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frenchkisstheabyss · 3 days

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♰ ₥ØĐɆⱤ₦ ĐɆ₥Ø₦₴ ♰

♰ Pairing: slasher!yunho x chubby!fem!slasher fucker!reader

♰ Genre: smut/dark romance/horror

♰ Summary: With a ruthless, brutal killer on the loose the safe thing to do would be to stay as far away from dangerous men as possible. But you've never been the kind of girl to play it safe and when danger comes in the form of a man like Yunho, how's a girl to stay away?

♰ Word Count: 3.4k-ish

♰ Warnings: Yunho's a literal serial killer, neither of you die but someone does, sorta vivid description of a limb being chopped off, voyeruism in a way, slasher fetish, sadism, masochism, dom daddy Yunho, choking, restriction of movement, a lil nipple play, penetrative sex, sex covered in blood, dirty talk, scratching, hickeys, other forms of marking, creampie, manhandling, pet names (baby, princess, good girl), you're both kinda psychos...obviously.

♰ A/N: I'd like to say, "Oh, I wrote this because Halloween is coming up!" but, no, I didn't. I'm just a slasher fucker, okay? A part of this was inspired by one of my favorite horror movies and if you can guess it then let's get married. Love you forever.

On a side note, thank you @dawn-iscozy for suggesting Yunho for this. I didn't regret that decision for a solitary minute.

There’s a killer on the loose. A brutal, wicked man who stalks the night preying upon unsuspecting victims. Some say he only goes after those he perceives as having done something wrong. His own perverse way of balancing the scales, righting the wrongs that the cops don’t have the balls to fix.

Others say it doesn’t matter who you are or what you do. Your chances of being butchered are all the same, sinner or saint. One thing’s for sure, once he has his sights set on you not even god himself can save you from the fate that awaits. You’re gone in the blink of an eye, never to be seen again. At least not in one piece.

You’ve heard the warnings a thousand times over but none of them struck fear into your heart. On the contrary, you have quite the erotic fascination with his art as he calls it in the letters he leaves behind. There’s something about what he does that taps into a fetish for danger that you dare not tell another living soul about. You want to play with fire, scorch the tips of your fingers in his flames. That’s how you ended up here, straddling the lap of a man who claims to be the killer your sick little heart yearns for.

You met at a club. The kind where people go to indulge their wildest fantasies, no matter how depraved. You were wandering around alone in a tight latex mini dress that fit the richness of your curves like a glove. You had your hair pinned up the way you do now, waterfalls of curls spilling down to frame your face. Expertly applied black lipstick adorned your kissable lips, drawing men in enough that they’d lose their minds thinking of all the things that pretty mouth could do. The man beneath you was among them.

He spotted you from across the room, your figure bathed in red neon light as you sat at the bar plotting your next move. You let him buy you a few drinks, loosening you both up enough that secrets began to spill as freely as the vodka in your glass. “I wanna know if I tell you a secret, will you keep it?” the dark haired man whispered in your ear, a hand hovering dangerously close to your inner thigh. You swore that you would, hand over your heart. And that’s when he confessed. Your clear fascination with the man known as the Seoul Slasher had prompted him to reveal himself to you.

You couldn’t believe it. A real live serial killer, an absolute monster, so hypnotized by you he was nearly drooling down your cleavage. Going against every self preservation tactic they taught you in school, you invited him back to your place for a bit of fun. An offer he excitedly accepted. For a man whose entire modus operandi is control, he was more than happy to relinquish it to you. In no time you had him spread out on your bed, arms and legs handcuffed to the bed frame.

The entire room’s dark save for the flickering wicks of a few candles sprinkled about the room. You run a hand down his bare chest, sharp nails nicking at his tattooed flesh. He hisses at the sting, grinding his hips up against your core to add some pleasure to the pain.

You let out a giggle, fingers teasing the waist of his pants, “Tell me how you did it.” You flash your doe eyes, tightening your plush thighs around his hips.

“How’d I do what?” he asks, far too preoccupied with your body to hone in on your words.

“Those last two guys you killed. I wanna know every gory detail. You can tell me while I ride your cock.”

Your words certainly aren’t falling on deaf ears. He heard you loud and clear. He takes a calculated pause before providing you with a less than satisfying answer. “I used a butcher knife. Chopped them up real easy. Some of my best work I’d say.”

“Oh” you pout, shoulders dropping. You fold your arms across your chest, your disappointment hanging heavy in the air. “You really shouldn’t lie, you know? It’s a nasty habit.”

“Lie?” he scoffs, a nervous smile creeping across his face. His deception has failed and he doesn’t have enough brain cells to save this sinking ship. “I’m not lying, babe. I’m telling you. I used a butcher knife.”

You point an accusatory finger at him, applying pressure right between his eyes. “Dirty, dirty, liar” you sing, “You aren’t the Seoul Slasher.”

“And how would you know?” he asks, unjustly offended at the fact that you aren’t stupid enough to buy his bullshit.

You lean in close, the warm flames of the candles reflecting in your eyes like hellfire. “Because I’m already fucking him and he’s not too happy about you going around pretending to be him. It’s just bad manners.”

His smile grows more strained, his nervous laughter tickling the tip of your nose. He can’t tell if you’re serious or not but this is getting a little weird. Even for him. You watch him for a moment before erupting in soft, sweet laughter that mocks him. Reaching underneath your pillow you pull out a gag and shove it right into his mouth, shutting him up for the first time tonight.

“Baby, I’m done playing now!” you call out like a housewife announcing that dinner’s ready.

You sit back up, climbing off of him, and skip your way over to the dresser on the other side of the room. You hop up, feet giddily swinging back and forth to the tune of heavy footsteps descending the hallway. The man’s eyes dart over to the closed bedroom door, his heart thumping out of his chest. You can make out a few muffled protests but you dare not take it out. There’s nothing he can say that interests you now. Not that it ever did.

When your best friend first told you that a guy at the club was going around claiming to be the Slasher, you couldn’t believe your ears. Especially not when the real one was sleeping peacefully beside you. Further investigation proved that your best friend had been telling the truth so he had to be dealt with. Then another popped up and another. This one will make for the 4th and you must admit, as annoying as identity theft is for your boyfriend, you get a kick out of luring them here.

They always start out so cocky but once the gag’s in and those footsteps come, getting closer and closer at an agonizing pace, they’re not so confident anymore. At first they freeze up just like the corpse they’re soon to be. The shock does need a few seconds to set in. And then they panic, screaming through the gag and tugging at their bindings, their bodies writhing like a fish out of water. This one’s no different than the others. You can guess his next move like a film you’ve watched a dozen times and all of it’s in vain.

Sweat slicks his brow as the door creaks open and your face lights up like the Fourth of July. You breathe a sigh of relief. There he is. You’ve only been apart for hours but it feels like an eternity. A tall figure steps out of the shadows into the candlelight, revealing a handsome man in tailored black pants and a black button up you pressed yourself. His sleeves are rolled up, tucked just below the elbow where a pair of long black latex gloves begin. He spares the unfortunate soul strapped to the bed a passing glance before approaching you. He leans forward, palms flat on the dresser, caging you in.

“Did I do okay?” you question innocently, always hungry for the praise he never fails to feed you.

Yunho nods, gloved fingers stroking your soft cheek, “Oh, my good girl. You did more than okay. What would I do without you?”

Taking your chin between his thumb and pointer finger, he tilts your head up, capturing your lips in a kiss that would soak your panties if you were wearing any. He takes a deep breath as he pulls away, not wanting to but knowing that time is of the essence.

“Did he touch you?” Yunho’s jaw tenses, gloved hands flexing to warm up for the night’s events.

You peek around him to check in on the dark haired man. His face is wet with tears and he’s sobbing all over your new gag. You pray he hasn’t pissed himself. You’re not in the mood to have to buy a new mattress again.

You look back to your boyfriend and nod. “In the car he put his hand on my thigh.”

“Thank you for telling me, baby,” Yunho says, kissing you on the forehead. He turns around, eyes darkening as he approaches the foot of the bed. “I’ll start with his hands.”

Kneeling down, he slides a large case from underneath the bed and pops it open to reveal his tools. The spread is a pristine assortment of autopsy tools, not a lowly butcher knife in sight. He delicately runs his fingers over them, settling on the fine toothed bone saw. Your gaze never leaves him as he rounds the bed, aligning the sharp teeth of the saw with what you’ve come to know as the ulna. The bone right on his inner forearm.

Yunho grinds the saw against it and the man’s arm tears open, tattered pieces of flesh splintering off to the side as he carves his way through tough tendons. Blood gushes from the man’s arm, drenching the brand new sheets in a river of crimson. Yunho’s movements are precise and purposeful. The saw taps bone as the body below him convulses violently, the pain beyond anything you can imagine or ever care to.

Your boyfriend pauses, glancing over at you, and you know it’s about that time. You open one of the drawers beside you, fishing out your phone and a pair of over ear headphones. You sync them up, hitting play on your favorite song, and smile lovingly back at him.

He can’t be as brutal when he knows you’re listening. It’s one of few things about his profession he’s never quite been able to bring himself to expose you to. Even with the man’s cries muffled, being dismantled brings sounds out of someone that could give the most vile person nightmares. You can watch all you want but you won’t hear them.

It’d be easy to say that you weren’t like this before you met him. You were a sweet, delicate flower and this charming psychopath came along, corrupting your young soul. But a girl doesn’t get wet watching her boyfriend dismember people because she had her purity corrupted.

You were never innocent, you’d simply presented yourself as such. Yunho just freed you from the prison of feeling guilty about what got you off. Power. Not being at the mercy of anyone. Yunho treats you like a princess. You’re never left wanting for anything. Your every desire is satisfied. So what if your Prince Charming comes with a body count? Nobody’s perfect.

Yunho makes quick work of the body. After the slice to his second arm the man’s already at death’s door and the severing of his knees puts the final nail in the coffin. Yunho tosses the body parts to the ground like the limbs of an old doll. Breathless and blood soaked as he licks splatters of scarlet from his lip, he goes in for another cut.

You’re the only other thing he looks at like he does his work. The excitement of the kill is borderline orgasmic, dopamine coursing through his veins with every gruesome cut. Once he starts he has to keep going, chasing his high until it’s finished and the body’s nothing more than scattered pieces of an impossible puzzle.

Shoving the torso to the floor, he steps back to catch his breath, waving to get your attention. You slip your headphones off, setting them down to navigate the landmine of limbs and entrails to reach your love.

“You need some water, Yunie?” you ask, throwing your arms around him. The blood weighing down his clothes sticks to your arms, cool against your skin. It used to feel a bit strange but after a few times you’ve come to find it refreshing like a cool shower on a hot day.

Yunho shakes his head, a dazed look in his eyes. Usually the adrenaline begins to die down after that final cut but it’s only getting more intense. His chest rises and falls rapidly as he salivates over you like a man on the brink of starvation. “No, I need you. Right now.”

His lips crash into yours at a thousand miles per hour and you don’t even attempt to stop him. Why would you? Bloody gloves cling to your dress, stripping you of the material. You rip his shirt open, sending buttons raining down onto the slippery hardwood floor. Yunho’s hands ravenously explore your body as you rid him of his pants, painting your plush figure in blood like a canvas.

Attempting to feast upon your body through gloves is as close to torture as he’s ever come so he tears them off, groaning in delight as his bare hands sink into your pillowy ass. He picks you up, tossing you back on the bed, your breasts bouncing marvelously as you land.

You grin watching your boyfriend stare down at you like an absolute animal. His body’s everything dreams are made of, his flawless, rigid cock already leaking in anticipation. You spread your thighs, teasing him with the arousal dripping from your entrance. Bringing two fingers between your legs, you stroke them between your lips, spreading yourself open for him.

“You want it?” you moan, back arching as you pinch your sensitive clit.

Yunho positions himself between your legs, palming his cock above a pussy that’s clenching wildly at the ghost of what could be. He places a hand on your thigh, admiring the view. You in a sea of blood toying with yourself for his pleasure. What a sight to behold.

“You aren’t teasing me are you?” he asks, gripping your thigh tighter. His voice is low and rough, feral in every way.

You bring your slick fingers up to the head of his cock, coating it on your juices. “And what if I am?”

You motion to get up, your brain set on tasting his cock on your tongue, but Yunho’s quicker than you, grabbing your wrists and pinning your arms over your head. His free hand wraps around your neck, the veins of his arms pulsing as he applies the right amount of pressure to leave you breathless but not in pain.

“Do you want it?” He bumps his cock against your slit, missing on purpose to drag it between your folds. Your body shudders as much as it can with his full weight on you.

“Mmhmm” you hum, knowing he won’t hurt you but loving that you’re completely at his mercy.

“You know that’s not enough, baby” he smiles, squeezing your throat tighter, “I need to hear it, princess. Tell me you want it. Beg for daddy’s cock.”

He presses his throbbing tip to your entrance but this time he arches into you, giving you the head and nothing more. The stretch of that alone is disorienting, a wave of heat rushing through you. Releasing his hold on your throat, he brings his lips to yours, parting them to taste the desperate pleas that spill out.

“I want you to fuck me, Yunie. I’m so needy for your cock. I have been all night” you whine and his tongue traces your lips. You taste delicious. He inches into you, feeding you a little more then stopping. A little more then stopping. And your body jumps with every motion, pitiful sounds pouring from your lips onto his.

“Fuck me” you beg, an undeniable brokeness in your tone, “Fuck me. Fuck me. Fuck…” Your voice trails off, eyes rolling back as he bottoms out. He lifts off of you, still holding your arms in place above your head, and thrusts into you ever so gently. You clamp down around him tightly enough that it’s hard to move, your pussy's too needy to let go.

Yunho grins, cupping one of your breasts, “I didn’t know watching me kill got you so hot. You’re sick, you know that?” He pinches your nipple harshly and you squeal, twisting in his hold.

“I know” you moan, blowing him a kiss, “But so are you.”

“Fuck, I love you” he growls, pulling you under with another dizzying kiss.

His thrusts grow harsher, your warm, spongy walls drawing him in impossibly deeper. His fingers knead the tender flesh of your breast as he brings his tongue down to soak your bud in equal parts blood and spit. Taking the bud between his teeth, he wraps his lip around it, suckling at it without losing his rhythm between your legs.

“Yunie. So good. So, mmph, aah…” you’re moaning but he gives one particularly hard thrust to your cunt, knocking the words right out of your mouth.

You want to touch him so badly. To dig your nails into his back while he fucks into you. To run your fingers through his hair, tugging at the deep brown strands as his tongue swirls around your bud.

“Touch” you pout, wiggling your hands.

Yunho pops your bud free of his lips, licking his way up your breasts, across your heated skin, along your neck, until you’re eye to eye. “Use your words, baby. Tell me what you want.”

“Wanna touch you. Please, daddy” you plead. You’re so helpless. So beautiful.

Yunho watches you squirm, feigning indecision. After an agonizingly long contemplation, he turns your arms loose, the redness on your wrists marking where he held you. Your hands are drawn to him like magnets, scouring every inch of him they can reach just to feel him.

Your nails find his back, digging into the flesh. Yunho buries his face in your neck, moaning at the sensation. “Harder” he whispers, fingers knotting in the sheets beneath you. You dig your nails in deeper, breaking skin, and he’s on the edge of a whimper, the sensation nearly too much for him.

Slipping an arm around your back, he keeps you flush against him, sinking into you over and over. Your mouth falls open, eyes squeezed closed. You’re saying something but nothing’s coming out. Only whines and moans, the occasional fractured piece of his name.

There’s no bracing yourself for a cock this long and thick. You just have to take it, let it destroy every bit of you until there’s nothing left. A sense of euphoria surges through you and your legs instinctively lock around his waist.

“That’s it” he coos, fawning over the string of hickeys he’s left on your neck, “Be a good girl and cum for me.” Yunho grabs for your wrists one last time, locking them above your head. He pounds into you so hard the bed creaks, maybe even moves a few inches. “I wanna feel you gushing around this cock.”

Suddenly your breath hitches and your body feels weightless. It’s as if you’re floating above yourself. Watching this gorgeous man fuck you into the mattress like his own personal whore. And you are. You’re more than happy to be. Your senses come back to you in a rush of ecstasy and you’re trembling, crying out as you do exactly as he said. Creaming, gushing, dripping down his length.

Yunho pulls back, kneeling between your legs to drag his cock out and glide it back in. He goes all starry eyed at the sight of his cock glistening in your cum and soon he’s spilling inside of you. Your needy walls milking his cock of the warm, white liquid that overflows from your delicious pussy.

His hand comes down on your plush belly, enjoying its softness as he feeds you those last few strokes. You’re still moaning weakly when he finishes, laying back on the bed and pulling you on top of him.

Curled up safe and warm in his arms, you bask in the afterglow, thoughts of the man your boyfriend dismantled little more than a distant thought now. But ultimately it’s difficult to ignore. Especially when your eyes drift up and you notice something dangling in the corner of your eye.

“Yunie” you say, lightly petting his shoulder.

Yunho strokes your hair, looking down at you lovingly, “Yes, baby?”

“I think his hand’s still attached to the handcuff.”

#ateez x reader #ateez x you #ateez x female reader #ateez smut #yunho x you #yunho x reader #yunho smut #chubby reader #plus size reader #ateez au

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crystallizedtwilight · 13 days

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Nightmare Before Christmas AU Overview:

🎃🦇🍂

OVERVIEW: This AU follows the events of the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas. Taking place a few years in the future, it focuses on the adventures of Lock, Shock, and Barrel as young adults. The trio has since been welcomed into the town by Pumpkin King and Queen Jack and Sally, though they still live happily in their treehouse on the outskirts. They enjoy life under their own command, free from the now-deceased Oogie Boogie, causing mischief and pulling pranks on the good folk of Halloween Town. Throughout their continued adventures together they discover that growing means learning about themselves, each other, and dealing with change. But one thing remains constant—they'll always be birds of a feather, now and forever.

BACKSTORIES: The trio came to Halloween Town under unfortunate circumstances. Each of their families had lived in the human world, as many monsters do, either nomadically, elusively in the wilderness, or by masquerading. The trio were all born in different parts of the the world during the height of monster hunting. They were three fortunate cases who were found by other monsters and taken to Halloween Town as orphans.

Once in Halloween Town, the trio often ditched school, feeling they weren’t as accepted as the local kids, and deliberately caused trouble which earned them a bad reputation. The three bonded over a love of mischief and the feeling of being outcasts, so when Oogie offered them a life free of rules, they were easily convinced to leave the town entirely to become his henchmen.

Unbeknownst to them, the reason monster hunting took place during that time was because Oogie was rampantly devouring human children. Essentially, they were orphaned because their boss had given humans in several towns desperate cause to hunt the supernatural.

They would not come to learn this until after Boogie’s death. They grew up resenting humans for orphaning them and were horrified to learn that they'd worked for the monster who forced humans to defend themselves as well as let their parents take the fall. Nowadays, they choose to give the human world a chance by regularly traveling all over the world.

LOCK:

Lock is an imp, which is a type of devil. He has nocturnal vision, speed, and a natural desire to climb to very high places. He can often be found on the roof of the treehouse or up a tree when he needs to think. In the human world, imps are stealth hunters in deep forests, preying on deer and other local fauna. However, Lock has a diet of junk food and candy since he was raised without these hunting skills in Halloween Town.

Imps are naturally solitary creatures and dislike group settings, so no imp has ever come through Halloween Town. This, unfortunately, gave Lock a subconscious sense of loneliness and doubt. This is why he tries the hardest to keep the trio together by rejecting any change, which at one point resulted in a huge argument with Shock when she wanted to start attending coven studies a few days a week.

Of the three, Oogie’s abuse rooted itself mostly deeply within him, as Oogie played into the “who else would want you” angle Lock already felt as the only imp in town. He often overcompensates for his insecurities with arrogance and acts childishly, selfishly, and even meanly at times. However, under it all, he has a good heart and just wants to know that his friends aren’t going to leave him.

Lock and Shock are rivals who motivate each other, constantly bickering over which one of them is actually the leader of the trio. At the end of the day, they respect each other's skills and would do anything to keep their friend safe, but you'll never hear them say that.

Eventually, Lock begins a casual fwb relationship with Barrel, under the terms "as long as it doesn’t change anything”—worried that if they labeled themselves and it went sour, he could lose his friend. Barrel, who had always been in love with him, happily agreed to these terms. However, despite insisting that they were only friends, Lock finds himself extremely jealous when another ghoul, Belladonna, takes an interest in Barrel.

Lock is overwhelmed to realize that he actually does have feelings for Barrel but has likely missed his chance with him by insisting they weren't together, and Belladonna is probably better for him anyway. In an emotional confrontation where Lock accidentally scars Barrel’s arm with a bite, the two finally confess their true feelings.

SHOCK:

Shock is a witch, which is a type of magical entity. Of the three, she is the most confident and intelligent. Most witches will start coven studies at a young age to learn how to harness their magic, however, growing up under Oogie, she was discouraged from doing so. After Oogie’s demise Shock found herself determined to pursue her dreams of magic. Unlike how it had affected Lock, Oogie’s vicious words of “you’re not good enough” were only fuel to her fire, and she took all that anger and turned in into passion for her studies.

She demanded that Halloween Town’s coven mentor her, even though she was older than the typical witch who was just starting her studies. The coven saw her passion and agreed. The studying has three phases: master flying, master potions, and master hexes, and one cannot be learned until the previous is mastered. The process takes years but Shock is currently deep in her potions phase and can often be found nose-deep in a book or foraging for herbs. Mastering hexes is her dream and she is eagerly chasing it.

One night, while out for a flight, Shock encounters a banshee crying in the moonlight. Shock learns that her name is Calliope and the human family’s line that she watched over had comes to an end. Shock instantly feels drawn to her and they quickly become friends. Shock secretly makes it her mission help Calliope feel happy again. Eventually, the two develop romantic feelings for each other as well.

BARREL:

Barrel is a ghoul, which is a type of demon that feasts on the flesh of cold, buried humans. Like Lock, Barrel was raised on junk food and candy in Halloween Town so that’s the diet he prefers today. Ghouls are naturally nomadic due to their diet, needing to find different graveyards to dig in to avoid being caught. However, many ghoul packs often breeze through Halloween Town for events, and are genuinely regarded fondly by the locals since they’re always polite and up for a fun time.

Of the three, Barrel is the most easygoing. He wants to hang out with his friends more than he wants to prank people, but is always up for fun nonetheless. He also keeps scorpions as pets. Regarding Oogie, Barrel walked away the least scathed because Shock and Lock intentionally took the brunt of his anger to protect him since he was the youngest. This left Barrel with a sense of guilt for not being strong enough to protect his friends back then. However he’s worked through that by deciding he would never let either of them be hurt again now that he could hold his own.

Barrel always had a crush on Lock since the moment he met him. The feeling was not mutual, and it wasn’t until Barrel kissed him much later in life that Lock even entertained the idea. Despite this, Barrel continues to love him timelessly and patiently, despite Lock still having a lot to work through and trouble recognizing his own feelings.

CALLIOPE:

Calliope is a banshee, which is a type of fairy that heralds death. She is sweet-natured and very new to the ways of Halloween Town, having grown up in the human world. She loves dogs since, like her, they also warn humans of danger. She has taken a liking to Zero in particular.

Calliope develops feelings for Shock who not only helped her feel at home in Halloween Town, but also helped her find her happiness when she never thought she'd smile again. Nowadays, Calliope is happier than ever before.

BELLADONNA:

Belladonna is a ghoul who lives in the human world with a pack of other ghouls. They masquerade as a human band/roadies, live nomadically, and actually put on some good concerts. Ghouls don’t kill or cause any harm to humans (they love their audiences!) but they do eat corpses by raiding graves at night. They breeze through Halloween Town once or twice a year for big events.

Belladonna is instantly attracted to Barrel when they meet at one of Halloween Town's formal parties. She is fun, good-natured, and helps Barrel learn about what his kind is up to in the human world.

JACK:

Jack still reigns as Pumpkin King, alongside Sally whom he recently wed. Regarding the trio, Jack feels guilt for overlooking them when they were children. Jack had a no-kill policy when it came to humans and Oogie Boogie did not—due to this conflict, Jack banished Oogie to the outskirts, and he is the reason the town has a guarded gate.

Jack was especially bitter about this rivalry, since he used to be friends with Oogie, and declared that Oogie would never be allowed into town again. Moreover, anyone associated with Oogie needed a by-name invitation from Jack himself before they’d be allowed into town. Even though the trio were just children at that time, Jack declared there would be no exceptions, and ignored the fact that the trio were actually in real danger with Oogie, which he found easy to overlook since they were so ill-behaved and rude to him.

At the end of the movie the trio have a change of heart and warn the townsfolk that Jack, Sally, and Sandy are trapped in Oogie's lair. Even though Jack was able to defeat Oogie before needing the town's assistance, this helped him see that the trio are actually good kids and he was wrong to ignore their circumstances for so long.

Nowadays, Jack tries very hard to make up for his mistake. He has declared that they are welcome inside the town, removed the gate, and regularly defends them when they prank the townsfolk (and Jack himself). Sometimes, Jack tries too hard, requiring their attendance at Town celebrations which the trio roll their eyes at. They regard Jack as a nerd, but know he is well-meaning. The mayor still dislikes them, but trusts Jack’s judgement.

SALLY:

Sally, now Pumpkin Queen, gets along quite well with the trio. Because she is so clever, she’s the only person in town they’ve never managed to prank, and she even managed to prank them once. Though Queen is her title, sewing is her passion and she happily has taken up the job as town seamstress, eagerly designing clothes for all the wonderful shapes that call Halloween Town home, trio included.

Shock actually enjoys Sally’s company and thinks of her like an older sister, even confiding in or asking her for advice at times. Lock is still a bit skeptical and cold with her since he is forever done with authority figures, though Sally finds him funny. Barrel likes Sally just fine, and really enjoys how soft and comfortable she makes all his clothes.

OTHER KIDS:

Growing up, the trio didn’t like the inner-town kids (Corpse Kid, Mummy Boy, and Winged Demon, as they’re referred to in the movie). The trio saw them as “goody-two-shoes” who grew up nice and cushy inside the town gate, happy to follow Jack’s ever order, and going home to loving families every night. However, the inner-town trio prove to not actually be so bad and take earnest steps to make the trio feel welcome in town after Oogie’s demise.

MISC FACTS: ▪️ The trio regularly utilize the towns tomb portals to travel all over the human world. They're particularly interested in celebrations or festivals that are similar to Halloween. They're technically not supposed to interact with human festivities so openly, as fear of the unknown gives monsters more mystery and therefore more fright factors on Halloween, but Sally knows they do so and keeps their secret: [1] [2] [3] [4]

▪️ They upgraded their treehouse to be more spacious: [1] [2] [3]

▪️ They gave each other piercings to signify them being friends forever

▪️ The three of them were brought to Halloween Town just days apart. They were then named as a unit after the merism. However, they did have other names before they arrived, though they no longer want to use them.

▪️ None of them know how old or when their birthdays are. They mark time in a very general sense by how many Halloweens it feels like they've had together.

▪️ This AU began as sketches in 2018 and I posted my first art of them publicly in 2020. I was inspired by the Photo Booth pin. I thought it would be fun if the trio took pictures in the more modern sense, capturing their shenanigans with selfies and documenting their mischief, which is why the first couple drawings are framed that way.

The second thing that inspired me was the screenshot of Oogie saying he’ll decide which of the trio to eat when they displease him, and the general theory that the masks in the treehouse are from previous victims whom he had eaten. I thought since Jack destroys Oogie at the end of the movie, maybe the trio gets the chance to grow up, hence an AU about their happy, older years.

ART TAGS:

🎃 Entire Nightmare Before Christmas Tag

💘 Lock/Barrel Tag

🩵 Calliope Tag

💚 Belladonna Tag

🤩 Fan Art of My AU Tag (THANK YOU!!)

INSTAGRAM:

best_trickortreaters

#non rebloggable #will be used for linking #tnbc

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writingoddess1125 · 11 months

Note

hiya!

Could you do Prince Nuada from Hellboy 2 and reader?

This one has taken me a while- Also thank you for reigniting the LOVE I had for Prince Nuada! Ugh! So sexy!!

I do hope this is to your liking since it did take some warping.

1. I gotta keep Nuada and Nuala alive so the ending didn't happen

2. Introduce elements from the comics aka Hellboy had adopted siblings.

OKAY ENJOY! I TRIED HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Half Breed

Prince Nuada x FemReader

Support me on Ko-Fi I'm poor!

After the fortunately failed suicide attempt from Nuala which had horribly injured both twins- Nuafa had been captured and the two rushed back to the Bureau for emergency treatment, Which fortunately allowed the Elves to survive the whole ordeal.

Nuada had been placed in custody of B.P.R.D first as a high level prisoner for many months after his attempt to wipe out humanity.

After being in solitary confinement for far too long a deal was struck with him to work for the organization due to his knowlege of the world and to get out of solitary help all that had been damaged.

He had agreed- begrudgingly and because Nuala insisted.. it had been nearly a year of this all- When something interesting took place.

Nuala and Abe walked down the corridors together, talking about recent books they had shared before Abe paused.

"Oh?-" He looked around calmly before seeing the warning lights come down shining blue instead of the normal red for emergencies.

"Is there an emergancy?" Nuala questioned, a bit nervous of what it could mean, But Abe gently touched her shoulder with his gloved hand.

"No no- Just a old friend. Everytime she visits her and Red play a.. Game of sorts like tag" Abe explained, Nuala smiling at hearing this. Nuada who had just returned from a mission turned the corner seeing his sister and the fish man, frowning but looking to the lights.

"Whats this?" He asked shortly, Abe repeating his answer from before.

"Warning lights for a Game?" He questioned, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"Well they are only allowed to have this game once a year and for 5 minutes- mainly due to the property damage that always happens" Abe said truthfully as the elven twins looked surprised by this. A childish game causing property damage?

As if right on cue there was a loud crash the trio turning to see Hellboy running full force in their direction like a train.

"MOVE MOVE!" He yelled loudly, as he ran past them. This was the fastest any of them had seen him run even in a life or death situation, right as he was about to turn the corner a black boot came barrowing down on the side of his cheek, knocking him to the ground hard before the smaller figure ran down the hall Red had just gone through.

"You're it!" She yelled and the trio watched- There running past was a women. Dressed in all black leather tactical gear with her silver hair in a long braid, the ends a sunset gold- (Y/S/C) skin with unique etchings found in only elvish culture paired with amber eyes. It didn't take a genius to figure see what she was-

"Timer Abe!" She yelled, Abe looking to the small watch he carried.

"4 minutes and 26 seconds left- Also happy youve returned safely" He called out to (Y/N) who dashed down the hallway.

Nuada eyes widened as he couldnt help but follower her with his gaze, something about her drew him in. The trio sticking to the walls as they tried to follow the action- it was like a massive battle taking black between a giant and a tiny titan. While Red was slamming into walls cracking cement with his weight and arm- (Y/N) was doing flips and hung to the light fixtures above to keep an advantage.

"Happy to see you too!!!"

He could only describe himself as being mesmerized by her.. Every turn, giggle and jump just seemed to bewitch him and it terrified him.. It wasn't till a loud alarm snapped him his gaze making him jump a bit in surprise- the game was over it seemed and Hellboy returned with his sister, the demon clearly glum from losing.

Nuala eyes widened as she watched (Y/N) jump around Hellboy with a happy smile at winning the game. Figuring what she was but disbelieving of course even after this entire endeavor. A leath-fola. A Half-Blood Actually existed in this world? The embodiment of a union between a human and one of his own kind-

"I win Red! So that's 28 for me and 25 for you. Best luck next you!" She said cheerfully as Hellboy grumbled and pushed her head away with his small hand.

"Yada Yada short stack-"

She noticed the looks of the two meeting their gazes and Nuada immediately felt his heart beat pick up- Confused by the sensation he glanced to Nuala assuming it must be her however she seemed calm and relaxed.

"New Agents?" She questioned looking at the twins, Abe nodding with a 'smile'

"Prince Nuada of the Bethmora clan.. This here is my sister Princess Nuala" He introduced both formally, watching how her smile seemed to radiate as he spoke. It made him feel like he had had stepped into the sun for the first time in years..

"It's lovely to meet you both! It's so lovely to have new faces here in the facility" She said cheerfully, reaching out in a friendly matter and patting both twins on the shoulders.

It felt like Nuada had been shocked by the most pleasant bit of electricity that left him flustered and confused. His sister finally glancing at him as she felt his emotions and gaze a smile, a twinkle of what could only be described as mischief in her golden gaze.

"Yes.. new faces... now if you'll excuse me" Nuada said quickly before dismissing himself- trying to control the panic that was eating him on the inside and the warmth that bloomed in his body. He practically ran back to the space he was forced to call a room and lock himself inside. Nuada stood in his room pacing back and forth. His mind racing and heart uneasy- unknowingly for hours as he tried to calm himself from the sudden feelings that seemed to slam into him.

A knock on the door bringing him from his thoughts as he quickly opened the door, surprised to see his sister standing there in a evening gown.

"Sister, what are you doing up? You should be resting.." He said softly, allowing Nuala into the room.

"I can not rest with you so worked up brother" Nuala said softly. The prince sighing as he realized he had kept her up and took a seat on the corner of the bed, Nuala sitting next to him as well.

"Well- It sounds like she is your fated partner" She pointed out and Nuada immediately felt anger in his blood.

"You're thinking about the leath-fola (Y/N)? Right?" Nuala said softly as she rubbed her brothers shoulder to comfort him. He frowned at being so obvious and also for the form of comfort.

"Yes- She... makes me uneasy" He says, lying a bit to avoid the words he wanted to use. Nuala smiling at this.

"Do not speak such foolish things-" He hissed, Nuala flinching at his harsh words.

"I am not fated to a mortal of all beings" He started but Nuala held up a hand.

"She is not a mortal however brother.. You saw" Nuada was ready to argue but couldnt- his face twisting up.. The damn half-breed was not his fated partner NOR was it going to be the siblings of the demon.

He would prove it...

For the first few weeks that (Y/N) was there, Nuada had been rude and snide. Hissing insults about her mixed blood, shoving past her or even straight up ignoring her. He expected she would take the abuse since she didnt say anything about it but he had been wrong- so terribly wrong.

It took only one time calling her "Dirty" in terms of her blood to get the hardest punch he had ever taken to the nose- It made his eyes water and fall to a knee infront of her..

She grabbed his silver hair and pulled him close so they were eye to eye-

"Listen here- Keep insulting me like this and I'm going to tear your ass a new one. I don't give a Flying fuck if your a price or whatever- I will fuck you up" She hissed at him-

Nuada felt more confused then he ever had before- The pain seemingly going with the fluttering warmth he felt in his face and blatant arousal that was Damm near impossible to miss- (Y/N) seeing his widened eyes and the flush of color on his pale face, like he was frozen and her own golden eyes traveled down at noticing some new movement.

"O-Oh-" Was all she said- Clearly just as surprised as Nuada was at this point. Her fingers carefully releasing his silver hair as warmth went to her own cheeks.

Nuada wanted a blade to the heart at this point...

#x reader #hellboy #Hellboy Golden Army #prince nuada #Princess Nuala #hellboy 2 the golden army #hellboy 2004 #abe sapien #halloween #happy halloweeeeeeen #dark elf #elf x reader #half elf #teratophile #monster fucker #monster fuqqer #monster fudger

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mellifiedprincess · 7 months

Text

This was wrote very quickly, sooo not really sure if it’s good or not :/

“Good morning campers! I’m your host Nick Sturniolo.” There’s a slight pause before your eyes drift over to your boyfriend. “Matthew Sturniolo here.”

“Chrizzz.”

“And welcome back to the Cut the Camera podcast.” You can hear the joy in Nicks voice as he continues the intro. Your head is placed in Nicks shoulder, arms wrapped around one of his, in search of comfort.

Usually, you find comfort in the arms of your boyfriend. But not today. Today he and Chris have betrayed your trust, and therefore you are forced to cling to Nick against his free will.

“Of course I can’t continue without explaining why Y/N is glued to my side. For those who are not watching this on youtube, normally Y/N and Matt would be sitting together. Being gross and all that, but not today.” Nick pauses, looking at you before switching his eyes from Matt to Chris.

“Would anyone like to explain?” Before either of the boys can even think about speaking, your body lunges forward to grab Nicks mic. “Matt and Chris are evil spawns of satan and deserve to be put in solitary confinement.” You glare at the stupid laughing idiots sitting across from you and sink back down next to Nick.

“JESUS Y/N/N!” Chris can barely get words out from laughing at your outburst. “Kids wanting us locked up.”

“Nick! Make him shut up before I punch his stupid face.”

“Alright sweetheart.” Nick laughs and gives your arm an affectionate rub.

“Chris cut it out. Leave her alone.” Matt finally speaks up, his lopsided grin giving away the fact he finds the current scared state his girlfriend is in to be amusing. His eyes meet yours and even though he knows you’re not seriously upset with him, he still wants to apologize profusely and shower you with affection.

“Will you please come over here and sit by me?” He pleads with you, but you’re not having it. “No!” You huff out and squeeze Nicks arm even tighter.

“Ohhhkay, moving on.” Nick interrupts before things escalate. “The reason Y/N and Matt are mad at each other-“

“I’m not mad at my girlfriend. I miss her and want her over here with me!” Matt cuts Nick off with a tone one could only describe as…pouty. “Maybe if you didn’t try to paralyze me with fear and send me into cardiac arrest, I wouldn’t be over here with Nicky praying on your downfall.” With that you cross your arms and purse your lips, that same glare from earlier back.

An audible whine leaves your boyfriend’s lips. A whine. He was actually trying to kill you.

“Can I tell the viewers what happened? Or am I gonna keep getting interrupted?” After everyone finally quiets down, Nick continues.

“So, many of you may not know this about our angel of a friend Y/N, but one of her biggest fears is things/people running at her.” You can clearly see the amusement on the triplets faces, because of how ridiculously funny the situation is to them. It wasn’t to you though. “It could literally be a baby crawling towards her super fast and the girl is screaming and frozen with fear.”

Before Nick starts to speak again, Chris starts laughing uncontrollably once again. “Remember when we went to that haunted house thing for halloween and at the end, like after you make it back outside, there was that guy holding a chainsaw-“ You already knew what he was talking about, one of the scariest moments of your life.

“Christopher don’t!” Your tone is one of warning, and your eyes widen at the memory that haunts you daily. (Dramatic much?)

Of course, that fucker continues anyway. “No wait, this is one of my favorite Y/N/N stories. Chris has to tell it.”

“You traitor!” You point an accusing finger at Nick, who only laughs at you. “I can’t trust any of you!” You quickly move to sit by Matt after that, a satisfied grin makes its way onto his face and he wraps his arms around you as soon as you’re next to him.

And as soon as your body falls into his, any fear you had diminishes instantly. Like your body knew the safest you would ever feel was anywhere in his proximity. You feel his lips press against your temple, before making its way across your cheek, and then finally turning your head a little to give you a proper kiss on your lips.

“And the barf mobile has arrived.” Nick deadpans. “Fuck off.” You and Matt deadpan in unison.

“Alright when I come running at you with a chainsaw, don’t say shit.”

The image of Nick running at you makes you curl into Matt’s side even more. “Alright, stop scaring her. She literally won’t sleep tonight and will probably make me go with her to the bathroom every time she has to use it.”

“You’re funny if you think I’m not making you go with me to the bathroom after the shit you and Chris pulled.”

Matt can only grin down at you, he was just happy that you were back beside him. Codependency is a bitch <3

“Alright, back to what Matt and Chris did to Y/N. Y/N, you wanna start the story off?” Nick directs the attention on to you and you start playing with Matt’s fingers as an anxious habit.

“Let’s start off with the fact, I was in the middle of cooking dinner for these idiots and I thought I was still the only one home.” You watch Chris cover his mouth to try to hide his smile, ultimately failing.

“I heard something from downstairs and thought maybe Chris left his patio doors open and an animal got in. Wouldn’t be the first time. So, I put my investigation skills to the test and went to see what it was. Anyone want to guess what it was?” You pause for dramatic effect, looking around the table for a moment.

“It was my lovely boyfriend and dumbass best friend standing at the bottom of the staircase with creepy ass masks on. And as soon as they saw me they start running up the stairs towards me!” A shiver of fright runs through your body at the scene replaying in your head.

“And what did your fight or flight instincts tell you to do?” Matt asks, already knowing the answer since he saw it firsthand. “I don’t have fight or flight instincts. I have freeze instincts. BECAUSE I WAS FROZEN FROM FEAR!”

And at your outburst, the three brothers start laughing uncontrollably, Matt earning a slap to his chest as his body shakes from how hard he was laughing.

“And what makes it even worse is when my body finally registered I needed to move my fucking ass, I ran to our room and immediately called Matt.”

“Awe baby, I’m so sorry.” He’s quietly laughing now, pulling you even closer to his body. “I promise I won’t scare you like that ever again.” You cut your eyes at him and plants a kiss to your cheek, trying to convince you.

“Maybe not intentionally, but Y/N/N literally gets scared if you look at her for too long.”

Chris was right, but he didn’t have to call you out like that.

“I will hide every can of pepsi you bring into this house.” You threaten and watch as his mouth drops open in shock, before he fucking. starts. staring. you. down.

“CHRIS! Cut it out!” Matt yells at his younger brother when he realizes he’s trying to scare you again.

“You are all very bizarre.” Nick shakes his head and gets ready to move on to the next topic.

#matt sturniolo #sturniolo fanfic #matt sturniolo fluff #matt sturniolo x reader

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heroesriseandfall · 2 years

Text

Tim Drake on trauma and tragedy: what makes a hero, and what destroys one.

Comic sources:

Robin Vol. 2 #101

Red Robin #22

Detective Comics #619

Identity Crisis #6

Robin Vol. 1 #1

Robin Vol. 2 #132

DCU Halloween Special 2009, “Our Father’s Sins”

Teen Titans Vol. 3 #51

Robin Vol. 2 #167

DCU Halloween Special 2009, “Our Father’s Sins”

Image descriptions in alt text are also copied below read more.

1. Tim Drake’s narration box from Robin #101, that says: “Does it take more than just the desire to be a hero—do you have to have the trauma and the tragedy to go with it?”

2. Two comic panels from Red Robin #22. The first shows Tim Drake in a cemetary at night, wearing a maroon dress shirt and dark slacks with his hands clasped behind his back as he stares down at a grave that says “Janet Drake, wife” on it. The second panel shows a hand laying in a pool of blood. Reflecting in the blood is a scene of Batman holding Tim Drake in his arms. Tim is not wearing a mask but he’s crying and gripping tightly to Bruce’s arms wrapped around him. It is drawn similar to the scene where Jack Drake dies.

3. Comic panels from Detective Comics #619. The silhouettes of Tim Drake and Alfred Pennyworth stare up at a glass case holding Jason Todd’s Robin costume. Alfred has his hand on Tim’s shoulder as Tim says, “Strange…Dick Grayson’s parents died…and gave the world Robin. And poor Jason…his parents, too.” Alfred leads Tim away from the case, toward the Batcave stairs, as Tim continues, “Maybe…maybe it’s something we all have to go through before…before we put on the suit!” Alfred says, “Heaven forbid, sir! Don’t ever think like that! Not ever!” The last panel shows the solitary glass case with the Robin suit, surrounded by a small circle of light before the rest of the cave is in darkness.

4. Comic panels from Identity Crisis #6. A green narration box says, “…and, of course, fathers.” It shows a scene of young Bruce Wayne in a suit holding two roses with a desolate expression as Alfred Pennyworth stands behind him in a thick, dark coat holding an umbrella. It’s night, there’s a lamppost to the right, and it’s raining as Alfred looks down at Bruce with concern and says, “I’m sorry, Master Bruce.” The scene changes to an adult Bruce Wayne with a young Dick Grayson, standing next to each other in a large circus tent as a police officer walks by. Tears are streaming down Dick’s face as Bruce looks down at him and says, “I’m sorry, Dick.” The scene changes again to Bruce in a suit, standing in a cemetary at night as he looks down and says, “I’m sorry, Tim.”

5. A comic panel from Robin Vol. 1 #1 showing Tim Drake holding Jack Drake’s limp hand as Jack lays in a hospital bed. Tim looks tired and numb as he thinks, “His hand is so small in mine. I remember when I thought it was the biggest hand in the world.” The scene shifts to Tim in the back of a car as Alfred, looking concerned in the driver’s seat, glances back at Tim. Tim has his hand on his forehead as he stares out the window. Tim continues to think, “It’s strange to be leaving them. So many times they travelled the world and left me behind. But more than anything else, this journey is for my parents.”

6. Comic panels from Robin Vol. 2 #132 showing Tim Drake in a dark suit standing under a tree with a despondant but serious expression as he says, “If you’re asking if I plan to continue as Robin, the answer is yes. I’m more determined now than ever before.” The next panel shifts to show how Bruce Wayne is standing beside Tim in a similar suit, holding something under his arm and looking sad. Tim continues saying, “But don’t for a moment think I’m now like you, Bruce. I’m not about to let these losses turn me into another copy of you—grim and vengeful and closed off from most of what keeps us human.”

7. Comic panels from DCU Halloween Special ‘09 #1, which shows three panels, the first of Bruce Wayne in a light brown suit smiling with his face partially in shadow. Tim Drake’s narration boxes say, “When your father died…you hid all your pain and sadness away—” it cuts off to show Tim looking forlorn as he says, “What did you do?” His narration box continues from the previous, “—inside the Batman.” The last panel shows Bruce with his arms folded and a grim expression as Tim asks again, “What did you do? Bruce, what did you do?”

8. A comic panel from Teen Titans Vol. 3 #51 which shows Tim Drake as Batman from the side, facing off against a younger Tim Drake as Robin. Batman Tim says, “If that’s true…then how do you explain my continued existence? That you’ve not yet wised up despite all the dead loved ones in your life lately is an insult to their memories. But you still have it in you to step up before it’s too late—before even more Titans have to die.” Robin Tim looks angry and spreads his arms, getting up in Batman Tim’s face as Robin Tim says, “And by ‘step up’ you mean kill, right?”

9. A comic page from Robin Vol. 2 #167 showing Tim Drake in a tattered red-and-black Robin suit standing in the rain in front of a gravestone that says, “In loving memory: Drake. Jack and Janet.” Tim says, “I’m tired of pretending that not having you here isn’t killing me. That every time I lose someone else, it doesn’t take a little part of me with them.” Tim clutches his own head and continues, “Before…before it happened, you told me it was all worth it. This life was all worth it, and that I should never question it.” Tim bends over, forehead and hands pressed against the top of the gravestone, and continues saying, “Well, I’ve been trying…please believe that I’m still trying… but every day I have to find another reason to put this mask back on. Sometimes it’s for Bruce. Sometimes for Conner, but a lot of times, I do it for you. Because you were brave enough to understand the man I wanted to be.” Tim falls to his knees in the mud and raises his arms as he continues saying, “And you lost your life because of it. If I was just some normal kid with some normal life, you’d be alive today. Maybe mom would be alive today. Were your lives really worth all the others I’ve saved? God, how can I even ask that?” Tim crosses his arms over the top of the gravestone and lays his head against it as he continues, “Dad, I used the night of your death as a reason—no, an excuse to turn into someone else…” Tim drops lower, almost laying down but with his hands still clutching the gravestone as he says, “…And I came here tonight to tell you it won’t happen again.” Tim finally turns his head to look behind him, a hand still on the grave as shadows and light play across his fierce expression. He says, “I’ll never give up, dad. Not while there’s a breath in our bodies—neither one of us will ever give up.”

10. A cropped comic panel from DCU Halloween Special ‘09 showing Tim Drake’s sillhoette in his Red Robin suit, walking away in the foggy night, toward a tall gate and fence past rows of gravestones. Behind him, the angle of the lighting makes a long shadow in the rough shape of a bat.

#tim drake #batfam #bruce wayne #batman #dc comics #okay so. this is why I like tim comics. also btw that last one is from a story about Bruce’s death. just to tie everything together #heroesriseandfall #bonds: someone alone like me #dc meta #edits #jack drake #janet drake #dc #death mention #my edits

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starsstuddedsky · 11 months

Text

Pumpkin' to Talk About

Soonyoung x reader

summary: “I thought Cinderella was supposed to come in a pumpkin carriage, not come with a pumpkin for a head.”

genre: fluff, pinch of angst, fantasy au/magic uni au

warnings: swearing, food mentions, lmk if i missed any

wc: 3.1k

a/n: happy halloween :)

In Soonyoung’s defense, he was left unsupervised for far too long. Carving pumpkins was never meant to be a solitary activity, especially not for him. He’s always needed someone to make sure appendages remain attached to his body and the removal of pumpkin seeds doesn’t turn into a crime scene of goopy guts. In all honesty, it could be way worse.

“Oh. My. God.” Chan’s words are followed by a crash, whatever he was holding scattering onto the floor. At least it doesn’t sound like anything broke.

“What the hell, Chan! That was—” Seungkwan stops mid sentence as well, his footsteps stopping in the entryway. “Oh, Soonyoung, what did you do?”

“Are you okay?” Chan asks.

Soonyoung nods—correction, he tries to nod, but his skin thickens and becomes harder halfway up his neck, turning into a stiff rind that doesn’t budge. He runs his hand over it again, smooth with gentle bumps, curving wider than his natural head. He can just barely reach the top, which curves into a little concave, centering around a little, thick stem.

“It’s not that bad!” Soonyoung says. His voice comes out all muffled.

“You have a pumpkin for a head,” Seungkwan says flatly.

“Is that what it is?” Soonyoung says. “I can’t actually see myself. Or anything.”

“Did Soonyoung just say he went blind again—Holy shit!” Seokmin apparently finally walks in. He walks closer until Soonyoung can hear his breathing. Has he always been able to hear that? Did he get enhanced hearing with the pumpkin head?

“Woah,” Seokmin says, way too close to his face. Seokmin pats his pumpkin cheek, but with a head both bigger and heavier than normal, it sends Soonyoung teetering to the side. Seokmin grabs him by the shoulders, straightening him. “Sorry.”

“How did you do this?” Seungkwan asks, finally overcoming his initial shock.

“It was a simple spell,” Soonyoung says. “At least it was supposed to be. A shortcut to carving faces into pumpkins, Joshua said it was easy, I don’t know what went wrong!”

“You tried a spell from Joshua,” Seungkwan says. Soonyoung doesn't need sight to see him shaking his head, frowning at Soonyoung for yet another idiotic escapade. “Everyone knows he spends so much time on his hair that it fucks up the energetic balance of his spells.”

“It’s true,” Chan says. “Remember the time Jun tried to use his spell for cleaning? I don’t think his eyebrows ever recovered.”

“Dude, you’re gonna have a pumpkin head forever,” Seokmin says.

“No!” Soonyoung cries. “It’ll be fine! It’s reversible!”

“I know you slept through most of Fundamentals, but even you know that not all spells are reversible,” Seungkwan says.

“But Joshua said—”

“And don’t trust anything Joshua tells you.” Seungkwan sighs.

Soonyoung refuses to believe he’s stuck like that. “It turned out okay for that Jack guy.”

“Who?”

“You know, Jack, from that Halloween movie, with a pumpkin for a head.” Soonyoung turns his head as best he can, trying to determine if his hearing has left him too.

“Do you mean Jack Skellington?” Seokmin finally asks. “From the Nightmare Before Christmas?”

“Yeah, that guy!”

“Soonyoung, he was a skeleton,” Seokmin says.

“I thought he had a pumpkin head first.”

“He was the pumpkin king,” Chan offers.

“With a pumpkin head?” Soonyoung asks.

“Have you seen the movie?” Seokmin asks.

“Well no,” Soonyoung admits.

“We’re getting off track,” Seungkwan says. “Though that’s a crime and we will be watching it. As soon as we get your head back.”

“So you do think I can get my head back!” Soonyoung would grin if the skin of his face wasn’t so stiff.

“We’ll figure it out,” Seungkwan says. Something scrapes against the floor, and Soonyoung hears Seungkwan flop into a chair. Seokmin throws his arms around Soonyoung’s shoulders.

“So what would happen if we poked your eyeholes?” Chan asks.

“I have eyeholes?”

“Yeah, you’ve got the whole jack-o-lantern thing going on,” Chan says. “No light though… What do you think would happen if we opened you up like a real pumpkin? Do you think you’ve got brains up in there or pumpkin goop?”

“Let’s not find out,” Soonyoung says quickly. He lets Seokmin guide him to the couch, sitting and resting his heavy head against the wall.

“What are you going to do about YN?” Seokmin asks.

Soonyoung has become familiar with having a blank slate in his head. More often than not, it feels like one thought at a time rattles around until it makes its way into a bad joke or a stunt with varying degrees of success. He’s even used to having a blank slate when it comes to you, the source of his pounding heart and favorite smiles. It’s no surprise he can’t think of an answer to Seokmin’s question. He can’t even fathom the question itself, the words twisting themselves in his head until he’s convinced he has pumpkin soup for brains.

“YN could probably fix it,” Seungkwan says. Of course you could. You’re you, the single most advanced magician the world has seen since… ever. You’re the smartest, most talented person he knows, if there’s anyone that could fix him with a snap, it would be you.

“Of course, that means admitting to YN that you did this to yourself,” Chan says. “Is that proper first date etiquette?”

“It’s not a date,” Soonyoung says with a groan.

“Right,” Seungkwan says. “You just want it to be one.”

“Are you sure it isn’t a date?” Seokmin asks. “It’s a dance that you agreed to attend together.”

“It’s not a date!” Soonyoung says. “Though, yes, I wish it was one.”

“I don’t get why you won’t just ask them out,” Chan says. “Do you really think you’d get rejected? They agreed to go to the dance with you.”

“We agreed to meet at the dance and hang out,” Soonyoung says. “I’m not even picking them up.”

“At least you have someone you’re going with,” Seokmin grumbles. “I’m stuck being a part of the three musketeers again.”

“There were four of them,” Seungkwan says, “and speak for yourself.”

“Since when do you have a date?” Soonyoung asks.

“This morning,” Seungkwan says smugly. “And don’t even think about begging for details, you won’t get any.”

“I guess it’s just the two of us,” Chan says.

“You are not my date,” Seokmin says. “I’d rather third wheel with Soonyoung and YN.”

“I’m going to have to see YN like this,” Soonyoung says. He slides farther down the couch, pumpkin head pointed toward the sky. “I can’t even see.”

“You’re lucky it’s a masquerade ball,” Seungkwan says. “What would you do if it was suit and tie?”

Soonyoung groans. “I was going to wear the velvet suit.”

“So wear it,” Seokmin says.

“It’s leopard print,” Soonyoung says, “I had a matching mask and everything.”

“Right, maybe just the suit you wore to Jeonghan’s wedding,” Seokmin says.

“How do you own multiple suits?” Chan asks.

“He got this one specially for the ball,” Seungkwan says. “Worked double shifts at the café to afford it, all so he can look nice for his not-date with YN.”

“It’s going to be fine,” Seokmin says, patting Soonyoung on the shoulder.

Soonyoung groans and wishes he could stare at the ceiling. Instead all he sees is a black expanse, an emptiness like nothing he’s ever seen. What if this really is forever? He pictures your face, image popping into his mind in an instant, the lines of your face, the way the corners of your eyes curl up when you smile—how he wishes he could see you smile again.

Soonyoung reaches out, letting Seungkwan pull him out of the car. Seungkwan throws an arm over his shoulder, Seokmin appearing at his other side to do the same, each of his friends doing their best to keep him on his feet as they cross the parking lot. A car door slams shut and they freeze, dragging Soonyoung to a stop.

“Wow, you guys weren’t joking, huh,” Vernon says.

“I told you,” Seungkwan says. “Pumpkin head.”

“What do you think is up there?”

“His brain, I hope,” Chan says.

“I think it’s hollow and filled with the stringy bits like a real pumpkin,” Seokmin says. “Seungkwan won’t let me crack it open to find out.”

“Absolutely not,” Seungkwan says. “Though you’re probably right.”

Vernon hums. “Pumpkin, spice and everything nice.”

“Isn’t the saying ‘sugar and spice?’” Soonyoung asks.

There’s a beat of silence before Seungkwan says, “He just shrugged.”

“Right, you can’t see anything,” Vernon says. “Is it reversible?”

“It’s a Joshua spell,” Seungkwan says.

“Yeesh,” Vernon says. “I’ve seen Jun’s eyebrows.”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” Soonyoung says. “Can we please get this night over with?” The guys laugh but start walking again.

“Don’t let it get you too down,” Chan says. “You still have a hot date!”

“Not a date!” Soonyoung says. “How many times do I have to tell you guys?”

“A date?” Vernon asks.

“He asked YN to accompany him tonight,” Chan explains, “which apparently isn’t a date.”

“Right,” Vernon says. “Wait, the YN?”

“Is there any other?”

“You’ve got big dreams, dude,” Vernon says.

“Stairs,” Seungkwan warns. They pause, letting Soonyoung lift his foot up a little too much higher than it needs to be, arms around his shoulders keeping him from toppling over when the step is lower than he expects. They move at a snail’s pace up the stairs.

“I can’t believe the Academy sprung for an actually decent venue,” Chan says. His voice comes from the other side of Seokmin.

“Probably means they skimped out on something else,” Seungkwan says.

“It better not be the food,” Seokmin says. “I’m hungry.”

Soonyoung’s stomach flips though he can’t tell if it’s because he’s hungry too or because they’ve reached the top of a smooth staircase. He nearly slips on the waxed stone beneath his feet.

“Ready?” Seungkwan asks.

Soonyoung sighs. “Let’s do this.”

The boys drop their arms, though Seokmin stays true to his word, pressing his shoulder against Soonyoung. Seungkwan squeezes his arm one final time then vanishes, ignoring Chan’s taunt about his alleged date. Vernon makes a beeline for the buffet table, shoving some poor freshmen out of his way according to Seokmin.

Allegedly, the masquerade ball is being held in the oldest building in the city, a church designed in the 1300s and built without a single spell. There’s some irony about hosting the Academy of Magic’s annual graduation ball here, with each perfectly imperfect stone a testament to a world without magic. All Soonyoung knows is that the music echoes and the air isn’t stuffy, despite the throng of bodies Seokmin describes.

“Do you see YN anywhere?” He asks softly.

“It’s a masquerade ball,” Seokmin says. “I don’t see anyone.”

“They’re wearing green,” Soonyoung says. Stupid pumpkin head. He could find you in a heartbeat, mask or not—though evidently not blind.

He takes another step but instead of flat stone his shoes press down on bumpy leather.

“Ow!” Someone says.

“Sorry!” Soonyoung says.

“Give him a break, Jihoon, he can’t see anything,” Seokmin says.

“Soonyoung?” Jihoon asks. “I thought Cinderella was supposed to come in a pumpkin carriage, not come with a pumpkin for a head.”

“Very funny,” Soonyoung says. “Have you seen YN?”

“You really are shooting for the fairy tale, aren’t you?” Jihoon says. “You’re not Cinderella though. Maybe Rapunzel. Did she have a Prince Charming? YN is definitely a Prince Charming.”

“Have you seen them or not?”

“Nope,” Jihoon says. “They might be by the buffet, though not for long. The food sucks.”

Seokmin groans. “I knew it.”

Jihoon must walk away, because he doesn’t say anything. He’s right—Soonyoung’s a fool for dreaming about anything with you. You’re not just Prince Charming, you’re the whole royal court. Are you even looking for him? He doesn’t blame you for not being able to find him. He’d told you his mask would be a surprise, back when he was dressed in a tailor-cut suit and could see himself in the mirror to make sure he looks good. The jacket on his shoulders now hangs a size too large, hardly the dashing image he dreamed of. Jihoon was right the first time, he’s Cinderella and the clock struck midnight early.

“You said YN’s in green, right?” Seokmin asks, almost whispering in Soonyoung’s ear.

“Yeah.” He pauses. “Wait, do you see them?”

“That’s not much of a mask, Seokmin.” Your voice comes from in front of him. “You too, Chan, it’s disappointing. Get on Soonyoung’s level.”

Seokmin snorts. “Hi YN.”

“Hi Soonyoung,” you say, ignoring Seokmin. “You weren’t joking about having a killer mask.” You actually sound impressed. He takes that as a good sign.

“Thanks,” he says. “You, uh… I was looking for you.”

“Me too,” you say. You must have stepped closer, soft voice echoing in his ears.

“It looks so real,” you say. “It must be so hard to see.”

“You have no idea,” Seokmin mutters. Soonyoung elbows him.

Your hand falls onto his elbow, sliding down to lace your fingers with his and Soonyoung forgets he has a pumpkin for a head, forgets he’s wearing a suit that doesn’t fit, he forgets how much of an idiot he is, hell, he forgets his own name.

“So, what do I have to do to get my date alone?” You ask.

“Date?” Soonyoung chokes. He feels Seokmin leave his side, Chan’s yelp of protest nearly a mile away from him.

“We’re at a dance together,” you say. “Is that not a date?” Your fingers loosen, slipping away from him. He squeezes out of instinct, keeping your hand in his.

“I didn’t think of it as one,” he says. “But it can be. If you want.” He tries to run his hand through his hair but smacks his pumpkin face instead. “This isn’t how I wanted any of this to go,” he mutters.

“Look, if you don’t want it to be a date, it’s fine,” you say, forcing him to let go of your hand. “It doesn’t have to mean anything, I just—”

“YN, I want to go on a date with you,” Soonyoung says. “I want—I want to date you, to call you mine. I want you to call me yours. I like you, so much, and I know you hear that all the time, so that’s why I didn’t think this was a date. I thought…”

“What?” You ask. “That I go to the biggest event of the year with just anyone? Soonyoung, of course I like you.”

“But I’m a C-tier magician on my best day,” he blurts out.

“So what?” You ask. Your hands find his again. You stand so close he can feel the warmth radiating from you. Maybe it’s his imagination or maybe the pumpkin head really did give him super hearing because he swears he can hear your heart pounding.

“I like you, Soonyoung,” you say. “And you like me, too.”

No matter how hard he tries to smile, his face doesn’t move. “This still doesn’t count as a first date, though.”

“Why not?”

“It’s got to be a proper date,” he says. “Dinner and a walk in a park, you know.”

“I didn’t take you for a traditionalist,” you say.

“I’m not,” Soonyoung says. He just can’t tell you he refuses to have his first date with you like this, blind and unable to even smile back at you.

“Is a dance too much like a date?” You ask. “Could you stand it anyways?”

Soonyoung freezes. “I can’t dance.”

“See, now I know for a fact you’re lying,” you say. “Are you forgetting that we’ve had three of these balls? I’ve quite literally seen you do the splits.”

“You remember that?” Soonyoung’s heart feels like it’s pumping glitter through his veins.

“Soonyoung.” The smile has vanished from your voice. You squeeze his hands. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Soonyoung says, “except this isn’t a mask or a helmet, this is kind of my head.”

“The pumpkin?”

“Joshua spell,” he says. “I was trying to carve pumpkins for our front porch.”

“Soonyoung,” you say, patting his cheek. He can feel it, your fingers against the rough skin, though it’s like he’s wearing two hundred masks.

“I can’t see anything,” he admits, “And my head is so heavy I can’t walk without falling over, let alone dance.”

“Well, it’s Joshua, so it could just wear off,” you say. “Maybe there’s a Cinderella caveat and it’ll reset at midnight.”

“God, I hope so.” He sighs.

“Hm, you don’t need God, just me.” You tug him slowly out of the room, chilly night air telling him that you’ve brought him outside. You lead him to the steps, sitting him down and standing between his legs, placing your hands on either side of his face.

“Don’t move,” you whisper. You smell like cinnamon and something else, something sweet. “This might pinch.”

He curls the hem of his suit jacket in his fingers, squeezing as tight as he can but keeping his head still. You won’t hurt him. He’s heard horror stories of exploding heads from spells meant to pop zits. But you’re the best magician, maybe in the world. If he can trust anyone, it’s you.

Pressure builds up in his ears, like he’s on a plane going up far too fast, and then it pops and he blinks and Soonyoung can see again. His eyes take a moment to adjust, blurry vision clearing to see you standing over him, hands hovering over the sides of his face.

You glow—not just because you’re positively the prettiest person he’s ever seen in his life, but literally. A golden halo hovering above your head lights up your face, even prettier than he remembered, cheeks dusted with glitter. Mask nowhere to be seen, he can see the individual sparkles, count the eyelashes that flutter a breath away from his.

“Hi,” he breathes.

“Hey you,” you say. “You’re back.” You rest your hands on his shoulders.

“You look amazing,” he says.

You grin. “And you look like you.”

He tilts his head. “You didn’t like the pumpkin?”

You lean closer, pressing the ghost of a kiss on his lips. “I like a face I can kiss much better.”

You stand up as if nothing happened, laughing at the astonishment on his face. He snaps his jaw shut.

“You call that a kiss?”

You shrug. “Take me on a date and find out.”

Soonyoung jumps to his feet, following you as you walk back inside. You slow down until he catches up, holding out your hand for him to hold. It fits better than he ever thought it would.

“You still want to dance?” He asks.

You grin, spinning to face him. “It’s a slow dance.”

“I don’t mind.” He tugs you closer, raising your intertwined hands while placing his free hand on your waist. Yours falls on his shoulder. It hardly qualifies as dancing, swaying back and forth more than anything else. He’s never been happier on the dance floor.

“This so counts as our first date.”