Chapter Text
It's been nearly two days now since everything went down. The students of Night Raven College are almost done with all the Halloween preparations. It was quite a festive sight, seeing all the lit-up pumpkins and hearing the music chosen by some of the students in collaboration with Jack and the musicians.
But somewhere in a lone corner of the town's graveyard, sat a young boy, with hair white as snow and its ends black like charcoal. He had a sullen look on his face that was discernible, even with the dark sunglasses he wore. “Thought I'd find you here.” The boy turned around from where he was sitting, startled by the sudden voice. He saw a boy about his age standing behind him. He had light jade-green hair and piercing eyes. They were a mixture of gold and green, as if thunder was dancing in them. “Ah..Sebek, what are you doing here?” he asked the other,”Shouldn't you be making preparations with the others?” Sebek looked at him before saying,” Our group's preparations are done, so I am relieved of my duties for now.” The other looked dubiously at him before asking, “And what about Malleus?” This made the green-haired boy stiffen, “He is quite busy at the moment. Besides, he said he wanted to try and make friends, so I’ll leave him be.”
Sebek went to sit next to Skully and looked over the graves. “You have some weird tastes, to be sitting in such a place.” Skully looked offended and retorted the comment. “It is not weird. It is just…solemn,” he said while diverting his gaze. Right, because sitting on a dead person’s grave is aesthetically pleasing, resounded in the green boy’s mind. However, he had to agree that it was quite a peaceful place.
They sat in silence for a little while, with only the wind and chattering from the town making a sound. “Why did you do it?” Skully looked to the side with a dumbfounded look on his face. “Sorry?” he asked. Sebek sighed, “Why did you do it? Kidnapping them, I mean” He looked straight into the others eyes, as if the answer was written there. The young boy didn’t know how to answer. He tried formulating it into words, but kept stumbling over them, “Ah..That’s..well..The reason…” The boy looked deflated. “I am truly sorry, but I cannot answer your question. You wouldn’t understand either way…” Maybe I can, thought Sebek.
As the night settled, the town quieted down. “You should probably head back, it’s getting late.” Skully mentioned. The crocodile fae stood up and extended his hand, “Correction, we should probably head back.” Skully looked at him with a questioning face, not really understanding the other's intentions. “You shouldn’t stay outside in the cold, you’ll get sick like that. And besides, it would be a waste to not see the results of our hard work” He still had his hand extended. The young boy hesitated to take it before asking ”What about the others? They are probably still mad at me.” Sebek chuckled and took his hand. “No one is mad at you idiot, so come on.” He tugged gently at the hand he was holding, causing the other to stand up. “Very well, then” he said while smiling. An honest, genuine smile. Sebek looked at the smiling boy in front of him and couldn’t help the faint rosy tint forming on his cheeks.
Once they arrived, they went to the town hall. Everyone was gathered there to see the end results of the new Halloween they organized. The whole place was filled with lit-up lanterns, pieces of textile draping over the walls, every one depicting a different dorm. Even Ramshackle had one. Skully’s eyes shone with curiosity and fascination. He couldn’t help but smile at the sight. “It looks amazing, even better than what I had imagined it would be.” Sebek took pride in that and smiled. “We are students at Night Raven College, we only do our best for Halloween.” he said, standing tall. The other boy looked at him with admiration, thinking about how his views have changed since meeting the group of students.
However, their joy didn’t last, for a voice behind them caught their attention. And apparently, everyone else’s too. “How wonderful! I knew I could count on you kids.” said an oversized, excited skeleton. “I just know this is going to be a promising Halloween!” The town residents were cheering and celebrating. Meanwhile, the students looked at each other in silence. They kept like that for a while, till someone decided to speak up. “Hey Skellington.” Jack’s attention turned to the voice. The person who spoke was wearing a fancy black suit with white, vertical stripes. He had a long jacket draped over his shoulders and his long, dark brown hair pulled up in a pony-tail. A black eye patch covered one of his eyes, making the other a fiercer green than it already was. “Ah..Kingscholar, with what can I assist you?” Jack asked. Leona looked annoyed at him, “We’re done, so when are you gonna send us back?” Jack looked at the others in surprise, “Right. I did promise that. I will send you back tomorrow at first light if that’s alright with you.” The NRC students all agreed with this and scattered into different groups. A few went into town, while others stayed to admire the decorations a bit more. Meanwhile, the two boys went back to where they originally were.
They walked down the dark paths to the graveyard and chattered about their idols. Sebek and Skully both had a deep respect and loyalty for one another with this topic. One admires Malleus Draconia, the crown prince of Briar Valley, and the other idolizes Jack Skellington, the master of fright and the Pumpkin King. Once they arrived at the gate, they headed for the main piece of the graveyard. It was a large hill in the form of a spiral. The boys reached the top and looked at the view. They could see the town from up there, and all the little lights of lit-up lanterns that danced like stars in the night sky. A quiet melody, carried by the wind, could be heard coming from the town while a comfortable silence settled between the two boys.
“Thank you for everything.” The green-haired boy looked to the side with a confused look. “Why are you thanking me exactly?” Skully shot a smile at him before looking back. “I am thanking you, because you made me realize what it is like to celebrate Halloween the way it’s supposed to be. Also, for sticking with me even with everything that has happened.” During this time, he turned to face Sebek. “It wouldn’t be a lie if I called you my first friend. I can be myself with you and not be afraid of it.” The other boy listened closely and with full attention. He couldn’t help but smile a little at the words. “I appreciate all our moments together and the help you provided.”
Sebek didn’t answer, instead bowed a little and offered his hand. “Could I have this dance?” The white-haired boy hadn’t seen this coming, but still placed his hand in the other. They started to sway to the music, looking into each other's eyes. After a bit, Sebek started to talk, “I’m glad you at least see me as a friend, but you don’t need to be afraid to be yourself around others you know? If they talk behind your back or call you weird, ignore it. Turn it into your strength. Let them see you are not just the weird and fanatic Halloween lover, but the kind and gentle person I’ve come to know.” Skully couldn’t help but blush a little at the words. Not that it was noticeable behind the dark glasses.
They settled back into silence, still dancing on the hill. Both boys looked deep in thought. Even still, Skully seemed a bit nervous. After a moment, the silence broke. “Promise me something.” he said while looking into Sebek’s eyes. The other stared back, attention fully on the white haired youth in front of him. “What sort of promise? he asked. “Promise me, no matter what happens, we’ll remember each other." This shocked Sebek. “Why would something happen?” he asked. Skully sighed, “I don’t know…fate is unpredictable. Just do it, please?” He was about to let go from Sebek, but got pulled closer instead. “I promise with my whole being that I, Sebek Zigvolt, will never forget you, Skully J. Graves.” A sense of relief washed over the youth. “Shouldn’t you do the same?” Sebek asked with a smirk on his face. Skully cleared his throat and followed suit, “I promise with my whole being that I, Skully J. Graves, will never forget you, Sebek Zigvolt.”
The two boys smiled at each other, still dancing on top of the spiral hill. Promises forged, memories kept. They enjoyed the moment they were in for they knew that once the sun started to rise, they would be apart. Even so, both boys were certain they would keep searching for one another. In both this lifetime, and all the following.