#weststar

✦ October 31st, 1977 ✦

✦ New York City, New York ✦

✦ Evie’s apartment ✦

The TV commercials echo in her home. A jack-o-lantern sitting in front of her closed window of dark blue curtains. A white plastic bag sitting in her kitchen counter from her local supermarket. She had gone earlier this evening with Astarion but he tried to talk his way out of not wearing a costume at all but she told him if he wears it, she’ll take him to a disco club this Saturday.

He bought his costume.

*DING! DONG!*

Someone rings Evie’s door.

“Comin’!” Evie yells out as she puts on her red boots for her Wonder Woman costume. She tried to style her black wig like how Lynda Carter looked in the TV show but the curls are less bouncier than the actress’s. Because why would Wonder Woman have blue hair?

*KNOCK! KNOCK!*

They knock on her door instead.

“Just a minute!” Evie tries to whip the black wig out of her face but once her head tilts to the side, it falls to the floor along with a leather golden tiara with a red star in the middle that came with the costume. “Fuck!” she curses as she kneels down to pick them up.

*KNOCK! KNOCK!* *KNOCK! KNOCK!* *KNOCK! KNOCK!* *KNOCK! KNOCK!* *KNOCK! KNOCK!* *KNOCK! KNOCK!* *KNOCK! KNOCK!* *KNOCK! KNOCK!*

Someone got impatient.

As they knock on her door continuously, she puts on her wig as best as she can possibly adjust and finally sprints her way over, making the heels of her boots click on her wooden floor. “Alright! Alright! I’m goin’! Jesus Christ!”

Evie opens her door and finds a very grumpy Astarion with the biggest frown she has ever seen from him. Which is fitting because he is wearing a Batman costume. His batmask certainly covers his luscious white curls, which makes her a little sad inside; those are one of her favorite features about him.

Once he sees her lips curl into a smile and snort is about to come out of her mouth, he points a finger at her. “Don’t. Even. Laugh.”

She lines her red lips, to fully channel her Wonder Woman cosplay, and silently crosses her heart as a promise before she nods her head in understanding.

Astarion puts his finger down and rolls his eyes at her. “Can’t believe you’re making me go to this stupid party. Let alone a superhero costume party.”

“Ah! C’mon, pretty boy! It ain’t so bad!” Evie tries to cheer him up. “I promised you disco dancin’, didn’t I? At least there you can… do whatever you want.” It aches her to know that some women and men are going to hit on him while she watches from afar, knowing that if she confessed her feelings, it will ruin their friendship.

He hums at their anticipating Saturday night, “And I can dress up real nicely instead of this…” He stretches out his collar as it seems to be a little tight for his size, “Bat ensemble,” he says uncomfortably.

“Exactly!” Evie cheers him up with her arms wide open and sets them down before she tucks the strands of her black wig behind her ear.

Astarion scans her Wonder Woman costume with a smirk, his pupils becoming bigger when his red eyes not only land on her face but to her nearly exposed breasts as well. “Well, well,…” he comes up to her and fixes her breastplate by gently pulling them up, “Darling, as much as you look… ravishing in this geer, I’m afraid I won’t make you go out there with your nipples out, understand?”

Her face flushes from how close he is to her, his cold touch results in her having goosebumps. After he’s done adjusting, his hands move on to her black wig and gently pulls them down before he brushes the artificial strands from the top of the hair that is sticking out with his fingers.

His eyes slowly gaze on to hers. He stops brushing her wig completely and sets his arms down just to focus on her.

Wonder Woman and Batman staring at each other for a good solid moment.

She mostly focuses on his eyes and lips as it is the only part of his face that is exposed, underneath his batmask. He focuses on everything else that she’s exposed to; her soft muscular arms as a result of her going to the gym from time to time, her black sun tattoo on her right shoulder and her black thorn vine tattoo on her left bicep covered by her foundation, her chest along with her sharp collarbones, her neck with her black rose tattoo that is also covered by her foundation, her thighs, and most important of all, her face.

Oh, that face.

“Sunday Monday Happy Days! Tuesday Wednesday Happy Days! Thursday Friday Happy Days!”

Tonight’s rerun episode of Happy Days plays in the background and their moment immediately dies.

The two sigh in unison. They both long for one another, surely, but they don’t know each other’s desires as much as they do themselves.

“Darlling?” Astarion looks down at her while she’s pinching her nose.

“Hm?” Evie responds.

“Aren’t you gonna turn off your TV?”

She looks back to the TV screen and catches a glimpse of everyone’s favorite character, Fonzie, riding his motorcycle in the intro of the hit sitcom.

She doesn’t say much when she walks up to her living room, grabs her TV remote from her dark brown coffee table and clicks on the red power button on the top right corner, turning off her television screen.

Evie sets her remote back down and walks back to her front door. Oh! Before she forgets, she grabs a rope from her kitchen counter and clips it to her hip. To fully channel Wonder Woman’s lasso of truth. The lasso didn’t come with the costume, so she had to go to a hardware store and buy it from there. The guy behind the counter gave her a funny look.

With her hands balled into fists and resting them on her hips, posing like a typical superhero, she asks Astarion with a smile, “How do I look, Batman?”

He bites his bottom lip for a split second, the tip of his fangs poking out, before he answers her in a soft tone, “Beautiful, Wonder Woman,” and then he winks at her.

Evie’s smile widens and her cheeks flushes. She grabs her apartment key from her white bowl of tiny purple flowers and blue butterflies, her beige coat with gold and brown marble buttons from her hanger, closes the door behind her and locks them with her key.

Astarion takes her coat from behind and puts it over her shoulder, he leans into her ear and whispers, “Ready?”

She gazes at him over her shoulder with her golden eyes and whispers, “Mhm,” she hangs on to her coat with her arms crossed and turns herself around to face him.

He bows to her with one of his arms out, gesturing to her to walk ahead of him. “Ladies first.”

Evie chuckles and walks off first, “Ain’t you a gentleman.” He always liked the way she speaks with her western accent.

“Only the best,” he responds when he puts his hands, while wearing his black Batman gloves, behind her back before they make their way outside of her apartment complex and call for a taxi.

✧★✧

★ Blasting Comics! Karlach and Wyll’s comic book shop ★

“Here’s your stop.” The taxi driver with a New York accent calls out their destination.

Evie pulls out cash from her coat pocket and hands the money to their driver through the tiny window. The taxi driver nods at them before he starts counting the money. Astarion gets off the cab first and offers a hand to her to safely get off the vehicle since she’s wearing boots with heels. She’s a clumsy little country gal.

She accepts his hand as she gets off. He closes the door behind her and puts on the coat for her again. It is quite a chilly night in NYC. Adults walking down the streets are dressed in their normal casual clothes while the kids with their parents present are dressed up for this spooky holiday.

Lots of ghosts- made out of their bedsheets, angels, devils, pirates, zombies, fairies, witches, and even vampires.

Astarion never liked when someone dresses up as a vampire for Halloween because he thinks they’re not as accurate as a real one- just like him. He’s not entirely wrong for that part.

A kid in a Spiderman costume walking with a father passes the two friends and notices they are dressed as superheroes too.

“Cool!” A muffled sound coming from the kid’s Spiderman mask when he speaks, “Dad! Dad!” He tucks his father’s sleeve and points at the two. “Look! It’s Wonder Woman and Batman!”

“Oh God,” Astarion murmurs uncomfortably while Evie waves goodbye to their cab driver.

The taxi drives off and she notices the Spiderman kid. Her eyes light up and carefully kneels down to the little boy, “Cool costume, kid. I love Spiderman as well, ya know.”

The boy’s eyes sparkled in excitement, “You do?!”

“Oh yeah! He has cool clothes, the way his webs come out of his wrists, the way he beats up Green Goblin, he’s amazin’,” she describes her love for the friendly neighborhood superhero. Astarion can listen to her all day talking about her favorite comics, but he would never admit that.

The father lays his hand on his son’s shoulder and tells Evie, “He’s been meaning to come by to the comic store today actually. But when we got there this afternoon for the latest issue of Spiderman, the store was closed because the workers were occupied with decorating a Halloween party.”

“Ain’t that right?” Evie rises up and gives little Spiderman a warm smile, “How about this, kid? Me and my friend, Batman, over ‘re,…” she wraps her arm around Astarion’s bicep and he looks down at her with quiet admiration, “are actually headin’ to that party! It will be over before 11 so since it is- what time is it?” She asks Astarion.

He lifts his sleeve up a little and checks on his watch before he answers, “8:30.”

“8:30,” she repeated to the kid, “make sure to be in front of that store around 10 so I can give you a free issue of our favorite spider feller.” Evie winks at the boy with a friendly smile and little Spiderman is now excited with anticipation.

The boy looks up to his dad, “You hear that, dad? I’ll finally get the latest issue!”

The father chuckles, “Yes, yes. I heard that loud and clear.” He glances at Evie with his own friendly smile. “Thank you.”

Wonder Woman silently nods at them before they trail off to the street to continue their trick or treating.

Evie begins to walk with Astarion as her hand is still in his bicep.

“You are too nice to everybody, darling,” he says to her.

“You gotta kill ‘em with kindness, pretty boy. It ain’t that hard to do.”

A group of adults dressed as Star Wars characters walks past them. Two stormtroopers and one Darth Vader greets them for a quick second, “Happy Halloween,” they say in unison.

“Happy Halloween,” she greets them back while Astarion did not say a thing. One more store until they reach Blasting Comics! “Besides, I like makin’ a good promise. You’ve been knowin’ this,” she continues her conversation with him.

A group of small ghosts pass by them with pillowcases in their tiny hands as their trick or treat bag.

“Yes and that’s annoying,” he admits. Again and again over the course of their “friendship”.

“Kindness is annoyin’?”

“Yes.”

“You are one sufferable man,” she teases.

“And yet we’re friends. You don’t make friends who you find insufferable,” he side-eyes Evie and smirks at her.

The beginning tunes of the song, (Don’t Fear) The Reaper by Blue Öyster Cult, plays louder and louder as the two reach closer to the Halloween party at the comic book store.

“I hate you,” Evie teases him with her own smirk.

“Hate you more,” he teases back with a wink.

Wonder Woman flushes from Batman’s words and lightly bumps her shoulder to his.

They reach inside to Blasting Comics! and it is full of superheroes and villains everywhere in that damn store.

Captain America is drinking with the Flash as they sit and talk on the store’s red couch. Supergirl is making out with Brainiac in the corner where the Marvel section is located. Shadowheart as the Scarlet Witch, with no red wig, is talking to Gale as Doctor Strange. Halsin as Aquaman is laughing out loud with Zevlor as Thor. Wyll as Superman and Karlach… also as Wonder Woman greets them with welcoming arms.

“There you are!” Wyll hugs Evie, “So glad you two can make it,” he lets go of her with a smile.

“Wouldn’t miss it,” Evie takes off her coat and fully reveals her own Wonder Woman costume before Superman hangs it up on the hanger next to the entry door. Astarion is totally not jealous at all. He doesn’t mind that Wyll was the one to do his job, not one bit.

She examines Karlach’s costume and her gold eyes lit up in surprise and glee.

“Looks like we’re twins for the night, soldier!” Karlach gently fist bumps her shoulder in good spirit.

“I guess we are!” Evie chuckles.

“Ha! Ha!” Karlach laughs as she looks at Astarion’s Batman costume. “Nice costume, Batman.” She might already be drunk. “Where’s your Robin?”

Astarion doesn’t answer her question as he rolls his eyes so far back at her with irritation. He leans close to Evie and says, “This party better be worth our disco night this weekend!”

Evie doesn’t say anything but gives a gentle pat on his back as her way of cheering him up.

“Merda!” Then here comes Lae’zel as she curses in Portuguese, in her Wonder Woman costume.

Evie and Karlach loudly gasp in unison when they realize there’s now three Wonder Womans in this party.

Lae’zel frowns, “Why did neither of you page me of who you two are gonna be?!”

“Lae Lae,” Karlach laughs out loud despite the overwhelming music, “I’m sorry, we didn’t know you were gonna be Wonder Woman as well!”

“Face it, hon. It’s quite funny!” Evie tries to cheer up their friend but Lae’zel scoffs and walks away from the group to meet up with Shadowheart.

“Well,” Wyll clasps his hands together as his way to change the subject. “Enjoy the party! The contest won’t start until very soon, so be prepared!” Superman walks off to the food table and pours a bag of Doritos into the purple bowl before he moves on to mix the punch with a ladle.

Karlach grabs Evie’s hand and confirms to Astarion loudly over the music, “I need to borrow her for a second!”

“Whatever for-” Batman’s words are cut off when a tall Wonder Woman sprints off with a tanner Wonder Woman towards the register table and gossips with huge smiles on their faces. Before they ran off, Evie looked back at him with a soft smile and silently told him to enjoy the party, even when he tries so hard to hate it.

It’s almost like they can read each other's minds when nobody’s around.

What are friends for! Right?

Right?

Astarion waits for Wyll to leave the food table so he can stroll over there and sulk alone. Once Superman is gone, Batman walks up to the table and pours himself a cup of fruit punch. Judging by the taste of it, he can tell they bought it cheap. His face sours and grabs a ghost shaped sugar cookie with white frosting to wash down the flavor. It didn’t help.

He leans himself against the table and watches Evie from afar. She’s whispering something to Karlach it seems. Too bad from the loud music, he can’t make up what she’s saying.

Valentine is done. Here, but now they’re gone Romeo and Juliet are together in eternity

As Karlach grabs a single issue of Spiderman and puts it in a brown paper bag, assuming for the little boy from earlier, Evie catches his gaze and softly smiles at him again.

(Romeo and Juliet) Forty thousand men and women every day

He softly smiles back at her. He lifts his cup and mimes a sour disgust expression to her, silently telling her that the punch is not great.

(like Romeo and Juliet)

She laughs at his silly mime and darts her eyes on the sugar cookie in his hand, silently asking him how it is. 

Forty thousand men and women every day (redefine happiness)

Astarion gives it a thumbs down. Evie rolls her eyes playfully and mouths, “Spoil sport.” to him. He mouths, “Only the best.” to her before he gives her another wink of the night.

Another forty thousand coming every day

More people in heroic or villainous costumes enter the party as Wyll in his Superman ensemble greets them hello.

But Batman doesn’t pay attention to the party guests as he, well, with his red eyes, secretly admires his Wonder Woman a few feet away.

(We can be like they are) come on, baby

Evie doesn’t pay much to Karlach as her now doppelganger for tonight yaps and yaps while she inserts extra candies into the bag with the latest issue of The Amazing Spiderman. Her gold eyes are locked in to her Batman. She didn’t want to wear blue contacts to fit Diana Prince because she thought she looked spooky with them.

(Don’t fear the Reaper) baby, take my hand

Astarion desperately wants to take off his bat mask as he lifts it up for a bit until he gets caught by Evie when she shakes her head with a grin and wiggles her finger in a No. She mouths “the mask stays on, pretty boy”. He mouths back with irritation, “Really?!” His Wonder Woman laughs and mouths again but with a nod, “Yes, really.”

Batman rolls his eyes at her and says, “Fine!” Then he catches Karlach lightly bumping Evie with a smirk and the western girl is caught by surprise.

(Don’t fear the Reaper) we’ll be able to fly

He watches their interaction unfold and resumes back to his brooding right by the snack table. But just one more look at his, eh, friend wouldn’t hurt a fly, now would it? And, surprise surprise, Evie looks back back at him too with a wide smile and dazzling eyes.

(Don’t fear the Reaper) baby, I’m your man.

His body relaxes just from her beauty. Her endless and god-like beauty… If only she knows how he feels about her. If only…

Evie cuts off their collective gaze and solely focuses on Karlach now. No more attention for the Batman.

Astarion sighs before he pours back the disgusting and cheap fruit punch into the bowl and scans around the party to check if anybody catches him in the act. Naturally, nobody notices as most of them are quite drunk to even bat an eye.

Corny as all hell joke.

Scratch, Wyll and Karlach’s dog, is dressed up as Krypto, the Super dog and Superman’s sidekick. He barks a hello at Astarion and his tail wags in joy as the red cape whips along with it. Happy to see a friend. The vampire looks around the party again before he kneels down and pets his head. “You might be the second cutest in the party, Scratch.” His first is obviously Evie.

“Holy Toledo, Batman!” A familiar western voice comes up behind him.

He knows who it is.

Astarion sighs in embarrassment and he rises up to turn to Esteban. Speaking of Evie, here comes her twin brother dressed up as Reed Richards, a.k.a., Mr. Fantastic. With him is his wife and Evie’s childhood best friend, Abigail, dressed as Sue Storm, a.k.a, Invisible Woman. Two halves of the Fantastic Four.

“Hello, Esteban.” Astarion greets him in a tired tone. He greets Abigail with a head bow like a gentleman. “Abigail.”

Abigail chuckles and nods back at him. Her hair is more Farrah Fawcett than Invisible Woman’s famous 60s haircut.

“C’mon, who picked the costume?” Esteban desperately wants to know all the glory details as to why his twin sister’s “friend” is dressed up as Batman.

“Her.” He answers.

“Evie?”

“Yup.”

“Radical,” Esteban nods with a huge smile. “You certainly look the part since he is very serious all the time.”

Abigail bumps her husband’s shoulder and whispers in her usual Southern accent, “Esteban!”

“What? Am I wrong?” He protests to her.

“Anyway!” Astarion desperately trying to change the subject. “If you’re looking for your sister,” he points to Evie who is behind the register counter with Karlach, “she’s right over there. Discussing whatever the hell they’re on about.”

Esteban’s gaze follows his direction and lays his hands on his hips in disbelief. “Two Wonder Womans?! And I thought I was her only twin?” He teases as he points a finger at Astarion and winks at him before he leaves him and Abigail alone to meet up with his sister.

Astarion understood the joke, he just doesn’t think it’s funny.

He watches Abigail pour herself a cup of fruit punch but he halts her by blocking the ladle with his hand.

“You might not want to try that,” he warns her.

Invisible Woman gives Batman a quizzical look. “Why? Does it have alcohol?” Keep in mind that she’s 2 months pregnant.

“No,” he answers. “Just god awful, and cheap too.”

Abigail makes a click sound with her mouth and gives him a reassuring smile, “It can’t be that bad.” She drinks the fruit punch anyway but she doesn’t give the same disgust reaction like Astarion did.

“Well?” He checks in on her.

She nods in satisfaction. “It’s good!”

“Really?” He then asks in a flat tone.

“Mhm!” An unbothered Abigail grabs a ghost shaped sugar cookie after she takes a napkin, “And I wanna try out these cookies as well! They look delicious!”

Astarion sighs in defeat and leaves her when he walks away, “Whatever.”

He looks out to the crowd and examines every nerd on the dance floor when really it is just a bunch of comic book shelves moved out of the way to give the party guests more space, bobbing their heads to the song. Rolan as Doctor Fate is with his brother and sister, Cal and Lia who are Green Lanterns, jumping and dancing together. Minthara, who is dressed up as Black Widow, is in a corner talking with Dror Ragzlin, dressed up as Kingpin.

The song changes just when everyone, almost everyone, heard the disco beats of Night Fever by Bee Gees from that one Saturday Night Fever movie that is in the rage right now.

Astarion watches Wyll bring out a disco ball from the store’s ceiling with the power of his disco remote. The party lights hit on the object and shimmer glistens around the store.

The crowd roars in excitement and some even copy John Travolta’s moves from the film to fully give in to the groove. Minsc as The Thing is rolling his body on the dance floor with his hamster, Boo, in a fire costume- assuming he’s the Human Torch. Everyone around the two gives them a big round of applause.

“Ah! Astarion! Glad you could make it!” Gale as Doctor Strange comes up to him in greeting.

Batman scans Doctor Strange and snorts out a laugh. “My God you look ridiculous.”

“Talk all you want, Batman, I for one am happy with my choice of costume. Karlach told me last week that I reminded her of this great wizard from Marvel so I figured why not fully channel this great superhero.”

“Well, Batman is superior! He doesn’t need powers to fight his villains.” Astarion cannot believe what he just said. Damn Evie for her endless comic book talks!

The two men watch as Esteban runs to the dance floor and shouts out to Abigail, “Look, honey! I’m Tony Manero!” He imitates John Travolta’s character’s stance with his hips thrusting from side to side as his right index finger pointing from the floor moving back and forth across the body up to the sky with such rhythm.

Gimme that night fever, night fever We know how to do it Gimme that night fever, night fever We know how to show it

Astarion looks over to Evie to see what her reaction to her brother would be like. Unsurprisingly, her head turns away with embarrassment while Abigail is giggling with flush cheeks. He chuckles at the sight of her but in the corner of his eye, he sees Gale smirking at him and his mood immediately changes once he stops gazing at her.

“What?!” Batman asks Doctor Strange.

“Why don’t you dance with her, Astarion? I’m sure she won't decline.”

“Me and Evie are just friends, Gale. Nothing more.”

“Friends can also have a good time together. It’s not always a couples thing… or whatever it is you two are really.” Gale sips his drink, “Mm! Good punch. Good punch.” He murmurs before he walks away from Astarion just to browse around the actual Doctor Strange comics on the shelves.

Now he’s standing there all alone. No one to talk with. Shadowheart is too busy drinking with Lae’zel and Lia, pretty sure the Scarlet Witch brought a bottle of Vodka to this occasion. Wyll is too occupied with the guests. Karlach is also dancing but with Esteban and Minsc. Evie is catching up on the gossip with Abigail.

The one person he finds the most interesting in this whole evening, Evie. It feels slightly off for him to see her in black hair. She’s mostly known for her midnight blue hair that people would even give her compliments on.

For the rest of the hour, Astarion moves himself to sulk in the store’s couch and randomly picks out a Batman comic to see what Evie fusses about. Flipping pages upon pages with not a care in the world.

Okay, he cares a lot actually.

He keeps thinking to himself that she really does look through these panels and gets intrigued by the story. It’s cute but quite naive at the same time. Just like most of these poor nerds in this party, she gets excited over silly children's books and every story ends the same, the villain is captured and the hero saves the day.

✧★✧

✦ One hour later ✦

So when you’re near me, darling Can’t you hear me, S.O.S? And the love you gave me Nothing else can save me, S.O.S.

“I ain’t askin’ him out, you dingleberry!” Evie tells off to her brother.

Meanwhile, the song SOS by ABBA plays in the background with its final chorus.

“You told me you like the guy!” Esteban argues back.

“It’s complicated, dude!” Evie looks down in sadness and her tone changes. “I ain’t so sure if he feels the same way.”

She feels his hand lay on her shoulder, “You won’t know unless you try,” he reassures her in a more calmer tone.

“I don’t know-” her words are cut short by her brother.

“Just go up to him and tell him how you feel. Trust me, I know how terrifyin’ it is to talk to a beautiful person. Even after you marry them, it still feels like the honeymoon phase over and over again. This adrenaline rush in yer bones shacklin’ your soul. Your heart pumping faster and faster-”

“I get the picture!” She interrupts him when she looks back up at him. “But thank you for the advice, Este,” she curls up a smile at her older twin brother.

Esteban hugs her from the side with a good squeeze. “Anythin’ for my twin.” He returns his own smile at her before he leaves her and comes to his wife’s presence.

The song switches to Hello It’s Me by Todd Rundgren just in time when Evie searches for any signs of her Batman. She walks through the crowd, bumping a few along the way with a couple of her “I’m sorry” and “Excuse me”.

She finally sees Astarion sulking alone, reading a classic Batman issue and sitting on the store’s red couch. He looks cute reading like this. She knows that expression. It’s his focus face when he’s reading and intrigued.

It makes her heart extra happy because Batman is one of her favorite comic book characters. So seeing her crush not only dressed up as him makes her have butterflies in her stomach but it also makes her very excited that he’s actually reading a comic.

She’s been trying to get him to read at least one over the course of their friendship. But this friendship doesn’t truly feel like one at all. It’s something more.

Evie grabs a random Spiderman issue nearby and walks up to Astarion. “Mind if I join ya?”

Astarion silently shrugs as his fake muscles for the costume moves a tad bit. He doesn’t even give her his attention.

Is he mad at her?

She sits down closely to him and peeks over a panel of Batman and Robin confronting the Joker and his goons. “Is it good?” She tries to ignore the fact that he’s not looking at her.

“It’s alright,” he answers with a flat tone.

Evie gently points to page number 11 in the corner of the book. “You’re at 11. I’m surprised you even made it that far. I thought you would think it’s boring.”

“It is boring,” he responds.

“Then why are you reading it?”

“Because I am bored,” he finally looks at Evie but it isn’t the kind of energy she was hopin’ for. “I told you I didn’t want to go to this stupid costume party and yet here I am dressed as Batman and a bunch of other nerds dressed up as- who is that? The Flash!” He points to each party guest. “Two Green Lanterns. Robin but he smells foul.”

“Yeah, some customers here don’t shower regularly,” she clarifies but Astarion doesn’t hear her as he continues with his rant.

“Thor. One large Hulk over there flirting with Shadowheart. Iron Man in one corner. A woman in a black corset body suit with a leather jacket and blonde hair in the other corner, what’s her name?”

“Black Canary,” she answers.

“I meant her real name.”

“The character or the lady?”

“Evie!”

“‘Starion! If you didn’t want to come to the party, then why are you here?”

“Because… Because…” Astarion tries to put his words together.

“Because what?” Evie asks him desperately.

He gazes at her with so much anticipation in his eyes. His pupils dilate and the party lights shine on his red orbs. In one swift moment, his lips crash into hers. Her body goes into shock and her eyes widen in surprise but she slowly relaxes and closes her eyes when she wraps her arms around his shoulders.

In response, he wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her body close to him. She can definitely smell his scent: bergamot, brandy, and rosemary. His signature perfume. Always one of her favorite parts about him.

It’s important to me that you know you are free

‘Cause I never want to make you change for me

Think of me

You know that I’d be with you if I could

Both of their own comic books slide off from their thighs very slowly as their bodies bond together. Her red lipstick is smudging all over Astarion’s mouth and she ain’t complaining one bit. One of his hands rests on the back of her head. This is it. This is just what they both wanted. One simple kiss to take the pain away.

The music stops.

“Alright, people!” Wyll’s voice echoes to the two but they are continuing their makeout sessions unbothered. “For the past hour, I have given you guys each sticky note as to who has the best superhero or villain costume tonight! Me and my girlfriend, Karlach, already counted down the votes and we shall see who’s the lucky winner. Sounds good?”

Most people in the crowd cheer before Evie and Astarion break their kiss with heavy breaths and flushed cheeks.

She tucks her black artificial hairs behind her ears while she looks into his eyes. He stares at her too while he tries to take off his bat mask again but she halts him by laying her hand over his.

“Do you wanna go home? It’s about to be 10 anyway and we take a cab after I deliver the comic to the little boy from earlier.”

Astarion gives her a genuine happy smile and kisses her forehead before he answers, “Ready when you are, darling.”

Evie hums and picks up their comic books they dropped from the makeout. She sets them nicely by her side on the couch. He rises up and offers his hand to her. She accepts and holds each other's hand. They’ve done it before in the past but that was when they had to pass through a crowd or when Astarion was scared of a spider crawling in his home and Evie had to shoo it away with her boot. This is different. This… is what lovers do.

And it sure feels good.

“And the winner is…” Wyll is about to announce the winner as Evie and Astarion make their way to the door. Batman grabs his Wonder Woman’s coat and puts it over her, just like earlier tonight. “The Scarlet Witch!”

Shadowheart drunkenly whoo-hoos with a vodka in her hand and Lae’zel has to keep her body in balance by holding on to her waist.

The crowd claps along and Karlach walks up to them, “You’re leaving?” She sounds disappointed.

“Yeah. It’s a little late for us anyway. But, the party was wonderful and I’m glad you and Wyll invited us ‘re.” Evie hugs her friends with a big squeeze. “Have a wonderful night, hon.”

“You too, soldier.”

“Well would you look at that?” Astarion intervenes with a tease. “Two Wonder Womans hugging each other. I thought you only see it in dreams?”

After they break their hug, Evie very lightly bumps her shoulder to him with a big smile.

“Oh! Before I forget!” Karlach runs to her register counter and picks up the bag for the boy. “The latest Spiderman issue and some candy inside.” She hands it over to her.

Meanwhile, Wyll just gave a drunk Shadowheart a gold trophy and she mumbles her acceptance speech.

“Thank you.” Evie nods with a friendly smile. “Good night, Karlach. Make sure to tell Wyll I said thanks as well.” She holds Astarion’s hand again and this time, it is tight with so much comfort.

“Will do!” Karlach looks over their hand for a second and gives Evie the biggest smile she has ever seen from her. Happy that her two friends are taking one step at a time.

“Happy Halloween!” Evie shouts out to her with a wave when he opens the door.

“Happy Halloween, Evie!” Karlach waves back. “Happy Halloween, Astarion!”

Astarion stops and looks over to Karlach for a moment before he gives her a small genuine smile. “Happy Halloween, Karlach.” 

The noises from the party muffle when the two finally walk out. While Evie keeps checking the street for any signs of a little Spiderman with his father, Astarion kisses her temple.

She stops and quickly gazes at him with flushed cheeks. The red hue on her freckles makes her look like a strawberry. He smirks at her while her red lipstick is still all over his lips.

“You silly, silly man,” she lets go of his hand so she can wipe off the excess with her thumb. After a while, he takes her wrist and shifts them up a little so he can kiss the back of her hand. With the touch of his cold lips.

“So… are we still friends after what just happened back there?” Astarion asks her in genuine curiosity.

“Were we ever friends in the first place?” Evie whispers. “Because the whole time, I really liked you. Still do, matter of fact.”

He brings their hands down and intertwines their fingers together again, “I feel the same,” he whispers too. “I… I don’t want to cause any damage between us. Now that we are…” He rubs the back of her hand in circles with his thumb. “This.”

“And we don’t have to have sex right now. If you’re ready,” she tucks him close very softly. “Then I’m ready too.”

Astarion couldn’t believe what she just said as his body froze in shock. Then he relaxes when he pecks her with a kiss on the lips. “Thank you.”

“Excuse me?” A grown man's voice interrupts them.

Evie yelps in surprise and realizes that the little boy in his Spiderman costume with his father has finally arrived.

“Did you get my comic book? Did you get my comic book?” The boy asks in excitement.

She hums with a smile and kneels down to his height before she hands him the bag, “Sure did, buddy.”

The boy opens the bag and his eyes light up with joy, “Yay! I can’t wait to read this tonight! And look, dad! Free candy!”

The father chuckles, “I see that, son.” He glances at Evie. “Thank you for everything.”

“My pleasure, sir,” She bows with her head after she rises up. “Happy Halloween.”

“Happy Halloween,” he turns to his son. “What do you say, son?”

“Thank you! And Happy Halloween!” Little Spiderman jumps up with joy before they leave Evie and Astarion. Waving them goodbye.

“You always have a knack of making people happy,” Astarion points out to her after they start to walk the opposite way.

“Including you?” She teases.

“Including me,” he gives her another kiss on her temple.

After they took a cab, walked up the stairs at her apartment complex, and made it to her front door, Evie turns to Astarion with a soft look.

He cocks an eyebrow to her. “What?”

She chuckles and slowly lifts his bat mask up, “Yer mask.” The higher the mask gets, the more it reveals his beauty. Full gorgeous face, red eyes, and his white curls fall as they bounce. “You look funny with them.”

In return, he takes her wig off and her midnight hair falls too. Like a night canvas. “So do you with that wig.”

Evie laughs and it fills his dead heart with tenderness and security.

She cups his face with hands and gives him another kiss. Just like back at the comic book store, they make out for a good while until they have to separate their lips from one another.

“Do you wanna have dinner with me this Saturday? There’s this restaurant I find exquisite.” Astarion asks her out with a whisper.

Evie’s face lights up and curls a smile. “Like a date?”

“Yes,” he kisses her forehead again. “Like a date,” he whispers when his lips barely touch her skin. He leans his head back to fully gaze at her and he just has to say, “Cannot believe I’m asking you out in a Batman costume.”

She laughs again, “No, no. It’s cute. It’s romantic.”

He puffs, “You think.”

She rolls her eyes at him before she gives him another peck on the lips, “It’s a date then.”

She turns away to unlock her apartment as her keys make a rattle sound. Once her door opens, Evie looks back at Astarion. “I had a good time tonight.”

“Me too. Well, it was boring until that kiss that made it all better,” he smirks at her.

“Same ‘re,” she winks at him. “And what time’s our dinner?”

“8:30. We meet here at the same place, same time.”

“Perfect.” Evie pulls him in with one final kiss of the night before she breaks off. “Good night, sugah.”

“Good night, darling.”

Astarion backs himself away from her door step by step as Evie closes her door very slowly to get one more look at him. Once that door closes, he sighs in delight and takes off his cape before he folds them and walks down the stairs.

Batman and Wonder Woman going out together.