Boyxboy Holiday Specials

Halloween- The Shadows Of Yesterday

I watched the entrance to the room I was in as music blared around me. I had nothing to do with my hands, so I shoved them in my pockets, then pulled them back out and fidgeted with my fingers.

A hand landed on my shoulder and I jumped badly, shrinking away. Arlo frowned at me, concern in his eyes.

"Hey," he said. "You okay?"

"Fine. You just scared me. I didn't hear you coming over the music," I said, reaching out for the drink he offered me. I took a large swig of it, relieved at the burn of alcohol down my throat.

Arlo put an arm around my waist, thumb slipping under my shirt to lightly rub the skin there. "Jeremy, did...something happen?"

"No," I said.

He was eyeing me, trying to be casual about it, but that damn concern on his face gave away what he was looking for. I took another swig of my drink and leaned against him.

"No," I repeated, quieter. "No, sorry, I just...usually spend the day with Seth. It's just weird. I can't remember the last time we weren't together on Halloween."

He'd been mad about it, sure. But he hadn't...hadn't hurt me. He'd just turned his back on me when I left the room to go meet Arlo at the bus station.

"Do you want to leave?" Arlo asked. "We can go put on a few horror movies in my room. I got alcohol, if we want it. We don't gotta stay here, Jeremy. I know you gotta be in the mood for these kinda parties."

I shook my head. "Nah, let's stay. I want to be here."

That was a lie, but I knew Arlo had been looking forward to this. Even now, he was dressed as Sir Arthur, which he'd assured me would be a lot funnier whenever Nicky showed up. Having no costume, I'd just put on my Red Hood T-shirt and gray jeans. I'd been called Batman three times already, but at least they assumed I was in some kind of costume.

"Well, let me know if you wanna leave early. I don't have a problem with it," he said.

"What, and miss you getting drunk enough to spray yourself with a hose again? Not a chance," I said.

He grinned. "Aw, let me live it down, Jeremy! We could reenact that night, but play the role of the bushes couple."

"I will literally never fuck a man in the bushes," I said. "Or a woman. Or a nonbinary per- you know what, you get my point."

He laughed, the mood easing instantly with the sound of it. "Yea, alright, fair. Ain't sanitary, I guess."

"Says the man who's had sex in a public place," I said.

He groaned. "It was one time! And it wasn't like- we- it was a back room, so not, like, open to the public, and- Agh! I can't even remember who brought that up but I hate them for it! Probably Brooks."

"If it leaves you miserable then, yes, it probably is Brooks," I said.

He opened his mouth to say something, but snapped it shut as we heard galloping. His face broke out in a triumphant smile.

"See! See, I told you it'd be funny!" he said.

Nicky entered the room, continuing to hit the coconut halves together. Arlo was laughing so hard that he had to slump against me to keep on his feet.

"Oh," I said, sighing. "Arthur and Patsy. Why am I not surprised?"

"You call that a costume, Jeremy?" Ziv asked as he came into the room with Brooks. "Did you even try?"

"Nope," I said. "And I don't really think you or Brooks can judge me."

Ziv was dressed as Gaston and Brooks was dressed as...well, I wasn't entirely sure. One of the Hex Girls, maybe? She had the ponytails, dress, jewelry, and makeup, at least. Ziv looked down at himself, then back up at me.