Chapter Three ~ The Halloween Party
"Where's the poop Dimitri?" (A shout out to all my 'How I met your mother' fans) Also, time to kick this romance up a notch! BAM! One heap of spice added to this chapter.
"What!" Yelled an innocent, but clearly shocked female voice that made Dimitri subconsciously straighten his posture in his dark leather office chair. The young man was dressed in a more dignified outfit for his role as president of his company, even though it was based out of his family's grand old estate. Dimitri wore a beige hued single breasted suit the was expertly fitted over a light-blue checkered button up and secured with a dark blue tie. He wore beige khakis and polished navy blue oxfords. 'It begins' ...the young man thought as he mentally prepared himself for the wrath that was his dear bubbly friend.
"A Halloween party?!" The voice cried out as the office door was practically kicked down. There in the doorframe stood Annette with a raging aura emanating for her petite figure. She wore a soft peach colored cable knit sweater over a pleated mid-length skirt, plus a pair of tan plush suede booties. Her soft cantaloupe hued shoulder length hair bounced as she stormed into her boss's old world styled office.
"But you said no parties! Ever! Oof!" Annette nearly tripped over her own feet as she hurried into the antique bedecked office. She slammed her delicate little hands onto Dimitri's dark cherry wood desk as her blue-grey eyes glared at his face from over the large computer monitor. "Wait…" Annette eyed her old friend with a sneaking suspicion furrowing her brows.
Dimitri slowly lowered his chair to hide behind the monitor. "Why the sudden change Dimitri?" She asked, her leery voice coming from the other side of the monitor.
"I...I just wanted to celebrate the season," Dimitri tried to pass off matter of factly as he busily typed, 'asdfghjkl' into an empty word document and moved his mouse around with random clicks here and there.
"You're a terrible liar, always have been!" Annette stated as she came around his desk to stare right at his face. "I won't budge until you tell me the truth!" The young woman announced as she placed her hands squarely on her hips and planted her feet upon the faded blue persian carpet. "And there is alot of planning to be done so you're wasting time if you don't speak!" Annette added as she puffed out her chest trying her best to seem intimidating.
"Tick tock, tick tock!"
Dimitri was practically sweating. "Okay, okay, I yield," the young man sighed before drawing in a deep breath. "I...had...coffeewithBylethyesterdayandtheideapoppedintomyhead." Dimitri let loose a nearly incoherent string of words.
Annette's arms fell limp at her sides as she gave him a flabbergasted look. "Wait! You saw the Professor and didn't tell us!" The young woman then paused as her brows knitted together again in suspicion. "But I thought you didn't want to see the Professor ever again…" Annette blinked before exclaiming, "Ohhh you big liar!" As she shook both her fists at him.
"So...will you help me?" Dimitri asked with beseeching blue eyes.
"Oh, of course I'll help and I know just the people!" Annette tapped her cheek, her mind already crunching up the plan and compiling the invitation list.
"Shall I invite the Professor," Annette asked with a little smug expression on her face.
"Yes," Dimitri answered softly though he keep his eyes glued to the monitor as he returned to his obviously important document. However, Annette could see the soft flush spread upon his fair cheeks.
"I knew it!" She whispered with an elated smile.
"What?" Dimitri paused, as he turned to look curiously to what she had whispered.
"Nothinggg!" Annette twittered in her sing-song voice as she strutted out of the office feeling triumphant.
[ eFódlan Messenger ] Annette to group {sans Dimitri}: "Blue Lions Assemble!"
Every so often Dimitri would wander over to Annette's desk to inquire about the planning. "But, surely there is something I can help with?" He persisted, all the while wondering what Annette was up feverishly concocting. "There must be something I can do without fear of breaking it?" He would doggedly inquire until Annette would play her ultimate card on him.
"If you keep bugging me, I am going to text the Professor not to come!" That instantly and consistently reigned Dimitri in. Annette was starting to wish that he would host parties more often.
Soon the event was underway. Mercedes and Dedue arrived with their own catering party 'The Duscar Delicatessen.' The happy couple and their catering team were dressed in flowing ivory Grecian robes and crowned with lush green olive wreaths. Dedue had also added a beautiful variety of small flowers to Mercedes's flower crown that rested upon her short cream color hair.
A nimble Ash was dressed as a dashing Robin Hood complete with a quiver full of arrows and a green cap that had a pheasant feather pinned onto the side. The young man was helping his little Maid Marian as she directed him where the Halloween decorations should go. Annette wore a blush pink to lavender princess gown with puffy long sleeves and a crescent shaped headdress that covered her ears and was draped with a light-pink veil.
Upstairs they heard a large crash from the second level that caused the preparations to come to a sudden halt as they heard Dimitri's loud exclamations of a few well chosen expletives.
"Uhhh, what's happening up there?" Ash asked Annette as they stretched fake spider cobwebs along the railings of the great staircase that led upstairs.
"Oh," Annette hummed merrily. "Dimitri is just getting changed into his costume with the help of Felix." Ashe looked perplexed, wondering what in Fódlan Dimitri could be wearing that warranted so many curses?
A bewitching Dorothea, dressed as a witch with matching pointed hat along with her witchly band resumed their singing of Stevie Wonder's 'Superstition'.
Finally Dimitri emerged from one of the side rooms with Felix close behind. Felix looked his usual disgruntled self, only heightened by his costume for he was dressed...as the devil. Blood red horned headband, bowtie, and pointed tail accessorized his obsidian tuxedo, that had a crimson cummberbund.
"Hey Dimitri! Looking good," Ingrid's spirited voice complemented as the young woman rounded the corner, revealing to be dressed as an angel and counterpart to her partner. She wore a long flowing lacy white dress paired with small golden wings stitched to the back and a headband holding up a golden halo. "Felix! You're finally done! We are on parking directing duty, so come on." Ingrid grabbed his hand and led him quickly down the stairs.
Felix groaned in additional exasperation, but he intertwined his fingers within Ingrid's hand.
"Dude...what are you wearing?" Sylvain asked Dimitri, causing the young man to turn around and see a mummy standing before him. Well, Sylvain was an almost mummy as parts of his body were conveniently left unbandaged to draw attention to his well chiseled abdomen and biceps, while being fairly tightly wrapped in other places.
"It was Annette's idea." Dimitri sighed. "She said it was Game of Throne-esque but with a dash of me."
Sylvain took in his friend's costume. From the black armored ensemble with a blue etched cross upon the right side of his chest, to the blue cape, and even larger fur cloak of black and white strapped to his back. Dimitri had let his golden hair down, and was sporting an eye patch over his right eye. "Dude...you look badass."
"Really?" Dimitri perked up at his friend's compliment.
"That's a totally sweet outfit!" Sylvain went to punch his buddy's chest, "YEOWCH!" The red-head yelped and waved his aching, though already bandaged, hand about in the air. "What the hell!? Are you actually wearing armor?!"
"It's a family heirloom…" Dimitri grinned, though he hoped his ancestors weren't rolling in their graves over him wearing ancient armor...to a Halloween party...to impress a lady.
"Well it's going to take forever to take all of it off, should the opportunity arise!" Sylvain guffawed.
'Dammit, he's right,' Dimitri thought. The armor was quite mobile, especially at the joints. However the pieces took nearly an hour to put on even with Felix's knowledge of ancient armor. 'Maybe this was for nothing...what if she doesn't come?' The young man thought as his blue eye scanned the foyer from the second level, not spotting seafoam green from the growing number of guests filing in.
"She'll come," Sylvain's calming voice reached out to Dimitri, who just turned and stared at the mummified redhead. "Dude, relax...I mean when has the Professor ever not kept a promise?"
Sylvain was right. Byleth had never, not once, broken her promise...unlike him. But Dimitri took a sudden intake of breath as he stared down, for there she was; her seafoam green hair seemed to glow as it was loosely braided down her back. The young woman wore a black coat over her costume, and as she gracefully turned around, Dimitri's hands gripped the bannister...hard. Byleth wore black lacy tights that tucked into slim calf length boots with high heels. Black mini shorts hugged the young woman's hips. A black half skirt was what had first blocked Dimitri's sight of fit legs. Her arms escaped from the robe through cut loops. A white high collar hid her neck as a golden ornamental piece with a pink tassel swayed across an open gap across her chest. The black bodice not only enhanced her curvature, but also tempestuously bared her smooth yet muscular midriff.
Byleth took another step back, admiring the grand foyer and spiraling crystal chandelier above when her back bumped into someone. "I'm sor-oh!" Byleth gasped as she realized who was now looming over her.
Dimitri silently extended out an armored hand out to her, the tips of his steel fingers slightly clawed. As Byleth placed her hand in his, Dimitri felt emboldened as he lowered his head and allowed his soft lips to graze over her silky smooth hand before he planted a chaste but warm kiss. Shivers ran down Byleth's spine as she felt the mix of Dimitri's warmth contrasted with the cold steel of his armor, all the while he looked up at her with one piercingly blue eye.
"And what are you supposed to be?" Dimitri asked in a deeper than usual voice as he continued to hold onto the young woman's hand.
"I'm a vampire, see," Byleth opened her mouth and displayed her falsely enhanced canines.
Dimitri was suddenly seized with a fantasy where Byleth used her vampiric skills on him. Running her warm wet tongue at the base of his muscular neck, before teasing his salty skin with her sharp canines, causing shivers to pulse through his body just before she pierced his skin, and began sucking him, leaving marks upon his skin to show that they were bonded in the deepest way. Suddenly the young man's knees went weak.
"Dimitri?" Byleth asked in slight concern.
"Punch? Punch!" Dimitri exclaimed distractedly as he tore his gaze away from her and led Byleth over to the refreshments.
The young woman smiled softly as Dimitri's hand gently curled around her's as he guided her through the crowded floor. The young man was leading her over to the dining hall where there was a large buffet section. Byleth's mouth started to salivate at the savory aroma, but first nature called. "Where is the restroom?" Byleth asked.
Once he directed towards the area, Dimitri watched the young woman's swaying hips and contemplated dunking his hot face into the chilled punch bowl.
Once Byleth exited the restroom another voice called out to her. "Finally," sighed a male voice in a lackadaisical tone. "I thought I would never get a chance with you alone." Out of the shadows stepped out a lean young man with gently ponytailed cream colored hair, dressed as Zorro. Complete with black colored long sleeve tunic, leather gloves, pants, and knee high boots.
"Jeritza," the young woman breathed as her eyes widened at his sudden appearance.
"Byleth," the young man greeted as he tipped his obsidian hat with his gloved hand.
The young woman's mouth went dry. She was in trouble.