Chapter Text
Blood Moon tonight. The moon of lovers.
Tom put a lot of effort into making the Blood Moon Ball the best it could be. The set pieces are a beautiful shade of withered rose, the buffet was prepared satisfyingly mild, and now that the right music was being preformed, the night was absolutely perfect.
For Star Butterfly, of course. No one else needed to enjoy themselves as long as she was happy.
So far, everything has been going according to Tom's plan. All that was left to do was invite Star to dance with him. Then the dance hall would go bright red and his carefully selected ballad would accompany the sight, creating the perfect memory of reconciliation. He was so close he could practically feel Star's gloved hand join his own.
He sees her among the crowd, her eyes wandering the room. So close. His methodical footsteps take him close enough to reach for her. So close. He extends his arm towards his date, ready to ask her the question burning in the back of his throat...
...when he suddenly feels a hand grab his wrist and pull him backwards. He turns and finds himself in front of someone in a sugar skull mask and red sombrero he's never seen before. What the-
Click!
It takes half a second for the Blood Moon's light to engulf the ballroom. It takes a full second for the ballad to play and for Tom to understand the situation he finds himself in. He's standing under the Blood Moon's light, just like he planned. Except he's not under it with Star.
He's with some idiot that looks like they're one wrong move away from passing out on the spot.
So far. So unbelievably far away. Anger doesn't come close to describing the feelings bubbling up in Tom's chest.
He wanted to scream. Rip their mask clean off, scorch and melt their face until they were unrecognizable- anything but this. Instead the sugar skull gripped his left hand, gently held his waist and guided him around the dance floor in a waltz. Tom hoped his face could communicate what he wasn't allowed to finish saying.
"What do you think-"
"Please, please don't freak out. I mean- you don't want your subjects to see you lose your cool, do you? Think of your reputation du- uhm. Your.. highness."
Whoever this was had a point, much to Tom's disappointment. His sanitation of the Blood Moon Ball already gave his subjects good reason to dislike him. Blowing up in front of them wouldn't make things better, that's for sure.
Knowing that didn't keep his rage from building, however. Lucky for him, it didn't go unnoticed. He felt the grip on his hand tighten as he shifted his gaze towards the eyes behind the sugar skull mask.
"Hey. You can kill me when this is all over, but right now just look at me and breathe. Focus on the dance. Just for now."
The cadence in their voice and the fear in their eyes contradict any reassurance the message was supposed to give. It was clear to Tom that this person was only trying to save themselves from becoming kindling. How pathetic.
Either way, it seemed to keep him together, at least long enough to get him through this nightmare. Tom returned the hand squeeze as he locked eyes with his reluctant dance partner. Their eyes were dark and shiny, he noticed. The color looked maroon, though he figured they were probably a nice brown under normal circumstances. He wondered if it was the Blood Moon's glow that made them appear so mesmerizing.
No. Stop it. He won't let this curse manipulate him. He refuses to let it have it's way.
They both glide around the dance floor with a rhythm neither thought the other had. Sugar Skull led them with hints of confidence you wouldn't believe were even there. Tom would be impressed if he wasn't trying so hard to keep his flames from setting the two of them on fire.
Step. Step. Lean. Spin. Stop. Step, step, step, spin.
Dip.
The moment Tom broke eye contact with Sugar Skull, he saw her. He saw her and time seemed to stop. The music faded away, the grip in his hand fell numb and the crowd seemed to disappear as he saw Star Butterfly, her eyes wide and her mouth agape in shock.
Star Butterfly. His date to the Blood Moon Ball.
The reason the ball was as boring as it was.
The person he was supposed to be dancing with right now. The person who's soul he was supposed to bind with for eternity.
Tom's world moves again as he's lifted back up. As he sees this nobody dancing with him instead. The reason his plan to win back his ex-girlfriend went up in smoke and ash.
Before they could react, Sugar Skull was shoved down with all of the built up frustration Tom failed to keep contained. It didn't matter anymore, anyway. There wasn't even time to breathe as the music cut off and the skylight started to shut.
Tom tilts his head upwards to watch the Blood Moon's light fade away, powerless to stop it. The split moment the hall is cloaked in darkness doesn't feel real to him. The ballroom's lights come back on and it's over. The ritual, the night and dance he worked so hard to build was over. The demon's head comes back down as it dawns on him.
He missed his chance to win Star back.
And now his soul is bonded to a complete stranger.
Tom roars in anguish and sets the place ablaze in his fury, once more drowning it in crimson light. He turns and looks around desperately for the person that ruined his date. Ruined his night. His life.
They're nowhere to be found. Tom didn't think he could be this enraged.
Fires lit under his palms and feet, he flies above the crowd in an attempt to find the jerk that did this to him. He sees horns, fur, bones, tails, claws, fangs. No stupid sugar skull mask. No stupid sombrero. No stupid red tie, no stupid shoulder tassels, no stupid shiny eyes, nothing.
Nothing.
"DON'T THINK YOU CAN JUST HIDE AND GET AWAY WITH THIS. THE MOMENT I FIND YOU I SWEAR YOU'RE DEAD. DO YOU HEAR ME, YOU COWARD?! YOU'RE DE-!"
The outburst was contained and mercy was brought to the party-goers in the form of an ice spell, courtesy of Star Butterfly. The faint sound of a bell ringing and a portal opening went unnoticed.
Marco Diaz was so screwed.