Let me be clear, this is NOT the Halloween fic I've been talking about. This is a request/suggestion from Iwriteunrealities. Let me know if you find any typos please!
Your name is Tavros Nitram and currently you before the entrance to the haunted maze with terror in your eyes. You can never admit to scaring easily, not if you want to remain on Vriska's good side. You'd cringe and cower inconspicuously during horror films and keep the nightmares they brought on a secret from the others. They'd surely tease you and do anything in their power to scare you if they knew you frightened so easily. You used to like Halloween back when you'd go door to door with your big brother in costumes your mom and dad had made. It was around age nine that you began to dread the holiday. Rufioh, your older brother, had decided it would be a good idea to scare you that year. He put on a monster mask and jumped out of a dark corner wielding a fake butcher knife dripping with red dyed corn syrup. It had scared you badly enough to make you cautious of the holiday ever since.
In high school you avoided friends Halloween parties and outings with the excuse that your parents didn't want you going out. After your eighteenth birthday dodging plans became a bit more difficult. You'd make up family gatherings and phantom illnesses that would disappear the next morning. This year you intended to drive out to your brother's house to visit and watch Nightmare Before Christmas with your nephew. You were headed out when Vriska made an unexpected and unwelcome visit. She had the usual group with her. Terezi was dressed like a dragon, Vriska and Eridan like pirates, Nepeta a cat and Equius…well it was hard to tell if he was actually in costume or not.
"Why aren't you in costume yet?" Vriska demanded, prodding your chest painfully with a manicured finger.
"I don't have one."
"Are you kidding? Where is your Halloween spirit?"
"I'm just going to hang out with my brother...I don't really need a costume for that."
"Fuck that you're coming out with us."
"Um, I don't really-."
"Get into your damn costume and let's go!"
"I told you I don't have one."
"Just wear the bull horns from last year." Terezi suggested while swinging her cane around carelessly very nearly smacking Equius with it.
"Great, that's settled. Now hurry up. We've got thing to do and places to be."
With a sigh you went back inside to dig around for the horns. You didn't even want to imagine what Vriska had planned for the night. Hopefully something as simple as drinking and making fun of lame costumes. You finally located the horns and found Aradia with the others when you emerged from your flat. She was dressed as Indiana Jones (again).
"Hey Tav." She smiled, striding over to place kiss on your cheek.
"Hey Aradia. Are you coming out with us?"
"No I've got plans with the boyfriend." She motioned over her shoulder to Sollux who was leaning against his car and staring down at a handheld game. "I thought you had plans with your brother."
"I did. But, uh, my plans changed."
She rolled her eyes and looked back at Vriska who was swatting at Terezi's cane as she jabbed her in the side with it.
"You know you don't have to do everything she says."
"I know but…she's hard to say no to."
"Where is he dragging you to?"
"I have no idea."
"Are you sure you're going to be ok? You can go to this party with me and Sol instead."
"Nah, I'll be ok. She'll probably just want to hang around somewhere and eat candy. Maybe find a wall to tag or something."
"Call me if you need anything, ok? We'll come pick you up."
You nodded and said goodbye as she trekked back across the yard to the waiting car. You watched as she drove away wondering if you should have just gone with them. While you tried to think of a way to sneak away Vriska grabbed your arm and dragged you toward Eridan's car. You piled into the back with Terezi, Nepeta and Equius and Vriska stole the passenger's seat giving directions to Eridan.
That is how you ended up here, paid for ticket in hand and heart racing with fear. Every time the line grows shorter you're sure you'll faint and or maybe throw up. Your stomach is already churning sickeningly and you suddenly can't stop burping. Your knuckles are practically white as you roll you hand into a fist as your side in order to steady your nerves. Unfortunately for you Vriksa notices.
"You ok there Tav? You're not scared are you?" She asks with a smirk.
"Of c-course not." You pray she didn't hear the slight stutter.
She laughs and moves forward with the rest of the line. The couple in front of you hand their tickets to the attendant and walk inside. There's no backing out now. Maybe if you're rude to the attendant he'll kick you out. Of course you can't do that. The guy hasn't done anything wrong. He actually looks fairly bored and cold. If anything you feel you should go buy him a coffee. You don't get to spend any more time thinking it over when Vriska rips your ticket from your hand and gives it to the guy. She pushes you ahead of her and you stumble into the entrance.
It's dark, spooky music plays and strange noises assault your ears. Chains rattling, doors creaking, screams and laughter. You can't move on your own and are only propelled forward by Vriska's hand on your arm. A girl with zombie makeup on jumps out from around the corner and Nepeta squeaks before bursting out laughing. You manage to stay quiet but you do jump. If not for her hand on holding your bicep Vriska wouldn't have noticed. Of course she does and laughs at you for it.
"Hey Tavros, why don't you look around that next corner and see if it's a dead end?"
You don't want to but how can you say no? She'd know you were too afraid. Sucking in a deep breath you step ahead of the group and peak slowly around the corner. There's nothing there except a wall covered in fake blood. You turn back to tell them not to go this way only to find that they've all left. You panic and run back to where you had just been. There are three other paths aside from the one you just checked. Which way did they go? You have no idea. You don't see them anywhere. You choose one path and quickly walk that way. You hear shuffling behind you and look over your shoulder but nothing is there.
"Vriska." You call out rather quietly but get no response. "Eridan?" Still nothing. You don't even know if you chose the right path. A cackling laugh erupts somewhere close by and you whirl around until you're dizzy.
You close your eyes and cover your ears pressing your back against the wall behind you. You can't handle this. The music, the noises, the masks and makeup. It was too much. Why hadn't Aradia come with you? She'd surely be by your side helping you get to the exit. She wouldn't have left you alone like the others. It's too dark. You're afraid to open your eyes and you can't tell if the footsteps and voices are close to you or on the other side of the wall. You're sure that someone is coming closer so you open your eyes and make a run for it. You need to get out of here even if it means plowing through the walls of cardboard and decorations. You look behind you to make sure you're not being chased when you run directly into someone or something.
You fall back onto your butt and stare up at the person you ran into. They're still standing, just a little off balance and looking down at you through a grotesque mask with wounds, blood, stiches and bugs adorning the fake skin. You can't help the yelp that escapes your lips as you scramble back away from him. You can feel the dampness in the corners of your eyes but you're too paralyzed with fright to wipe it away. You remember Rufioh standing over you laughing before ripping off the mask. "It's only a mask Tavvy! Calm down!" He'd laughed. Who cares if it's just a mask? You don't know the person behind it or their intent.
The person is coming close but you can't move. You've backed yourself into a corner and are still sitting in the grass. As he grows closer he removes his mask and crouches down in front of you. He pulls a pair of glasses from his pocket and puts them on making him look less menacing than before and more…cute. Now is really not to time to be noticing how attractive someone is, especially when you're cowering like a child in front of them.
"Are you ok?" He asks, a small quirk of the lips showing he finds you amusing or maybe pathetic.
You sit up straight and nod your head. Your heart is still racing and there's definitely moisture on your cheeks that wasn't there before. You try to gain control of your breathing and the shaking in your hands. You know you look like an idiot. What kind of grown man acts this way just from being frightened by a mask? Even Nepeta had just laughed it off like it was nothing.
"Are you sure? You looked like you were about to pass out." He says, running a hand through his already messy hair.
"I'm fine. I just don't do well with, uh, masks and scary things." You admit making yourself sound even more pathetic than you did previously.
"Why the hell did you come to a Halloween maze then?"
"My friends made me come."
"Then where are they?"
You chew your bottom lip nervously not wanting to answer. Yea you're the definitions of lame right now.
"They ditched you, huh?"
You nod and sigh. "Yea."
"Well come on, I'll lead you to the exit. No one will give you a hard time if you're with me." He helps you to your feet and grasps your hand in his. "I'm John by the way."
"Tavros."
As promised when the workers see John coming they don't jump out and reach out clawed hands. They nod, say hi, and one girl dressed as a witch gives you a bright red sucker. You feel foolish now. You knew they were just normal people in masks you just can't help being afraid. As soon as you're outside of the maze John leads you to a nearby bench and you scan the grounds for your friends. You don't see them anywhere.
"Wait here." He says and you watch him walk to the nearby concession stand. He returns a minute later with 2 Styrofoam cups of warm apple cider and giant soft pretzels. You thank him and take the offered snack sipping on the cider.
"You ok now?"
"Yea, thanks." You want to say more but you're far too embarrassed.
"Man your friends suck." He comments, leaning back against the bench and taking a big bite of his pretzel. "No offence." He tacks on.
"No, you're right. I had plans with my nephew tonight but they made me cancel to come here."
"Why didn't you just say no?"
"It's kind of…complicated."
He nods and doesn't press it any further. Instead he changes the subject to movies. He's really into action flicks and pretty much anything Nic Cage stars in. He then tells you exactly why Armageddon is one of the greatest movies in the history of mankind. You laugh at him when he grabs your hand and serenades you with a short rendition of Aerosmith's song Don't Want to Miss a Thing. You're feeling much better by the time the others find you.
"There you are. We've been looking everywhere. They had to shut down the maze for a little while to get a crying kid out. We were sure it was you." Vriska laughs.
You feel your cheeks heat with blush at being embarrassed in front of your new (totally cute) friend. You think he'll laugh along but he doesn't. Instead he defends you.
"Are you kidding? This guy went through the maze like a champ. Even impressed a few of the ladies."
Vriska's eyes narrow and she frowns. "Who's this?"
"Uh, John." You say while glancing between them and trying not to smile.
"Hmph, whatever. Let's go." She flips her hair over her shoulder and stomps away with the others following behind her.
"Thanks for, uh, lying." You say as you stand from the bench and drop your now empty cup in the nearby trashcan.
"No problem. Hey so…would it be weird if I asked for your number?" He asks, smiling awkwardly and shoving his hands into his pockets.
Your blush returns but for a completely different reason. "Oh, uh, yea. I mean no. I mean, sure you can have my number." You stumble over your words and yank your phone from your pocket. He chuckles as you exchange phones and type your number into his.
He waves goodbye as you run to catch up with the others. In the car Vriska goes on about how she was disappointed with the maze. Apparently it wasn't scary enough. Eridan mentioned how she screamed when a ghost popped out in front of her. She punched him in the shoulder saying she was only pretending but you hardly noticed as you stared down at the lit up screen of your phone lost in the texts from John. He wants to see you neck weekend. He tells you that you have to watch Armageddon with him. You agree and feel butterflies in your stomach for the second time tonight. You've always hated Halloween and the scary masks but as long as John is holding your hand and leading you through you think you'll be alright.
Ugh what was that ending? Anyway, I hope this is what you were looking for! I ship JohnTav in a kismesistude but this was super fun to write and really cute!