Chapter Text
Katelyn hopped over the railing to meet up with Dante, Garroth, and Laurance. Aphmau followed after her nervously. “Katelyn! You can’t cut in line!!” Aphmau sighed, catching up to Katelyn and giving her a playful nudge.
“Sorry Aphmau, but the boys were here, so they were basically saving us a spot.” Katelyn nudged Aphmau back with a giddy smile across her face. She had finally loosened up over the course of the festival and was really the freeing feeling of relaxation.
Laurance looked to Aphmau, gently pulling her close by the waist. “Awh, no worries Aph! Relax, we’re just about to go in, buuut they’re only letting people in by pairs. It’s that scary.” In front of Laurance, Garroth and Dante continued to bicker. Something about Garroth being stinky and Dante being a blue-haired popsicle. Laurance pinched the bridge of his nose, turning to them. “Will you two stop it?! I feel like your mom, just– Ugh. If you haven’t noticed, Aphmau and Katelyn are here!”
“So? Why am I supposed to care?” Dante glared at Laurance, and his eye caught sight of a familiar face. “N-Nicole?!” Dante hid behind Laurance, slightly looking over his shoulder.
“Heey! Are you guys going into the Haunted House too?” Nicole gasped. “Do you mind if I join?!” Nicole climbed over the railing to the Haunted House and gave Aphmau a little hug.
Garroth got a devilish grin on his face as he smacked Dante’s arm. “Sure Nicole! Hop in line!” Nicole’s eyes lit up with joy as she squeezed Aphmau a little tighter. Dante whipped around to look at Garroth, he was almost as pale as a ghost. “Now we have a full group! Since they’re only letting two people in at a time.” Garroth chuckled darkly.
Laurance gave a huff of annoyance. “That is it! Garroth, stand in front of me and Dante get behind me I’m splitting you two up!” Laurance pulled Dante behind himself and pushed Garroth forward, holding Dante’s hand almost as if he were a kid.
Nicole gave Aphmau a gentle shove. “Looks like you’re going in with Garroth! Have fuuun!” As soon as Garroth realized exactly what Nicole was saying, his small air of confidence dissipated and turned into sheepishness.
“A-Are you scared?” Garroth managed to sputter as he put his hand on the door knob. He looked over at Aphmau, his knees shaking a little bit.
Aphmau laughed, trying not to be nervous. “No! No, I’m not scared at all, Garroth…!” She followed after him, holding onto his arm. She looked around, absorbing all of the decorations and energies in the room. The two began walking through the house, and Aphmau came to the slow realization that the Haunted House was… really not scary at all. “… This is lame– This is really lame Garroth–”
“You can… H-Hold my hand if you are scared, A-Aphmau.” Garroth put his hand on top of Aphmau’s and gently interlocked their fingers.
Aphmau smiled, squeezing his hand slightly. “I’m not scared, Garroth. I was… Kinda expecting him to eat our brains or… something–” She rubbed his hand with her thumb, leading the way to the next room.
The lights flickered as a gruff voice from another zombie cried. “There is no Wi-Fi in this area!” Aphmau looked to Garroth, trying not to laugh as Garroth gave a sarcastic ‘Oh no!’ as a response. The two continued on to the next room, looking around.
“Ooh! There’s a lever here–” As Aphmau pulled the lever, the floor fell from underneath Garroth, dropping him down a little ways. “Oh no! Garroth!” Aphmau looked over the ledge slightly.
Garroth laughed a little, pulling himself up, with the help of Aphmau, and out of the dropped floor. “I-I’m alright, no worries Aphmau.” He dusted himself off as Aphmau flicked the lever back, putting the floor back to its original layout. Garroth cautiously took Aphmau’s hand, walking to the next room with her.
Aphmau let go of Garroth’s hand to crouch down, reading a sign. “Push the curtains open to reveal someone’s greatest fear…?” She shrugged. “Do you want to open it or–?”
Garroth pushed the curtain to the side, revealing a small stage with a scene of Aphmau embracing Zane, kissing him in a garden. The two gasped and Garroth steadied himself on one of the theater chairs.
“So uhm… Y-Yeah, this is officially the scariest Haunted House I’ve ever been in– L-Let’s get going–!” Aphmau tripped while walking backwards, falling on top of Garroth.
Garroth brushed Aphmau’s hair to the side. “A-Are you o-okay?” He seemed to trip over every word he was saying. Aphmau nodded and tried to stand, but with what little confidence Garroth had, he pulled Aphmau closer.
Just as Garroth was about to say something, Dante ran in the room and gasped, helping Aphmau up off of Garroth. Katelyn, Laurance, and Dante looked at Aphmau and Garroth who were both red-faced. Dante crossed his arms, turning his nose up at Garroth. “Geez Garroth, subtle much?”
“Wh-What?! I have no clue what you’re talking about!” Garroth covered his mouth slightly, glaring at Dante as he did.
Laurance scoffed. “You can’t hide it from us, Garroth.” He pushed Garroth back with his index finger, glowering at him.
Dante huffed. “He’s cheating on us, Laurance.” Garroth’s jaw dropped as he turned to look at Aphmau and then back at the other three.
Laurance leaned against Dante, crying into his shoulder. “The nerve!” Dante soothed Laurance, rubbing circles into his back and shaking his head.
“You guys think you have it bad? I just caught Aphmau cheating on me!” Katelyn jokingly joined in, also leaning against Dante, who attempted to hold both Laurance and Katelyn’s weight on his shoulders.
Garroth and Aphmau stood, shocked at what tomfoolery was happening before their eyes. “K-Katelyn!? It wasn’t a date!!” Aphmau took Katelyn by the arm, shaking her. Katelyn laughed, leaning into Aphmau instead and smiling.
Laurance gasped, looking at Dante. “OH NO! She did not! ” His eyes were wide with faux belief that Garroth would do such a thing. Dante wiped a nonexistent tear from his eye.
“And here– I thought we had a moment over that ice cream earlier… Garroth… What changed…?” Dante held onto Laurance.
Garroth stuttered. “Y-you two are joking with us, right…?” He glanced between the two of them, figuring out exactly what was going on.
Laurance gasped, dramatically striding across the room and leaning against the wall as if he were faint. “Our love is a joke to you?!” Laurance smirked at Dante and peeked over at Garroth.
“Laurance…” Garroth was quick to push Laurance further up the wall, pinning him down. “I’m so sorry my dear, it had never dawned on me that you and Dante would be jealous of Aphmau and I… With our frivolous affair…”
Laurance attempted to push against Garroth, but Garroth leaned in closer. His face was a bright red as he stared into Garroth’s eyes. “G-Garroth–! Seriously , this is w-way too close!”
Garroth brushed a piece of Laurance’s hair to the side, gently picking up his chin. “I thought you loved me…”
Katelyn clumsily pulled out her phone, aiming the camera at Laurance and Garroth’s loving display. Dante put his hand over his mouth, attempting to silence his laughter as Aphmau pushed Dante back and squinted at Katelyn’s phone. “A-Are you taking pictures–?!”
Laurance pushed at Garroth again, but to no avail. “Stop looking at me like that d-dude! Th-This is getting weird–!”
Garroth leaned in close, whispering in Laurance’s ear. “You ruined my chance with your stupid game. So, we’re playing this now.” Garroth’s breath was hot against Laurance’s ear and neck.
Katelyn mumbled under her breath. “I’m taking sooo many pictures–” Aphmau nodded, leaning against Katelyn’s shoulder.
“D-Dante did it too! G-Go hit on h-him–!” Laurance pressed himself further against the wall as Garroth leaned his head against his chest. He could feel his heart beating faster and his face going redder by the second.
Garroth huffed, tracing circles on Laurance’s chest. “Everyone here knows that you’re so much sexier than Dante…”
Dante gasped, glaring at the two of them. “Hey I can hear you guys, y’know?!” Katelyn batted at Dante, attempting to hint at him to shut up. Dante scoffed, putting his arms across his chest.
“Look! Katelyn is taking pictures, let’s hold each other closer.” Garroth pulled Laurance in by his hips, his own face heating up.
“F-FUCK THAT!” Laurance pushed Garroth to the side, running out of the Haunted House as fast as he could. Garroth rolled his eyes, deciding that it would be worth it to chase him around the fair, and took to pursuing Laurance. Katelyn quickly followed behind the two of them, absolutely thrilled by their idiocy.
Aphmau leaned against Dante, laughing into his shoulder. Dante patted Aphmau’s head, smiling. “I suppose you’re my date for the rest of this Haunted House thing, huh?”
Aphmau shook her head, giggling. “You’re not as sexy as Laurance, remember?”
“H-Hey!” Dante fidgeted with his hoodie strings. “J-Just because Laurance literally has the softest hair, knows how to cook, a-and uhm… I’m j-just gonna stop now–” Dante’s face went a little red with embarrassment. He thought for a moment and exclaimed. “O-Oh! How about we pull a little prank on the two of them, eh? Imagine this– You and I, dating ! That’d definitely knock them down a few pegs.”
Aphmau rolled her eyes. “Aren’t you with Nicole?” Dante’s face flushed as he poorly attempted to explain that he would never date someone like her, and that he definitely did not have feelings at all, whatsoever, for Nicole. Aphmau sighed pulling down Dante’s hoodie strings. “Whatever you say, loverboy– Anywho. Sure, I’ll pull the prank with you.”
Dante startled and fixed his hoodie and did a small celebratory jump. “Perfect! That’ll show those two– W-Well uh, what do we do now?”
Aphmau took Dante’s hand, pulling him. “Follow me, I’ve got just the idea.” Dante shrugged and followed suit. Aphmau took Dante back to the room where she had found that lever with Garroth. “Well, uhm, Dante… I– For a long time, I’ve felt a certain way about you…”
Dante chuckled nervously, backing up against the bookcases. “Wait– Wh-What?...” Aphmau continued, stepping closer to Dante.
“Well, I didn’t know how to tell you, and right now is… the… perfect opportunity to tell you that I really… Really… Really…” Aphmau pushed the lever with her heel, watching Dante fall into the collapsable floor, just the same as Garroth. She laughed heartily, watching Dante shake off some of the dust and fake cobwebs.
Dante glared up at Aphmau. “Y-You jerk! I-I’ll eat all of your food in your fridge–! I-I’ll–!” He attempted to push himself up and out.
Aphmau gasped, recoiling from helping Dante out of the floor. “No! Y’know what? That’s it, I’m leaving you here and maybe someone nice enough will help you out of there–!” Aphmau began walking away from the room. “Buh-bye, Dante!” She waved at him before getting out of sight.
“Aphmau!! C-Come back here, I was kidding–!” Dante sighed, leaning against the ledge and looking up, hoping Aphmau would come back and help him out.
Aphmau pushed the doors to the Haunted House open, making her ‘escape.’ “I’ll let him out eventually– Or! Better yet…” Aphmau saw Nicole heading up the stairs to the Haunted House.
Nicole saw Aphmau and waved, smiling gleefully. “Hey Aphmau! Did you get separated from your group…?” She tilted her head in slight confusion.
“Ah, kinda? Say… When you head in the Haunted House, do you think you could help Dante out? I think he might need it.” Aphmau began snickering while walking away. “Good luck Nicole!”
Nicole cocked an eyebrow, almost even more confused than before she started talking to Aphmau. “Uhh, sure! And thank you!” She waved goodbye, heading up to the doors of the Haunted House.
Aphmau took off towards DinoLand, checking the fair brochure to make sure the fireworks were surely in DinoLand. “Yep! Well, looks like I’ll meet them there.”