#book club sounds nice he'd probably join it

[befuddled-calico-whump]

i saw in the tags for one of your asks that you said sahota’s backstory is nsfwhump and omg???? he was…omg. Even I didn’t expect that (but now I can see why he doesn’t like to be touched 😥)

also i agree with other anon, we should definitely start a book club for sahota

(soup anon)

yeah, he's definitely had a rough go of it 😭

just adds more fun layers to his current stoic self

[mshroom1e]

Twst Characters and Cake Messages

The idea suddenly occurred to me. It sounded very funny in my head.

Just some silly headcanons based around some cakes I found on Pinterest

Grim sent this to Kalim after the orientation ceremony:

He felt very bad after Yuu reminded him what happened to Kalim during orientation

Wanted to apologise and Trey being Trey, suggested he made a cake.

Gave the cake to Kalim after Book 4

He was very happy about it.

Fed Grim some crackers as a thank you.

Silver's cake for Lilia's birthday:

Silver wanted to do something nice for his dear old dad's birthday. What better way to show someone appreciation than through a cake?

He'd (very badly) made him a cake before and wanted to do it again, hoping his skills had gotten better.

He was about to ice Lilia's age onto the cake but it suddenly occurred to him.

He didn't know Lilia's age.

So he just wrote "You've aged" and hoped for the best.

Lilia laughed out loud after receiving it.

Was very happy and was smiling the whole day.

A cake sent to Yuu from the horse girl himself, Riddle:

He invites Yuu to come look at the equestrian club since they have yet to join one.

Was going over the basics of mounting a horse with Yuu when it suddenly bit their arm.

Was panicking.

Trey, being Trey, said an apology through a cake would be nice while Yuu was recovering from the massive bite on their arm.

The cake tasted terrible.

Riddle forgot the oyster in dessert thing was a joke.

But hey, its the thought that counts.

A cake from Idia after a game night with Yuu:

Being a NA ver player, I (sadly) haven't finished book 6 yet and have no idea about what he's like with Yuu all too well.

But I imagine Yuu and Idia have weekly gaming sessions and he's a rage gamer.

When Yuu throws one of those annoying turtle shells at him while he's in the lead, he yells a string of "-insert incoherent game-based insults here-"

Yuu had no idea what any of what he said meant but Idia felt bad afterwards since what he said was very mean.

Ortho suggested the idea as his research showed giving cakes with messages was a very common thing to do with friends.

Sent a cake via a drone all the way to the Ramshackle Dorm as an apology.

The cake was surprisingly really good.

The OB group sent this to Yuu:

The message speaks for itself.

They're very sorry about the trouble they've caused, especially to Yuu who witnessed every single one (in my brain anyway)

Was made from a box cake recipie because I said so.

Tasted very nice.

A friendly reminder from Azul to whoever owes him anything:

As soon as I saw this cake, I knew who it was for.

Someone forgot to pay their debt and Jade wanted to make a cake but using mushrooms instead of flour.

Jade got to experiment and neither Floyd nor Azul had to eat it.

It's a win win.

RIP to the person who eats it though.

It's a one-way ticket to triggering your dormant IBS.

Adeuce and Grim trying to help a sad Yuu:

The trio noticed their best friend Yuu had been feeling sad.

They got the idea from Deuce.

It was half cooked since they all probably suck at cooking.

Triggered Yuu's IBS.

The icing was lumpy and the cake batter was raw but they tried their best.

Everyone was happy at the end. (Except Yuu's stomach)

[the-queen-and-the-king]

Trick or treats

Summary: Jack wants Emily to go trick or treating with him and his father. She agrees, thinking that it may be the good time to tell something to Aaron.

Characters: Aaron Hotchner, Emily Prentiss and Jack (and JJ made an appearance too)

Contents: There's a tiny bit of angst (because Aaron can be an idiot sometimes) but it's mostly fluffy-ness and idiots in love. ^_^

This text was written for the Hotchniss Spooky Season Challenge organized by @fuckyeahhotchniss ! And the prompt chosen is: "First Halloween".

PS : English is not my mother language so they are necessarily mistakes. Sorry about that.

___

Emily gasped as her cell phone began to vibrate on the coffee table. She was so immersed in the book she'd started the day before that she'd forgotten the world was still spinning. She looked at the screen and discovered that it was Hotch. Had a new investigation just fallen into their laps? She took the call.

“Hello, Prentiss. I hope I don’t bother you?”

“N… no. Go ahead,” she said, putting her book back on the side table.

“In fact, I called you because Jack would like you to come with us to collect candy in the neighborhood next Saturday.”

“Oh! It’s… it’s nice of him. I… I didn’t expect that.”

Absolutely not. It's true that she'd been rubbing shoulders more and more with the father-son duo since the tragedy that brought them together. She'd already grown close to Aaron after his divorce, first because the team was worried about him and they'd taken turns inviting themselves to his place to stop him pondering; then, because she enjoyed being in his presence more than going round in circles in her apartment overlooking the Capitol. Later, she'd pretended to help him in this new role for which he'd been unprepared, before noticing that she might actually be spending more time with them than at home.

“If you have something else planned, I… I’ll explain it to him…”

“No”, she retorted, far too vehemently. “No, I… I haven’t anything planned.”

And even if that had been the case, she would have found a way to cancel. It was an unexpected request, and she was glad he'd made it. She adored the little boy and was delighted to hear that the feeling was mutual. What's more, it meant she'd also be strolling the streets alongside the director, a prospect she was far from displeased with. On a contrary.

“Great! He’s going to be happy.”

She smiled, imagining the little one's ecstatic round face. Then her brain raised a question and her elation subsided.

“Is… is Jessica going to be there?”

“You want her to be there?”

“No, I… I was just asking,” she stammered, caught off guard.

“I'll call her afterwards to see if she's interested.”

Emily winced, realizing she'd probably just made a blunder. She had nothing against the giant's ex-sister-in-law, but if she joined their jaunt, it would change the whole complexion of the evening. But it was too late now, she was going to have to leave it to fate.

“O… okay. Is there… is there anything in particular I’d have to do or contribute?”

“Jack would want us in costume too.”

“Oh!”

This was even less expected, she mused, unsettled.

“Maybe I should have started with that. Sorry.”

“No, no, it's okay,” she said, thinking fast. “I… Well, I'll have to find something to wear.”

“Welcome to the club!”

She laughed, understanding that this addendum to the deal was recent. The two of them would have to find a costume in record time. The next day, she took advantage of her lunch break to browse the various websites dedicated to disguises. Of course, most of the outfits on offer were already sold out. What was left was either hideous or had measurements that were out of the ordinary and therefore wouldn't suit her at all.

“Halloween party in prospect?”

The profiler flinched in her chair, then looked in the direction of JJ, who had appeared behind her back without making a sound.

“No,” she began by denying, before facing the facts that the thumbnails on her screen spoke for her. “Uh… yes. A… I was invited to knock on doors at Halloween.”

“Is this the guy you've been flirting with for a few weeks?”

As the former liaison officer and the BAU analyst tried everything to set her up with someone, she had finally told them that she already had a target in mind. To bring more weight to her lie, she added that they'd been seeing each other for just under a month – in all fairness – and that things were going well between them. To justify the slow process, she had to admit that the man had a child from a previous marriage. She hadn't gone into further detail, fearing that her plan would be revealed. Or that they understood who she was really talking about.

“Yes. In… in fact, it's his son who wants me to come with them.”

“Good for you,” remarked JJ, sitting on the corner of the next desk.

“He wants me and his dad to dress up too.”

“With Halloween just a week away, bad luck!”

“Who are you telling?” she sighed, her thoughts turned upside down. “P… plus, I don’t know how to… what to wear. It has to be in keeping with the Halloween theme without scaring the kid, and I'd like it to be a little sexy for the dad, but not too sexy either, because we'll be surrounded by children. And it’ll be freezing to death.”

The wiry blonde's azure irises swiveled in the direction of the agency head's den – the door was closed as he was on video-conference – then returned to rest on her colleague.

“In my opinion, whatever you put on, the father should appreciate it,” she affirmed with a smirk.

“Stop imagining things,” she growled. “It’s not him. And it doesn’t help.”

“Okay. Give me some room so I can take a look.”

October 31st arrived both far too quickly and far too slowly. Like every time we dreaded as much as we waited for a certain event to happen. Together with JJ, they had come up with a list of three outfits that met all the criteria. In the end, she had bought herself a Maleficent costume – the only one of the trio that still existed in her size – which had undergone a few modifications from the original. While she did have horns on her head and a large black and violet cape twirling with her every move, she also wore a black dress highlighting her entire bust right down to her hips. A huge indentation starting at her thigh then tore through the right side of the fabric, revealing the garment's purple lining. And her legs, should her one-night stand wish to take an interest. 

She kept her fingers crossed that this would be the case, even though she knew that most of his attention would be focused on his son. A bit shakily, she knocked on the door and waited for Aaron to open. She heard hurried footsteps behind the slammer, which swung open to reveal the giant and his offspring.

“Emily!” cried the little boy, throwing himself on her.

She received him and returned his hug as best she could, engulfed in that fitted dress. Crouching down to hold the toddler in her arms, the muslin slumped to the ground, revealing much more than she had originally intended. She didn't dare look up to see if the tenant of the premises was peering or if, on the contrary, he was politely averting his gaze.

“You came! It's so cool!” exclaimed Jack, overjoyed. “Your Maleficent costume is so great!”

“Thanks. Let me guess…” - she pretended to think, wrinkling her eyelids. “Luke Skywalker?”

“Yes! And look, I also have a lightsaber!”

He immediately brandished a grey plastic cylinder, from which a multitude of other green nested cylinders sprang. In doing so, he brushed against her nose, and she avoided the impact with a welcome reflex. 

“Oh!”

“Easy with that, Jack,” warned his sire, stroking his hair. “Please don't take Emily's eye out.”

“Can we go, now?!” replied the overexcited mini-Jedi.

Children loved Halloween and he was no exception. She smiled as she imagined that he must have been harping on about this evening for days and days.

“Wait. Emily has just arrived,” he noted, before turning his attention to her. “Would you like to come in for a moment? For a drink or… go to the toilet. We are going to be outside for a while.”

“I… I'll gladly take the pit stop.”

He smiled back and stepped aside to let her in. She headed for the bathroom first, before stopping off in the kitchen for a glass of water. As she moved along, she sensed that she was being watched attentively, which didn't displease her in the least. Then she returned to the duo waiting by the door, Jack playing with his father's arm.

“Ready?” asked her Hotch.

“Yes. Let’s go.”

“Yeah!” shouted the toddler, grabbing the handle before anyone else.

The trio left the apartment, headed up the corridor and landed in the street, where many parents were already surrounded by a horde of miniature monsters galloping in all directions. Aaron held his son's hand tightly until they reached a neighborhood where he wouldn't be hit by a car. He then released him, and he rushed towards the first residence in sight, where other motley creatures were already present. 

“Jess… Jessica is not coming with us?” she noticed, intrigued.

She had waited to ask the question, imagining that Haley's sister might have joined them further down the road. 

“No. She had something else planned for the night.”

“Oh. Good,” she said, trying to conceal her relief at best. “You… What are you dressed as?”

His brown hair was pulled back, plastered with gel, and he wore black pants and a blood-red shirt, over which he had slipped a gold-embroidered sleeveless vest. A long black cape with a high collar completed the ensemble.

“Count Dracula. I'm supposed to wear these too,” he said, showing her a clear plastic denture with prominent canines; “but one, they prevent me from speaking; and two, they hurt my gums.”

“Apologize accepted,” she declared, laughing. “It… it suits you well.”

It even suited him very well. She already knew he wore his suits wonderfully, but this nobler outfit suited him perfectly. Having rubbed shoulders with the cream of society throughout her childhood and a good part of her teenage years, she could see that he looked classier in this get-up than many men who had been born with a silver spoon in their mouths. Which was not his case, for what she knew.

“Given my size, there wasn't much choice,” he clarified, clearly uncomfortable.

“I think you've done very well,” she reassured him, aware that beneath this solid, strict exterior laid an insecure, self-effacing person.

Aaron Hotchner was confident only in his work. As soon as he stepped outside the walls of Quantico and put his tie back in the closet, he revealed a fragility and shyness that touched her heart. She was probably the only one of the team to know him in this way, and she intended to keep this exclusivity to herself. 

“You too,” he continued with a discreet smile.

“You think so?”

“Yes.”

“Isn’t that a little too… adult?”

She had hesitated to say “vulgar”, but other disguises would have been even more provocative. However, she couldn't help tugging at the flap of her dress to reduce the opening of the slit that had been cut in it. She wanted to please him, but without coming across as a tease in the process.

“Jack didn’t look shocked to see you.”

“Oh. Phew!” she sighed sincerely.

A silence settled between them, during which they exchanged a long glance. Did her eyes shine as brightly as his? With perfect timing, they turned their attention in another direction. Her cheeks were on fire and her heart leapt violently against her ribs.

“Uh… what… what are we supposed to do?” she resumed, controlling her voice as best she could.

“Walk the streets and make sure Jack doesn't get kidnapped by the first sociopath that comes along. Or don’t steal all the candy from other kids.”

The line of humor brought the smile back to her lips. Her host was the first to say that he wasn't a bit of fun, and she didn't agree with him at all. He possessed a peculiar sense of humor, which she had to guess behind his monotone and neutral expression, but to which she was sensitive.

“Okay.”

“Didn't your mother ever take you trick-or-treating on Halloween?” he bounced, eyebrows furrowed.

“I spent my entire childhood in Europe or in Muslim countries. Halloween doesn’t exist over there.”

It was also one of the reasons why she didn't have the same references as people her age in terms of music, films or TV series that she would normally have heard and seen during her childhood. That said, she was certain that even if this tradition had been present across the Atlantic, her forebearer wouldn't have deigned to accompany her on her quest for treats. She would surely have let one of her employees do it for her. She didn't mention the subject, however, so as not to spoil the evening, which she hoped would be sweet and pleasant.

“Oh. I… I hadn't thought of that,” he apologized, pained. “You… you want to go knocking on doors with Jack?”

She widened her eyelids, unsettled by this suggestion.

“It… it's not just for kids?”

“Yes. But people won't be surprised that we're with him,” he assured her with a smile. “Hold on, I’ll ask him. Jack!”

Several children turned their heads, then immediately ignored them. The only one they were interested in charged towards them, hair blowing in the wind, his Death Star-shaped bucket already full flapping on his hip.

“I got Smarties!” he exclaimed, shaking the rectangular box right in front of them.

“Cool,” commented his father simply. “Would you like Emily to go knocking on doors with you?”

“Yeah! Come on!” he commanded, grabbing her by the hand. “We’re going up there!”

Before she had time to say anything, he dragged her into an adjacent alleyway where more ornate gardens lay before them. She turned her head to Aaron for help, but he just smiled, amused by the situation. She followed the boy as best as possible, her outfit not being ideal for wild cavalcades. Finally, the three of them soon found themselves on a porch, and Jack hastened to ring the bell, clearly proud to be so well surrounded.

                They spent the next two hours criss-crossing the town, collecting sweets and congratulations for their costumes. Regularly, people imagined that the pocket Jedi was their son, the agency director's and hers; but neither the toddler nor his sire raised the slightest contradiction. As if the idea satisfied them perfectly. And she quickly admitted that the concept warmed her chest too. She'd never replace Haley – in the sense that she hadn't given birth to the little boy – but the prospect of being by his side to see him become a man suited her just fine. And if, by any chance, he should feel like calling her “Mom”, she wouldn't contradict him. To tell the truth, the thought even brought tears to her eyes.

                Nevertheless, she repressed them so they wouldn't be misinterpreted. They had stopped at a street corner to sort out a few technical and logistical problems. Jack's shoelaces had untied, and he didn't want to sit on the floor at the risk of soiling his disguise. The giant naturally knelt down to help him. Immediately afterwards, he transferred part of the evening's booty into a bag he had concealed under his cape, so that the harvest could continue without the kid losing half his profits on the way. Emily watched the duo from a distance, touched to see them so close. Several times she'd heard the colossus support the fact that Jack preferred his aunt to him, but from the way the little one nestled easily in the ex-prosecutor's big arms and looked at him admiringly, she knew it wasn't true.  

“Are you okay?”

“Yes, yes,” she replied hastily, snapping back to reality.

“Say it if you're fed up,” he encouraged her, as the skunk bounded away.

“No. It… it’s just that… I wore heels high enough not to step on my dress and...”

“Your feet hurt.”

She would have liked to answer in the negative, as she wanted to prolong this suspended moment as long as possible, but she had overestimated her resistance to pain. Her toes had stopped sending her any signal of their existence, the arch of her foot was throbbing with every step, her heels were being tortured, and her Achilles heels were burning. She preferred not to pay attention to what her knees and calves had to say.

“Yes,” she admitted, lowering her nose.

“We’ll go back home then. Let me explain the issue to Jack.”

“No, no…”

“JACK!” he hailed before she had time to react.

“No, it's all right,” she defended herself, grabbing his forearm. “I assure you. I… I’ll be gritting my teeth.”

He looked at her hand resting on him, then at her. She stepped aside, remembering that he wasn't very tactile. He thought for a moment and proposed: 

“… You can also take them off.”

She raised an eyebrow, dumbfounded. Immediately, her brain picked up on the shortcomings of this offer.

“I can pass you my socks,” he went on, very calmly.

“What?”

“You don't want to take your shoes off because you're in tights underneath and you know that walking without shoes will, one, give them away and, two, make you cold,” he unrolled, his eyes turned to an invisible point on the sidewalk. “So, I'm offering to lend you my socks. It'll protect your tights and keep out the cold.”

That was on the list of snags in this plan, along with the fact that without her heels, she was going to look like a garden gnome next to him. 

“… But… and you?” she counter-argued awkwardly. 

“I'll survive,” he replied at once, a mocking sneer at the corner of his lips.

Jack reappeared in the meantime, his cheeks rosy from the low temperatures and his mad dash.

“What?” he asked, out of breath.

“We pause for a moment. Don't wander off,” he ordered as he sat down on the nearest bench, taking care to slide his cape next to him.

“Why?” continued the little boy, watching him untie his shoelaces.

“Because I don’t want you out of my sight.”

“No, why we do a pause?”

“Because Emily's feet hurt,” he explained as he retrieved his first sock.

“Why?”

“Because she's wearing shoes with high heels, and they're not made for walking for hours on end.”

“Why did you wear high heels?”

The profiler was surprised to be suddenly the Jedi knight's target and was slow to give him an answer. 

“To… to be pretty.”

“You don't need high heels to look pretty,” he retorted without a second's hesitation.

Speechless, she turned her gaze back to Aaron, who had already put his shoes back on.

“I agree with him,” said the father quietly.

His tone was one of jest, but she smiled nonetheless, charmed by this unexpected compliment. To hide her blush, she hurried to sit beside him and take off her pumps. Intense relief ran up her leg as she dislodged her feet from these expensive prisons. At that moment, she would have given anything for someone to give her a massage. But this was neither the time nor the place, and she took the black socks her superior handed her. They were much too big for her, but by rolling them up tightly, she managed to find a compromise that would allow her to walk without having to wind them up all the time. By the time she was ready to get back on the road, Jack had already set off again.

“He's adorable,” she declared, as they walked slowly behind him.

“Yes.  His mother did a great job.”

Her heart missed a beat. It had been just over a year since Haley's decease, and the circumstances of her death had left an indelible mark on the minds of the unit's members. The tragedy had been even harder for him to digest, but she still noted that there had been more gentleness in this evocation of the young woman than pain. However, he still felt that his actions were nothing compared to what his ex-partner had done. 

“I think his father had a bit to do with it too,” she chuckled, setting the record straight.

“I doubt that.”

“Yet it seems to me that long-term memory doesn't kick in until the age of five.”

In other words, what he'd taught him over the past twelve months would shape his character far more than what Haley had once told him. He was kind and affectionate because his mother had taken care of him, that was a fact, but his caring and protective side – which she had already witnessed several times – had only one origin. What Aaron was obviously not ready to admit, as she understood when she caught sight of his discomfort. So as not to embarrass him further, she opted for a lighter reflection.

“He's a bit of a charmer too.”

“It's definitely not from me,” he joked at once.

She was also amused and relieved that she hadn't totally ruined the mood between them. They were now walking side by side on the pavement, Jack riding from one side of the street to the other, freezing only for a handful of seconds to check that they were still following.

“Reassure me, we don't have to come to work tomorrow. Because my feet are a mess, and I don't think a night's sleep is going to fix them.”

Aaron's face had darkened again, though she wasn't sure why. She stopped to question him, and he imitated her reflexively.

“Hotch? I… I’m sorry, I… I didn’t want to say that…”

“No, I'm sorry,” he cut her off, staring at the floor.

“For what?”

“I… I dragged you into this when you surely had better things to do.”

“No, I… I assure you I had no plans for this evening,” she repeated, as sincerely as she could. “I… I'm so glad you invited me.”

He looked up at his son, who was chatting with Mario, Peach, and Mulan. She noted the gleam in his eyes and the reddening of his ears.

“He… he loves you very much.”

She couldn't stop her lips from stretching.

“I love him very much too. And I love spending time with you,” she confessed, her cheeks burning. “With or without a cape.”

He smiled and raised his nose. Their eyes met and a lot happened in that instant. All at once, she had the impression that many unsaid things had been lifted, that the locks on their respective walls had been lifted, and that the same emotion had flowed through them. She brushed her fingertips against his hand, terrified that he might distance himself and push her away. But he agreed to slide his palm into hers. His skin was soft, and a pleasant warmth immediately spread to Emily's arm and then to her whole body.

                They were still observing each other, gently caressing each other's dermis blindly. They didn't dare take the final step.

“Dad!” exclaimed a small voice that made them jump. “Can we go to the other street over there?”

They'd narrowly avoided a heart attack but hadn't let go of their partner.

“Y… Yes, of course,” Hotch stammered, unsettled. “We… we are just behind you.”

The boy stormed off again and, without consulting each other, they followed in his footsteps. She was so happy that the truth had finally come out and, above all, that she'd discovered that her feelings were divided. She had her doubts, but the colossus cloaked what he thought and felt in a shell that made it difficult to perceive his feelings. Without this clarification, they would probably have missed out on their story.

“Don’t tell the others.”

“What? That we walked down the street hand in hand?” she quipped, imagining how disappointed JJ and Penelope would be if she told them that she and her lover had settled for that.

“Please,” he retorted, very serious. “I… I don’t want them to imagine things.”

“Like what?” she simpered, aware that her colleagues would imagine a lot more when they learned that she was now a couple.

Except that Aaron was visibly embarrassed by this possibility. He was still holding her hand, but he wasn't looking at her. Which was the opposite of his usual behavior. The head of the BAU stared into people's eyes without blinking; in fact, it was the first thing that struck about him. After a while, you just got used to it, in contrast to his uncharacteristic avoidance.

“That… that I'm going to give you an advantage over them. Or… the reverse,” he explained, hesitating. “And… and if Strauss finds out, I'll be out on the street in no time and... I need this job.”

His irises landed on Jack, then on her. She understood then that he was afraid. Afraid that their relationship would upset the balance of the team. Afraid to have to rebuild what had taken him seven years to build. Afraid to lose his job when he was responsible for a hundred percent of a life. He loved her, he longed for her, but he also feared losing everything by giving in to his emotions. She continued, in the same tone as him:

“Why would you want Strauss to know?”

“Not… not everybody likes to spend time with me. It’s… quite the opposite, generally.”

“Why do you say that?” she questioned, eyebrows furrowed.

“JJ thinks that I’m a bully and Derek hates me. That's already two who wouldn't mind seeing me go.”

She held back from rolling her eyes. Five years earlier, during an investigation, he had demanded that she and her teammates throw his worst flaws in his face in order to prove his theory. He had learned that his liaison officer and the ex-policeman found him, respectively, overbearing, and annoying. At the time, she claimed he was macho because he knowingly left her out. Only Gideon, present, him too, had refrained from comment. And with good reason: even though, as promised, he hadn't held it against them, it was obvious that he'd been hurt and had taken their remark for granted.

“…Okay,” she sighed, releasing his hand to place hers on his chest. “Who do you think you are to us?”

“Your... boss,” he said, suddenly doubtful.

“And… that’s all?”

“Y… yes. Well, I hope to be a little more than that for you, but for the others, yes.  What else can I be?”

“A friend,” she replied, as if it were self-evident.

This conversation was knotting her insides. Did he really think he was that different from his men? So far away from them? Did he think they invited him to their parties out of obligation? She wasn't unaware of his lack of self-esteem but hadn't realized it had come to this.

“Who would want to be friends with someone like me?”

“Lots of people,” she said, pained by the implication of this statement. “Starting with those who work under you at Quantico. Including Derek.”

“… Really?” he frowned, confused.

“Yes, really.”

He remained silent, analyzing, and digesting her words without moving. She was convinced of her position. JJ and Morgan hadn't meant to offend him by saying that. The former had only wished to point out that he was sometimes a little too frank with certain people – a trait to which his team was accustomed, but which offended the pride of many of the strangers in their service – while the latter found it hard to accept, at times, that he was not in charge and, indeed, had to obey Hotch's injunctions, however constraining they might be.

                But that didn't mean they hated him or wanted him removed, far from it. Everyone respected him and knew they could count on him if anything went wrong. Everyone understood that beneath his icy scowl lay a caring, empathetic, and humble person. He didn't have Garcia's exuberance, Derek's glibness, JJ's sweetness, Dave's ease, or Spencer's knowledge, but that wasn't what mattered to them. It was everything else and, she could bet her entire bank account on it, none of them wanted another chief in his place.

“Trust me on this one,” she continued, grabbing his hands. “You're far from being just a boss to them. And neither of them will say anything to Strauss if they ever find out about us.”

“… Do you believe so?”

“No, I'm sure,” she corrected with a smile. “But you know what?”

“What?”

“We're not going to say anything for the moment because, if we've done nothing more reprehensible than hold hands, I don't want them to interfere in our story in any way.”

“I agree with that,” he nodded.

“Great!”

She felt him relax a bit. Their eyes met once again. She wanted to kiss him and hug him at the same time. Their hands were clasped between the two of them, but it wasn't enough for her. Except that she didn't dare rush things, for fear that he would suddenly back down.

“Would… would you allow me to do something a little more reprehensible?” he finally asked.

She repressed with all her might the urge to smile. Her heart pounded so hard against her sternum that she thought it would break. Was he going to do what she hoped he would?

“… Go on.”

He then let go of her fingers, gently took her face between his palms, and leaned towards her to place his lips on hers. It was a brief moment, but a magical one. She was so happy that she was surprised not to burst into tears. Her eyes burned, but nothing more – which was fine with her, considering how long it had taken her to perfect her make-up.

“Are you all right?” he worried, as she remained motionless.

“… Would… wouldn’t you like to do it again? I didn't have time to decide whether I wanted more or not.”

Aaron burst out laughing but obeyed. He kissed her again and lingered this time. She reacted too, holding back his lips, welcoming his tongue around hers, tasting all these new flavors. With their eyes both closed, they savored the moment, drawing irrevocably closer to each other, until they found themselves in their lover's arms, with no space between them. He eventually released her for questioning:

“… And now?”

“I think that new assessments will be necessary.”

They laughed in unison and pulled away to take each other by the hand, exchanging another kiss in the process. She was already addicted to the taste in his mouth and had the feeling she could ask for more indefinitely without ever getting bored.

“You'll understand that I'm obliged to tell Jack,” raised the father after checking where his offspring was.

The change in tone made her stomach tickle. Now he'd realized that she wasn’t just a subordinate anymore to him. He'd put her in that category of people with whom he was on first-name terms. To tell the truth, he must even have put her in this unique box, just for her. Or rather, just for them. Because that was the way he worked. She would soon be the keeper of confidences he would share with her alone. She would discover facets of him that no one else knew. And this prospect delighted her to no end.

“He knows how to keep a secret?”

“As much as Penelope.”

She laughed, despite the jab he'd just thrown at the analyst. But he was right; the former hacker – like the youngest member of the team – had some difficulty holding her tongue. As long as no life was at stake, it wouldn't take much for her to express what was on her conscience. Emily mused that the toddler was still at that stage of childhood when the filter imposed by society didn't yet exist and they were far too proud to know something an adult didn't to keep it to themselves.

“Okay. So we're going to try and make the most of our quiet and only day.”

They laughed in chorus; all tension having left their bodies. She pulled on his arm so that he leaned towards her and kissed him tenderly, caressing his cheek with her free hand at the same time.

“Of course you can tell him. I… I don’t want to hide from him.”

They were already going to have to pretend they weren't together in the eyes of their mutual friends; she didn't want to push the masquerade that far. Especially since she loved being around the little boy.

“Besides, it shouldn't make much difference to him since you're already in our house all the time.”

“Hey!”

Outraged by this sneak attack, she dug her fingers into his ribs.

“Ouch!” he winced, immediately bending over.

Then she realized what she'd just done.

“Sorry,” she apologized on the spot. “I hit the wrong place?”

“If your aim was to touch my ribs, it’s good. You hit the bull’s-eye.”

Just over a year earlier, a psychopath had stabbed him nine times in the torso. It must have healed since then, but she was convinced that the marks remained more sensitive areas than the rest of his bust. But he proved her wrong by straightening up, then leaning in to kiss her gently.

“Everything's fine,” he said, his big hands warming her cheeks.

She smiled, appeased, and kissed him back.

“…I love you,” she murmured, suddenly shy.

“I love you too,” he declared, gently.

Their lips met again for a long, soft, warm kiss. Then they parted, their fingers intertwined securely, and set off again, shoulder to shoulder. Jack was only a few steps ahead of them, picking up candy that had fallen to the ground. Did he saw them? They'd find out when they talked to him later.

“Jessica really had plans for tonight?” she asked, suddenly curious.

“I don’t know, I didn’t call her.”

She turned her head in his direction, mouth agape. So, all along, he had planned to spend this evening only with her and her son. She smiled.

“You’re a naughty boy, Agent Hotchner.”

“If you only knew, Agent Prentiss.”

They laughed, kissed and continued on their way, arm in arm. Finally, for her who had grown up far from Halloween festivities, October thirty-first would now take on a very special meaning.

___

Those idiots are just so cute together! >_< I think I could re-write their first kiss and first date again and again for ages, because of the clumsiness they shared to express their feelings.

[leylayilmz]

As embarrassed as she was by her initial reaction to his words, evident from the lingering blush on her cheeks, Leyla couldn't help but grin at his laugh; it was contagious, to say the least. The boy had a stupidly nice smile, and an even nicer laugh. Of course he was charming as hell just being himself, and she couldn't deny he knew how to use that to his advantage. However, she loved to see him coming into more of himself as of late, opening up in an authentic and genuine way. "Don't be cheeky now, Mr Flynn," the brunette warned, though her tone didn't exactly match the smile that remained on her features. "I swear, I'm going to kill you." Leyla was acutely aware of the stares they were getting by those surrounding them, or maybe the prudeness in her was making itself known and she was very much overthinking it. There it was again, that natural charm and cheekiness shining through. And the company. That's probably why he got so many free donuts, he always knew how to make her smile. Asshole. She grabbed a brownie, then, readying herself for the onslaught of... well, whatever would come about from the meeting. "Ha, funny. You know, you'll be eating your words when today's book club leader starts."

A bell sounded, at the hands of the dramatic Mrs Robinson of course. The room began to fall silent as she called the beginning of the book club meeting. "Shall we?" She motions towards the circle of chairs, veering towards the comfy lounges. "You're in for it, Flynn." It seemed like only minutes into the meeting that the point of talk veered from the premise of the story to, of course, smut. "Here we go," she grumbles under her breath. "Is there something you'd like to point out, Ms Yilmaz?" Leyla paused, momentarily caught off guard by the elderly lady's question, but soon found her answer. "So sorry, Mrs Robinson. Callum was just mentioning how much he'd like to read this chapter out lopud. I was letting him know that you, of course, would probably prefer to but.." Leyla glanced to her left, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she shot Callum a mischievous grin. "I honestly have not seen him so keen to read a chapter of a book since he joined book club."

The way the drink flew out of her mouth made Callum laugh to the point of tears. He had hoped for a reaction but didn't think it would be that extreme. Clearly, she didn't expect such directness from him, and part of him enjoyed that he knew that now. To tease her some. His cheeks were always fire red, so now he knew how to make them dimples burn a little. The glint in his eye was obvious, and the smirk that went along with it deserved the glare. "No, you don't," he immediately fired back with a wink. Callum wasn't usually this confident but was caught up in the moment. It was sure to backfire in time, but for now, he was savouring the feeling. It was rare these days.

Callum protected the plate of cookies with his forearm and glared back at her for even suggesting such cruelty. "Hey now, don't get mad at me because the book has sex in it," he laughed, unable to help the grin that lit up his face again. "And the company," he admitted. Now that the threat against his snacks was gone, he stood beside her and threw an arm around her shoulders. "Mainly the treats, but you're not so bad..." he glanced at the crowd as his arm returned to his side, "And Mrs Robinson is always a good laugh."

[colemacgrathtkz]

Buying time

Previously. Next

Fair warning: This one is long.

A few days after her return, Noceda made her way into the Blight manor. She hadn't seen anyone else from the "good old days".

Today, Amity should be finished moving back into her old room. Now that the "empress" had returned, Luz needed a place to stay.

The Owl house didn't seem like it would be accepting new tenants. Amity said she could stay at the "New Coven" HQ. Belos's former castle might as well be put to good use.

Stepping through the front door, she expected to be greeted by either stuffy parents or mischievous siblings. Neither seemed to be home. Just a familiar face waiting to report her news.

Luz: "Good afternoon, my lovely gf! I'm ready for my homecoming party!"

Amity: "I've already updated Willow and Augustus. They should be ready to speak with you after some time."

Luz(folding her arms): "Why so formal, Blight? Is it the house? Maybe we should get our own-".

Amity: "Everyone's going to need time to take all this in, even me. But what about you? Any trouble moving back into your old castle?"

Luz (sarcastically): " You mean Belos's hand-me-downs? You know, after I killed him. Not so bad once you get passed the stares and constant reminders of who I was."

Amity: "Sorry."

Wait, why was she apologizing?

Luz nonchalantly shrugged.

Luz: "Meh, there was vacancy."

Speaking of vacancy, even for a big house, this was unusually quiet.

Luz( jokingly): "So, when's the party? I want to see everyone. Where are they?"

Amity: "That's going to have to wait. My family's already on their way to a conference. We'll be gone for four days."

Luz: "Sounds like high class stuff. Perfect for a romantic getaway, like in the movies. Ok, I'm in!"

Amity: "You can't come."

Luz( pouting): "Huh, why not? I was technically at the top of this food chain. What could possibly stop this empress from returning to high class society?"

Amity: "Me. Remember, everyone was afraid of you. You're supposed to be a secret. Everyone at HQ has orders not to mention you being back."

Sticking her hands in her pockets, the sulking latina turned to leave.

Luz: "Fine! I'll just hang out with Willow and Gus."

Amity: "Those two are busy. Willow has official coven business. Augustus works with his father. They can't drop everything just because you're back."

Stopping mid step, she glanced back to hear about the others.

Luz: "Eda? King?"

Amity dodged her gaze.

Amity: "We haven't been able to reach them. They left Bonesborough to cure the curse... with Lilth."

For a brief moment, red flickered in Luz's eyes. Unfortunately, Amity caught glimpse of that. She made her way to the staircase.

Amity: "Enjoy the alone time."

Being left alone wasn't a fun thought.

Luz: "Hold on, you sure there's no way I could tag along?"

Amity: "Not without some assurances."

Luz: "Like a certain glowing circle floating in midair?"

Got her...

Amity: "The everlasting oath will only work if we're both on board with this. If you're willing to promise give up your magic, it could work. Just for four days, ok? I want to breathe easy. "

Luz: "Ok, but on one condition. We don't tell anyone else about this. There's probably a line of witches who want to take a shot at me."

A purple halo was spawned before them. Amity held her hand out, ready to begin. But just as Luz held out hers, it crackled. A burst of red in its hue, it zapped both their wrists before dissolving. The slight scorch marks seemed to send a clear message.

Amity( disappointed): "I knew this wouldn't work."

Luz: "Hang on, one more time. Close your eyes."

If you looked up "suspicious" in the dictionary, you'd see this moment.

Amity's narrowed eyes tried to read Luz's intentions. The suspect raised her right hand and put the other one on her chest.

Luz: "No tricks, I swear."

Complying with her request, Amity didn't peek.

Luz's eyes darted for the closest reflective object. Settling on a mirror, she knew who else was staring back.

Luz( mouthing the words): "Come on, help me out here."

Trying once more, two hands joined together without fail.

Luz: "See? No sweat. Now, when do we leave?"

Amity: "Tonight, I'm almost done packing. But there's something else I've got to say. My family's arranged for all of us to have our own rooms, for privacy. So..."

Amity brought a hand to Luz's face, smiling.

Amity( patting Luz's cheek): "Good luck finding a last minute vacancy."

And with that, a slack jawed girl was left to wait at the door.

Luz: "Fine, I don't need magic. I've got a dangerous rep!"

[The morning after Luz's return, at New Coven HQ]

Gus: "We've got to drop everything and deal with this!"

Amity: "No, we need to focus. How did she even get here?"

Willow(sarcastically): "Maybe you can find the answer at your next book club meeting? Spoiler alert! Luz's pages ahead of us."

Gus has been working with his father. Though, keeping his finger on the town's pulse was definitely a useful thing. From hearing rumors to reading reports, Gus was the group's ears.

He'd barged into Amity's briefing. Reports of crystal balls disappearing overnight. That definitely seemed like New Coven business.

Of course, it seemed like a good time to inform them of last night's visitor.

Gus: "This can't a coincidence. First, she shows up. Then, robberies happen all over town, overnight! What next? The town gets knee deep in a potion flood?"

Willow: "That doesn't sound that bad, all things considered."

Gus(hysterical): "Oh, sure! Why don't we just ask our former dictator? Hey, Luz, how bad are things going to get?"

They took the news about as well as could be expected.

Gus: "We can't just ask her. She'd probably get scary and wipe out the town."

Willow( putting a hand on Gus's shoulder): " Come on, Gus, this is Luz we're talking about. She's got a big imagination. She'd probably come up with something way worse."

Ok, that's enough panicking.

Amity: "She's not going to wipe out Bonesborough... today. Look, right now we've got questions that need answers. And each of us still have jobs to do. Augustus, I want you to keep up to date on the investigations. Willow, I need you to go to the tree. The portal's gone, but there might be something left behind. Anything that could give us a hint.

Get to it!"

This was normally the part where everyone's dismissed. But Willow waited to shut the door behind Gus.

Willow: "Now that he's gone, we need to clear the air."

Amity just sat down, resting her head on her arms.

Willow: "Do you know why I became your personal assistant?"

Amity(sheepish): "Because you're that nice of a witch and couldn't let me fall apart?"

Willow: "Luz meant alot to us. But she meant a whole lot to you. If anyone was going to get her back, it was you. You were the key to seeing her again. And I wanted to be there to see my friend again.

...

Guess I dropped the ball on that one, huh?"

These two might not be friends, but they had each other's backs.

Willow: "So, do you trust her?"

Amity: "I don't know."

Smirking, Willow wrapped one arm around Amity's shoulder.

Willow: "Well, maybe we can do something about that? See, while you were obviously crushing on her from afar..."

Amity(slightly blushing): " Obviously?!"

Willow(smug): " I was learning up close about schemes, plots, and ruses from a master of shenanigans."

Willow's confidence had improved.

Willow: "I've got a plan. If everything goes well, you might get everything you hoped for.

Twoo wuv's kiss saves Luz and both of you get a happy ending."

She took jabs at her new boss when she could. Payback for the years of bullying.

While Amity became beet red, Willow continued.

Willow(whispering): "Here's what you need to do..."

[Bonus]

The afternoon after the conference, at the Blight manor.

The "undercover" duo knocked at the Blight manor entrance.

The family should be back, by now.

They were met by the twins, Emira and Edric.

Willow: "We need to talk to Amity."

Emira: "She's sleeping."

Gus: "It's four in the afternoon."

Edric: "She didn't get a wink, last night."

A smiles appeared on Amity's siblings.

Edric: "Want to see why?"

Not even waiting for an answer, he brought up a scroll. The footage was ready to go.

Edric: "We had a ball to cap off the night."

Emira: "But Luz wanted to do something special."

There, on the screen, Luz stood in the spotlight. Holding the mic and a spanish guitar, she broadcasted for the dance hall.

Luz: "This one goes out to a special someone here tonight. It's called, 'You're in my heart'."

Amity could be seen hiding her face, as she tried to excuse herself.

Emira: "We told her, Amity left during her performance."

Edric: "So, she asked for our help in finding mitten's window."

Pulling up another recording, this one seemed to take place outside.

Luz: "I saw this in a movie, once."

As the shot panned out, the eyes of these two detectives nearly popped out at the screen. What they saw could only be described as an army of Luz clones. The one up front, holding the guitar, began to play. The rest of them sang behind her.

Luz army(echoing): "Love of my life, you've hurt me.

You've broken my heart, and now you leave me."

The Blight twins collapsed from laughter.

The two guests looked at each other.

Gus(confused): "Are we... sure that's not the real Luz?"

Willow: "I thought Luz wasn't supposed to do magic?"

Edric(astounded): "That's why she asked for our help!"

Emira: "I just thought she was trying to get in good with her future in laws. Those powers glyphs weren't a bad start."

Before Willow could ask about that, Gus had his own question.

Gus: "When did you even learn this song?"

Blight twins(in unison): "Last night."

Willow: "No one tried to stop her during any of this?"

Emira: "People were too sacred they'd set her off. I mean, even we had trouble believing she wasn't going to start... you know."

Edric: "That is, until she wanted to pull something over on Amity. And really, who are we to try and stop her from redeeming herself?"

Emira: "Yeah, shame she made Luz walk home."

Slowly, Willow pieced together a realization.

Willow: "Time's not up yet and she's walking back alone.

Wait, did you post this on Penstagram?!"

Author's note:

Admittedly, the bonus was inspired by this moment in the show

and a song on the radio.

[dhampiravidi]

So far, so good. Jayn was, for the moment, a nervous wreck. She was listening to Pogue, obviously, but she was also weighing each sentence against what she knew her parents were each thinking. As his girlfriend, she hoped to all the gods who were out there that her parents were fine with his reply. As his friend, she was curious to see what he said, just because he hadn't really talked about his parents around her before. She doubted that they were racist because he'd dated Kate for as long as he had...but that was all she knew.

Okay...a stay-at-home mom who liked interior design, and a dad who owned a profitable construction company...that didn't sound bad. Jayn didn't think her parents would have a problem with any of that. Then why was she getting weird vibes? She racked her brain, wondering what terrible secrets his parents could be hiding. Obviously, there was the witch thing, but that wasn't really "bad"--plus, she and her parents already knew about that. Jayn wondered and wondered until she was nudged out of her thoughts by the little kiss Pogue sat on top of her head. It was basically a reflex, the way she leaned into it and then into his side.

"Well, it sounds like they both like what they do. That's important, especially when you get to our age," Jayn's mom said, and the smile she had was perfectly audible. Her kid breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "Alright, I know my daughter's probably wondering when we'll let you go since she loves Halloween so much...it was nice to talk to you, Pogue."

"Use a webcam next time! I want to see who my little girl's running around with," Mr. Hardy added, though he was clearly in a good mood, too. Jayn was unamused. "Alright, goodnight."

"Night, Dad. Night, Mom. Love you." And then the call was finally over. Jayn put her phone away, pressed her face into her boyfriend's stomach, and let out a weak scream, ever the dramatic. "...thanks for...not thinking they're weird," she muttered, looking up at him. She sort of wanted to ask when she was going to meet his parents, but she worried if it was too soon. There was a difference between him talking to her parents for a few minutes, and her going over to have dinner with the Parrys. And what if his parents didn't like her for some reason? How much did they even know about--

That was how she figured out why the topic of his parents seemed strange. She knew that Reid's mom doted on his two younger sisters, who annoyed him even though he was always making himself available for rom-coms and dating advice. She knew that Ty's family was Jewish and that his dad was the cook while his mom was the baker. She knew a decent amount about Caleb's family because she lived with them. But she didn't know anything about Pogue's parents (besides their careers) because he never brought them up. Jayn bit her lip, worried.

"Pogue? What aren't you telling me about them?" A tiny part of her brain whispered that they were serial killers. Hopefully, that was the dumb part.

Caleb was usually more into mysteries and historical fiction than anything else, especially when the two genres were combined (The Three Musketeers and anything involving Sherlock Holmes were his favorites). Books focusing on romance and intense worldbuilding didn't do it for him. But since he'd found out that his crush, his girlfriend, was the daughter of an urban fantasy author, he decided to try something different. He'd started reading Mr. Keller's novels a couple of weeks after the girls had met him and the others at Nicky's when the book club had been formed. He had only just finished the first book in the series, so he was in no shape to join Cassia, Jayn, Reid, and Ty's meetings...but that didn't mean he couldn't learn a little about the latest addition to the magical story. He was horribly curious that way, wanting to hear as much as he could until there were spoilers.

Thankfully, his curiosity was shushed and nudged to the side when the haunted house became his main focus. He followed Cassia's lead toward the next exit and...ugh. Gore didn't freak him out as much as it disgusted him (there was one of the two reasons why he'd chosen law over medicine). His eyes went straight from the macabre "corpses" that decorated the room, to the walls, so he could look for the exit. Just as he thought he spotted a way out, an actor lunged at him and Cassia, startling him so badly that his doubled portion of the Power reared its ugly head. If he'd been in a room with better lighting, his black sclera would've stood out and scared the shit out of Cass. Thankfully, he reigned in his magic before it could do anything more than make the dim lightbulbs flicker. He managed to tug his girlfriend in the right direction, through some fake cobwebs and past some thunder-and-lightning SFX that poked at his already-shaky skeleton.

Caleb was starting to feel lightheaded. The logical part of his brain, which was buried underneath the worries about that case study he had due in a week, told him that he should probably breathe, as opposed to...well, not breathing. He tried to catch his breath as quietly as possible, not wanting to upset Cassia. After all, she couldn't help him not have anxiety issues. She couldn't erase Chase from his mind any more than she could take the stress out of his brain cells. So he just clenched his jaw and kept going, like he always did, until he realized that the passageway was forcing them into a single-file line. Even if he'd been ten years younger, he wouldn't be able to keep Cass by his side as they moved on to the next room.

"After you," he managed, hoping that she didn't hear how shallowly he was breathing. He would've gone first, but he was busy trying to get himself together. They'd all been having so much fun with the games and conversations...Caleb hadn't even considered how much the haunted house would really affect him. He only ever felt as fragile as he did after he'd had a nightmare, or when his course load was getting to him because he forgot to take his medication.

It was amazing how something as simple as a kiss from his boyfriend could make Aaron feel tough. Then again, he'd stopped having problems with his confidence not long after he had come out. Whatever was going on inside him, Aaron was enjoying his Halloween date with Tyler...even if he kept squealing like a kid every time a fake zombie jumped out from the shadows. And when the actor grabbed his ankle, he let out more than just a squeal.

"SHIIIIT!" he screamed, literally jumping back into Tyler's arms. He blinked, realizing how close Tyler's face was to his, and snogged him properly before he looked for the next exit. "Over here!" He led the way through the creepy greenhouse, and out into some kind of ancient art gallery. There were the paintings you'd see in Scooby Doo, with the eyes that moved if you looked closely, and then there were worn-down statues going all down the hall. At least one was bound to be an actor in cracked grey makeup, so Aaron braced himself as he kept moving forward.

Reid was excited and had a little grin to prove it. Whoever was in charge of the haunted house did a great job, as far as he was concerned. He could see the story behind it all: zombies, or some kind of menacing creature, had rampaged through some rich family's house, and he was the nosy person who decided to check out the crime scene. Cool!

"Reid? Damn, is that you?" He paused, as did the "bloody" guy who was supposed to be scaring him. They looked each other over, then chuckled in recognition.

"Hey, Mar." Marley was Reid (and sometimes Tyler)'s very reliable weed guy, not to mention a former classmate with a penchant for collecting cool seashells and shiny rocks. "Didn't think I'd see you in here..."

"Yeah, well, it's a side gig. Pays kinda nice. Awesome costume, by the way. Wouldn't know it was you besides the blond hair." Reid grinned and bowed dramatically, which made his friend laugh a little. "Alright. Get goin' before I lose my job bein' nice to the customers." The mighty Mothman wished the guy a happy Halloween before he continued on his way. And of course, he was still losing candy as it trickled out of his bag.

Jayn looked up at Pogue, eyes widening as he mentioned that he wrote code. Tyler had mentioned that he himself was studying computer science, but Pogue never had. She wondered how she could've missed that bit of information--was she a bad girlfriend for not having found that out before? She and Pogue certainly talked a lot, though sometimes she rambled on (or ranted) about her opinions more than he was actually contributing to the conversation. The brunette bit her lip softly, making a mental note to talk less and listen more, especially when it came to her boyfriend. In the meantime, it was good that he and her father had some common ground. Her parents were pretty liberal and easygoing, but she'd worried that her dad might have a problem with Pogue's race. Not that her dad was only okay with her dating Black men--he just hadn't seemed as open to her dating people who weren't Black or male when she was growing up.

"What do your parents do?" Jayn's mom chimed in. Jayn froze. Her mom was the type of person who tended to be charismatic, but who also did not give a single fuck when it came to getting what she wanted. In other words, although she sounded nice over the phone, Mrs. Hardy was a savage. She was interrogating Pogue about whether or not he realized it and whether he liked it or not. But there was no way for Jayn to warn him. All she knew was that Pogue hardly ever mentioned his parents, and there had to be a good reason for that. Jayn leaned into him a little more, nervous.

"Reid's...Reid. You never really know," Caleb admitted to Cassia. Reid used to always cry when the Sons' parents took them to take pictures with Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. He was also seriously disturbed by the Gremlins when the four boys had been introduced. But when it came to classic slasher films with tons of gore and jump scares, Reid was a fairly chill person. The blond had been forced to watch chick flicks and kiddie movies ever since his younger sisters had been born, and yet he still hadn't lost his cool. In other words, it was hard to tell what would spook Reid. "His idea of horror doesn't exactly match up with other's people's...speaking of, how's The Dark Mist, your dad's book? Is it scary at all?" Caleb remembered Cassia telling everyone that she'd served as her dad's unofficial editor, so he knew that she had already read the book. Still, he wanted to know how much she, Reid, Jayn, and Tyler were enjoying their club. Jayn had mentioned something about a group chat, but she hadn't elaborated, hinting that she didn't want to rub it in his face. That was nice of her...and yet, Caleb was still curious.

Before he and Cassia entered the haunted house, he kissed her on the top of her head. He wasn't much for public displays of affection, and it didn't seem like she was either (thankfully--he preferred to keep his business a little more private). Though after the few seconds of panic he'd had, plus her flirty comments, he felt like he had to do something--something to show her that he was still present and completely wanting to be with her. He didn't admit it, but Caleb had a feeling that he might freak out sometime later in the night. He just hoped that it wasn't in the haunted house, where Cass would feel obligated to lead him out as she would a small child. Caleb took the first steps forward, wishing he had a way to use his Power so he could sense where the dressed-up volunteers were hiding. It was a good thing that his hands were occupied when the first scare came. He managed to only tighten the hand holding his bag of candy when the first scare came. Thankfully, the shadows seemed to hide his expression, and the "hidden door" stood out to him. "This way!"

Aaron knew that, from a strategic point of view, it was probably best to stay quiet as he and Tyler ran through the haunted house. That way, it would be harder for the hidden volunteers to hear the two of them coming (and it would keep with the ominous atmosphere of the place). But Aaron couldn't hold back his laughter...until the lights dimmed even more and the fake crack of lightning pointed towards a narrow passageway, announced by thunder.

"I'll go first," he told his boyfriend, not in an effort to seem tough, but just because one of them had to go first anyway. There wasn't enough space for the couple to keep walking side-by-side. He crept through the winding corridor, which felt a lot like a jungle gym that'd been spray-painted black in hindsight. Once he got to the end, Aaron found himself in front of some clear tent flaps, that resembled the doors of a greenhouse. He waited for Tyler to join him, then pushed the flaps aside to continue on. The next room had a few bright overhead lights, but they'd been tampered with so they were constantly flickering on and off. There were a bunch of weird, overgrown plants everywhere, too, their roots and dirt littering the floor. Aaron didn't see the mauled torso of the gardener reach for his foot until it was too late.

Reid walked up to the haunted house like a first-grader getting onto the bus for a field trip. He beamed handsomely at the doorman, who simply waved him in once Cassia and Caleb had gone far enough inside. The blond paused for a second, eyes widened when the first volunteers jumped out, but he quickly recovered and kept going at a brisk pace. He had no problem crawling through the dark passages...and yet, little did he know how much candy was trickling out the sides of his plastic bag.