’t fix Billy anymore than Billy can fix him. So when the early hours of the morning creep in, Steve clears away his plate and empty cans and climbs the stairs to his room, prepared to spend the night alone.

He nearly jumps out of his skin when he flicks on the light and finds a werewolf on the bed.

“What the fuck, Billy?” Steve hisses, holding onto the doorframe. But then he takes in Billy’s red eyes and the gooseflesh on his bare skin. “How long have you been here?”

“A while,” Billy says quietly. His wolf ears and headdress lie abandoned on a nearby chair, Billy’s costume stripped down bare. Steve closes the door behind him, feeling adrift.

“Why didn’t you come downstairs?” Steve asks, his eyes flicking to the window. It has a dodgy latch and it’s not too hard to climb over from the roof below. But Billy knew that the backdoor would be open, that the spare key lies under his mom’s stupid garden gnome. Billy once slipped out of the sliding patio doors while Steve’s parents were still sleeping.

“Thought you wouldn’t want to see me,” Billy says, jaw tense, and Steve recognises the self-deprecation in his tone.

“That depends on whether you’re an ex-boyfriend or not,” Steve says curtly, because he’s really fucking tired and heart-sore and he loves this badly broken boy curled up on his bed in jeans and a stolen sweatshirt.

Billy immediately looks stricken.

“I don’t want…” Billy says, and then stops suddenly, mouth twisting in pain. It’s barely an admission but it’s closer than Steve’s ever gotten before. So he sits down on the bed next to Billy, reaching over to wind his fingers around Billy’s. His heart starts again at that simple touch and Steve was so numb that he hadn’t even realized that it had stopped.

“I need you to stop pushing me away,” Steve says bluntly, because someone has to say it. “It’s not fair.” Billy licks his lips and nods. His fingers are warm in Steve’s and it makes him wonder how little time passed between Steve leaving Tina’s and Billy following. Little Red being followed through the woods by the big bad wolf.

“I don’t know how to do anything else,” Billy confesses, his eyes fixed very firmly on the delicate link of their fingers. Steve aches.

“It’s bullshit,” he says and Billy looks up. He looks his age for once, dirty blonde hair clinging to his cheeks, red rimmed and bloodshot eyes, his mouth soft and pink.

“I know,” Billy says softly and when he leans in to kiss Steve, it feels like a fresh start.

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