yay me !!

Joy and fulfillment filled Marcus as he was thanked, honestly only wanted to help others and ensure their comfort. He’d never really been able to comfort or help any human before now because they were too scared of him, but here he could do anything without that fear. He felt the pink bleed into his cheeks as he was called love. He knew it was just a regular name and meant nothing, but no one used names like that in Halloween Town. He followed Bry into the bar, feeling a tad nervous though it was rather private. He nodded and started to head toward the booth. “It is nice. I’ve never been inside a bar before. It smells…” He paused to wrinkle his nose, the alcohol almost burning, but it was bearable if it meant staying with his company. “Strong.” He let out a soft chuckle as he sat down.

Bryant let out a chuckle as he nodded his head slightly, “It’s definitely not the best smelling of places, but it’s the end outcome that matters the most. Although it’s strange… I usually like getting tipsy because I’m displeased with my current circumstances but being with you -- it’s not that bad.” He glanced over his shoulder at the other just before the reached the booth, a smile on his lips. He plopped down and immediately crossed his legs in the dignified manner he usually exhibited. “So… you’ve never drank before, we should probably start you out on something less intense. Even though you don’t look like a fruity drink guy, I think you would enjoy one of the more ‘girly’ drinks. Especially since you think I’m so sweet.” He teased as he leaned closer to Marcus, allowing his hand to rest on the boy’s upper thigh. 

“Because!” He let out through gritted teeth, glaring up at the boy though he felt no anger towards him whatsoever – just fear. “I will hurt you. I don’t want to. You understand?” He spoke, sentences short and choppy. He could feel himself slipping and he knew it was probably already too late for Bryant to leave. Stray tears fell from his eyes as he pleaded more with himself than the other. “I don’t want this. I want to be normal. I want to be happy. I want people to be safe.” He suddenly stood up, stumbling backwards though his movements were rigid. His eyes glinted gold. “You better start running now.”

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Bryant knew deep down that he should have been listening to Marcus considering the boy probably had it in his best interest to tell him to leave. But there was a part of him that was afraid to leave, afraid to let the boy deal with whatever demons he was facing alone. It just didn’t seem right. “I don’t care! I don’t think you could hurt me.” It was probably naive of him to think that, but he wasn’t thinking straight right now. “Let me be here for you, I don’t know what’s happening to you but… I can handle it. I’m strong and I care about you.” He took a daring step closer to the other, more determined than ever.

The girl glanced at him before letting out a sigh relief that he didn’t seem at all upset.  Pepper quickly giggled at the nickname.“ Well I was trying to find an arcade. I just thought if I found one maybe I would be able to find a way back home if I did. “ she explained. 

“ An arcade, huh ?? Are you originally from a video game or something ? That would explain why you look so adorable. ” Bry let out a soft chuckle as he tilted his head to the side in amusement. “ I think I saw one ‘round the corner, but I’m not so sure if this will work… but it’s worth a try I suppose. ”

“I’m not sure what that means, but okay. Thank you for calling me handsome, though. I wasn’t really sure where I was on the attractive scale. But, if you’re saying I can get people to buy me something to eat with my face, how about you show me how true that is? Wanna get something to eat together?” He asked, smirking at the boy.

Bryant let out a small scoff, seeing right through the boy’s intentions. “You’re lucky that I’m in a gracious mood right now or else I would have turned you down. I’m used to people paying for me and not the other way around… but for you, I guess one small little friendship meal wouldn’t hurt. I have a really bad craving for sushi right now, would you be opposed to that?”

Adelia nodded.  “I’m afraid it’s my first time experimenting with this kind of makeup.  I’m not very good at it yet.”  She smiled, nodding her head once again in appreciation.  “Thank you.”

“For a first time it’s pretty good! If you ever need any tips, you can come to me -- even if I’m a guy I do dabble with makeup from time to time. Everyone’s gotta look their best, right?” A smile formed on his lips. “But you also have the benefit that you’re a natural beauty, so I wouldn’t worry too much.”

“Uhm – excuse me! have you seen my father, Dylan Piper? he kind of looks likes me, just taller and a male.” Fi pouted slightly, not liking the feeling of being alone “I d-don’t know if hes here or not but…I don’t know where to stay.”

Bry had never been exactly good with children, but he wasn’t heartless -- the fact that this girl was as alone as he was left him with an unsettling feeling. “Probably not the best description… but I’m sure that we can find him around here somewhere!” He wanted to sound positive and not bring up the fact that her father might not even be here in the first place. “Come on, we can go take a good look around.”

After worrying over the sudden change of scenery, Hayden decided on a mellow distraction, perched under the largest tree to admire nature. It was a certain change from the delicate blossoms of China.

A frown tugged at the corners of Marcus’ mouth as he heard of the other’s predicament. True, he hadn’t much going for him either, but he considered himself a bit more resilient to the elements when compared to humans. “I’m sure I can find you a place and food, so don’t worry about it, okay?” He said, knowing both things had to be found someway. “I think it’s your natural sweetness. Your perfume is nice, but it’s too artificial for my taste,” he lightly teased, following his nose to the source of alcohol. He found the building, pulling open the door for the other. “After you, handsome,” he said, the compliment a bit quiet out of shy embarrassment.

As helpless as the boy felt, the fact that Marcus was willing to assist him with finding some sort of place to stay for the time being they were trapped here. It made him feel not so alone in this whole thing, though he was a bit used to being alone. “Thank you, I don’t think you know how much that means to me.” He grinned and leaned a bit closer to the other as they walked. He was trying his best not to blush at the sudden cascade of compliments coming his way, his stomach filling with butterflies. “Thank you, love.” He blushed as he stepped past Marcus and into the pub. “This seems like a nice place! It’s quiet and a bit more private than the bars we have at home. Wanna sit in that booth towards the back?”

Bryson couldn’t help but to laugh, finding the miscommunication amusing. “You can be flattered. I mean, I wouldn’t want to eat someone that looked gross. But, don’t worry – I’ll try to handle myself. The only problem is that you guys are real big on this stealing and paying thing. Why don’t you live by the finders keepers rule? I find some food, I eat it, I shouldn’t get yelled at for it.”

Bryant offered a shrug of his shoulders in reply to the other, “Our world is big on consumerism, always has been and always will be. Though, what you need really need to learn is that people who look like you can get whatever they want in this world. You’re handsome, use that to your advantage and find someone who is willing to buy you a meal.”

Bryant’s voice sounded distant and he hoped that it was, but that was only a false hope. Marcus attempted to curl into himself even further, not wanting to hurt the boy or reveal his true nature. “Yes, I do. Please, go, Bry. I promise I’ll be okay – go,” he insisted, strong fingers curling against his arms once more. Pain would be the only thing to distract and help control himself. He liked the people of this town and wanted to be seen as ‘normal’ like he’d always hoped for, so he wasn’t ready to let his secret out just yet – especially not to Bry. 

Bryant took in a deep breath before he shook his head slightly, his stubbornness showing its true colours. “You have to give me a good reason before I leave, I’m not just going to walk away from you without one.” How could he? He needed to make sure that the other was okay, especially when he was this bent out of shape. He knew that if he walked away without any questions asked then he would have a heavy burden weighing down on his consciousness.

“Finally, someone who isn’t going to bore me to death in this dreary town. I don’t know, yet. I was hoping you had a suggestion. What’s a thing you do that helps you forget things?”

“Think of me as your knight in shining armor. But as for what to do… there’s always a couple things that always cheer me up: shopping, drinking, and going clubbing. Take your pick, darling.”

“Hey,” he smiled at the other meaningfully, even though he was scared as to what would happen to them. “We’ll figure it out together alright? I’m sure my dad or your mom won’t just leave us be.”

Bry took in a deep breath, trying his best to calm his nerves. He had to trust that he and Ethan would make it through this just fine. “Together, right… our parents have to eventually figure out a way to get here. I know my mom will bother your dad constantly until that happens.” He chuckled, knowing that his mother had a way of always getting what she wanted.

Tink wasn’t entirely sure what the deal was with the fashion world or what a smartwatch was, but she was pleased to be called an inventor. A large grin spread along her lips as she nodded. “I am an inventor of sorts! I’m more specifically a tinker fairy, but that’s basically the same thing as an inventor. Are you an important fashion person? You seem to know a whole lot about.”

Pepper had never been outside her game before. ( Not only was it frowned upon but also very dangerous ) Naturally being so far from home troubled the young girl. She walked around trying to find something that might have given her a clue of what was going on, finding an arcade being her top priority. Pepper had been so caught up with what she had been doing she hadn’t even noticed the other in front of her. “ Oh Good Gum drops! I’m soooo sorry. “ she apologized quickly.

After the few weeks since his arrival, Bryant still felt as if he didn’t quite fit in around here. It was nothing quite like home and that made him feel all the more anxious about being stuck in a place like this. So it wasn’t uncommon for the boy to have his head in the clouds, daydreaming of simpler days. His train of thought was interrupted though as he felt someone collide with him. His eyes flickered down to meet the girl standing before him, a smile forming on his lips. “ It’s all good, cupcake. It was partially my fault, which I don’t say often. “ He chuckled. “ Where are you headed in such a hurry? “

“Does this look like too much makeup?  I do not want to look…  Oh, what’s the word they use these days…  Trashy?”

“It looks fine to me, though you might need a little help with that eyeliner… don’t ever be afraid to use too much make-up! If someone calls you trashy because of it, then clearly they’re not the sort of person you want to be hanging around anyways.”