"What on earth is a festival of Samhain?" Scarlett asked as she looked at the different potions Jack had borrowed from North. It was Halloween night and she was looking for a potion that would turn her skin blue for North's annual Halloween party.
"It's what basically started Halloween. It's Celtic, so I thought you would have known about it," Jack teased as he dipped a paintbrush into a jar of black face paint before he looked into the mirror in Ash's bathroom. His skin was already pale enough he didn't need a potion like his girlfriend so he just had to add a couple of finishing details. Ash was in the other room getting ready and River was...somewhere or another.
"Ha, ha. It's only been a year since I found out, so don't judge me for not knowing every last Celtic-related thing," Scarlett deadpanned as she finally found what she was looking for. "How did you hear about this festival?"
"Well, I've always paid close attention to the legends and folklore involving the undead, just to see how true it was. Mortals believed the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurry and could be crossed on All Hallow's Eve. People build altars and have a ton of fun," Jack explained. "When I realized the Samhain festival was Celtic, I thought I'd see if you knew about it. Which you don't."
"Cut me a little slack and help me zip up my dress," Scarlett gulped down the potion and her skin turned a light shade of blue, marred only by the black stitches she had painted on earlier.
Jack smirked and brushed her long, red hair aside to kissed the nape of Scarlett's neck before he zipped up the dress that seemed to be made up of different types of fabric all sewn together. Scarlett's cheeks flushed as the Winter Spirit spun her around to face him. "You look perfect, as usual, Red. Or should I say Sally?"
"Thank you, Jack Skellington," Scarlett giggled as she swept her eyes across Jack. He'd worn the costume a couple of years prior but was perfectly fine wearing the skeleton from the Nightmare Before Christmas movie's costume again if it meant matching Scarlett's Sally costume. She straightened Jack's bat bow-tie. "You're not so bad yourself."
"Why don't we stay in tonight?" Jack suggested with a mischievous glint in his eyes. Before his blushing girlfriend could answer, they heard someone clear their throat. The duo turned to see Ash and River, both of whom stood in the doorway. Jack sighed then took a step back to put a "respectable" distance between him and Scarlett. "Or not."
"You're both gonna make me sick," River gagged. He was dressed up as the Joker from Suicide Squad, and while it was difficult, he'd dyed his black hair green. And right beforehand, he drank one of North's potions to give the Summer Spirit the same complexion his brother had.
The four Seasonals had considered doing costumes that all had the same theme, but Ash had wanted to do something else with Bunny so that idea was thrown out of the window. Literally. River had written the idea down on a piece of paper, crumpled it up, and threw it out a window.
"Please tell me Bunny and I aren't like that," Ash pleaded as she pulled her hair into a tight bun. She wore a black leather one-piece outfit with dark green accents and the silver shoes that had belonged to her character's dead sister. On her had was a black witch's hat with the words 'Wicked' sewn into the material with neon green thread. She would have made a pretty good wicked witch of the west had her skin been green.
"No, your boyfriend's hearing is too good for that. He'd stop whatever you two were doing before anyone ever saw you," River joked. Ash rolled her eyes before she spotted the potion bottles.
"Are there any emerald green ones?" Ash asked. Scarlett nodded her head and tossed her a vial. "Thanks. I want to match Bunny's jacket."
"I'm still not sure who he's gonna be. A flying monkey? Wouldn't be much of a costume if you ask me," River ducked his head to avoid getting hit by a boomerang. "Hey! Take a joke, will you?"
"It was hard enough talking him into wearing the costume, and neither you nor Jack are gonna say anything that'll offend him, got it?" Ash glared at the two boys, and since they didn't want to die that night, they both agreed.
"Fine, we promise. No messing with the kangaroo."
"The rabbit is safe. Tonight, anyway."
The group headed to North's right before the party was supposed to begin. Tooth spotted the group first and excitedly flew over to them. "Hi, guys! You all look amazing!"
"So do you, Tooth," Scarlett commented. Tooth had taken on a temporary glamor to look human, with caramel brown skin, hair that was the same colors as her feathers, and her wings were nowhere to be seen. She had on a white peasant blouse covered by a black vest with red flowers embroidered on the border, and with a black skirt to match. Tooth carried a small wicker basket and had gotten a pair of ruby slippers that matched the red hood she'd gotten so she could be Little Red Riding Hood. "It suits you, but where's the big, bad wolf?"
"Well, she's not very big, or very bad, but she's trying," Tooth replied as Baby Tooth popped out of the basket, with small wolf ears sewn onto a very tiny hair tie that laid on the little fairy's head while she had a small black bead at the tip of her long nose. Around her waist was a slightly larger hair tie with tufts of gray-blue fur glued to it. Ash squinted for a moment as the fairy zipped around.
"Is that...Bunny's fur?"
"Yes, he was very generous and offered to give her a little. Doesn't she look adorable?"
"Definitely," Jack confirmed, and Baby Tooth squealed in delight and flew around Jack's head once or twice before she went back to the basket. "Where's North and the others?"
"Over here, my boy!" North bellowed. The group turned to see North, dressed entirely in black with a katana strapped to his back and a red band that wrapped around his head. His beard was shoved into the black ninja head mask he wore but wisps of white hair had managed to escape and could be seen as clear as day. Beside him stood Sandy, who had used his golden sand to make him look like a knight in shining armor.
And then there was Bunny. River and Jack remembered their promise otherwise they would've burst out laughing. Bunny had his arms crossed and blatantly avoided everyone else's gaze. He had on a green jacket with golden egg-shaped buttons, a golden scepter in his paw with an emerald green egg at the top, and he held egg-shaped glasses in his other paw. *Reference to the Guardians of Childhood book 2: E. Aster Bunnymund and the warrior eggs at the Earth's core. Google it if you want to know what his costume looks like*
"I can't believe you talked me into this," Bunny muttered as Ash walked up to him. "I look ridiculous."
"No, you look the Wizard of Oz and you even have the glasses that make everything look green in Emerald City," Ash stated as she grabbed the glasses and placed them on Bunny's face. North beckoned the rest of the group to follow him to leave the two spring beings alone. Everyone else headed downstairs to a giant rec room decorated in the best Halloween decorations anyone had ever seen. *I'm leaving how it looked to you, dear Reader*
"It ain't as obvious as your costume, Darlin'," Bunny looked Ash up and down, a soft smile on his face as he admired his girlfriend's beauty. "You look gorgeous."
"And you look dashing," Ash replied, ignoring the blush that made it's way to her face. "Stick with me and everyone will know who you're supposed to be. Besides, you said you wore this all the time. Why are you so hesitant now?"
"It's been eons and that was before I knew anything about style. Plus your brothers-"
"-Promised to leave you alone," Ash cut off Bunny with a reassuring smile. "Now, let's go have a good time."
"We could have a good time elsewhere," Bunny muttered, though it took a few seconds for the realization to dawn on him that what he'd just said could be taken...in several ways. "I mean, not like that!"
"Too bad. I was gonna say we could go back to my place afterward for a movie night but if you aren't interested," Ash smirked as she began to walk away, only for a paw to reach out for her.
"Fine, I guess I can put up with these blokes for a bit. But afterward...?"
"We'll see, Handsome."
"You escaped me. Again."
'Not this guy again,' Jack thought as he turned around to see Death, still in the same black robe he'd seen him twenty or so years ago. Scarlett had promised River a dance so he'd been left on the sidelines near one of the snacks tables. "Hey, Death. What's up?"
"I almost had you with Pitch. But you once again avoided your fate," Death stated in the most monotone voice Jack had ever heard. "Then again when that precious girlfriend of yours intervened."
At the mention of Scarlett, Jack gripped his staff so tight his knuckles turned white. He knew why Death was after him, though he hadn't the first time Jack had met the terrifying being. But now he knew; it was because Manny had saved him when the young Spirit fell through the ice all those years ago. And during interactions with Pitch, Jack's life had been threatened more than once.
But the time with Scarlett ...Jack could see why Death would be a tad bit upset about missing a golden opportunity to finally claim the Winter Spirit's soul. "Leave her out of this."
"I would, but you see, she escaped me once before as well. As did her father. But we both know I got what I wanted in the end. I always do," Death replied sinisterly. Before Jack could retort, he felt a hand grab his and entwined their fingers. He turned to his left to see Scarlett, a frown on her face.
"We didn't escape; we simply weren't meant to die. And if you know what's good for you, you'll avoid messing with either one of us from now on. Don't know if you've heard, but we're Guardians now. And I doubt our friends would be too happy to hear you've been threatening us, the youngest and newest to the group," Scarlett stated firmly then walked off, with Jack in tow.
Once they were far enough away, Scarlett sighed and went to let go of Jack's hand, but he just tightened his grip slightly. "You sure do make me look bad, Red. What kind of guy lets his girlfriend save the day all the time? Let me have a turn."
"Not my fault you always need saving," Scarlett teased. Jack smiled softly and kissed her gently. "But if that's my reward, I call dibs on rescuing you. Always."
"Whatever you say, Red."
River stood near the back of the room beside April Fools. Her pink hair was pulled into pigtails and the left side of her hair had been dyed a bright sapphire blue. April was dressed as Harley Quinn (from Suicide Squad), a perfect match to River's costume.
River hadn't told his siblings that he was one-half of a couple's costume simply because he hadn't wanted them to tease him or ask questions. Truth be told, he wasn't entirely sure what he and April were, but she'd suggested they wear matching costumes. And River wasn't about to go and argue with her.
"You look great," River muttered shyly. April's face flushed slightly and she murmured a 'you too' before the two spirits fell into an awkward silence.
Before River could come up with a way to somehow save their conversation, a voice cut the silence. "Hey, guys, what's up?"
It was Jack, followed by Scarlett and Ash.
"Nothing much. Good to see you lot again," April replied. Ash and Scarlett exchanged mysterious looks at the music conveniently changed into a softer, slower tune.
"Oh, I love this song!" Scarlett exclaimed as she grabbed Jack's arm and pulled him onto the dance floor. Jack waved quickly, a smirk on his face as he mouthed 'good luck'.
"Me too! I have to go find Bunny!" Ash winked as she walked off. River took his siblings' subtle hint and turned towards April.
"Did you want to dance?"
"I thought you'd never ask."
AN: I feel like I say this every time I post, but sorry for the late update. Figured that since it was just Halloween, I might as well do a Halloween one-shot without much plot but there's a couple of references to some chapters of my ROTG one-shots and drabbles story. I just wanted fluff and some suggestive content, okay? I hope you enjoyed and until next timeā¦
- Kitkat Out!
