The Toy Store which you’ve entered was humongous. A smooth wooden countertop laid to the side with a cash register behind it, a spiral copper staircase next to the counter, shelves lined with dolls that could make any child squeal in delight, a workshop table in the middle of the store with pumpkins resting on it, and the one that caught your eye the most was the white shelf at the very back of the store.
The shelf looked to be the pride of the store as it was out in the open, with two unlit lamps by its side. Drawn in by the contents of the shelf, you made your way deeper into the store to inspect it. Dolls of odd designs rested on doilies on the cobweb-covered shelf, with white used candles resting between a few of them. “They look adorable,” You said as you eyed a doll, noticing how it reminded you of a witch thanks to the hat. “Did the store-owner make them because of Halloween?”
Picking the Witch doll off the shelf, you played with its cloth arms before tapping its yellowish button eyes. “You’re cute.” That compliment of yours didn’t last long when you saw its eyes shine, making you stare at it intensely. That wasn’t a trick of the light, was it?
No, it was not. When you placed the doll back in its rightful place on the shelf, the doors to the store slammed shut as the rest of the dolls’ eyes shone. The lamps by the shelf’s sides flickering on. It didn’t stop there! The rest of the store came to life. What once looked like an ominous store was now a place that could truly satisfy a child’s toy needs. “What the hell..” Was the only sentence that left your mouth before booking it to the exit, flinging the door outward.
Outside of the store was even more of a shock. The dead silent town you walked through minutes ago was now full of life, and the townsfolk wore a variety of costumes that looked too good to be true. “Hey, watch it! We have feelings too, you know?” The voice seemed to come from behind the door you flung outward.
“M-my apologies…” Panicked over the thought you hurt someone, you stepped out of the store in a hurry and closed the door. “Let me help-” Your words got caught in your throat when you realized where the voice came from. It got up on its own, the scarecrow brushed the dust off its behind and picked its top hat off the ground.
“Apology accepted. Be careful when opening doors next time. You never know who can be next to it.” You meekly nodded at its words before taking a few steps back. This couldn’t be happening, right? No way a scarecrow just talked to you. “You look pale. Is something the matter?”
“Don’t worry so much about them, brother. It’s probably just their makeup which makes them look pale!” You jumped back in shock when the same voice came from behind you. The other scarecrow had approached when you were interacting with his brother. “Though… They are skittish. I thought the townsfolk don’t get scared this easily.”
“Maybe this is one of the rare ones. Gotta have someone to scare around this town!” The scarecrow which you had pushed down let out a hum before looking at you. It picked its hat off its head and brought it to this chest, “My name’s Jack. The name of My brother over there is Zero.” Odd choice of names, but you would not question it.
You pursed your lips as you slowly took a few steps back. “Thank you for the introduction, but I’m afraid I have got to take my leave…” This was just weird. Maybe it was a dream? You were probably still in bed, or maybe you hit your head on a thick wooden branch in the forest and knocked yourself out? Before you could make it far, the doors to the Toy Store opened inward, and out stepped a gentleman dressed in a royal purple coat over a pair of black pants, a simple white button-up shirt, and a black waistcoat. Tied around the collar of his shirt was a black bowtie.
What caught your attention was the piercing blue eyes he had along with a set of ash-grey wolf ears on his head that matched his hair color. Your eyes stayed glued to his ears. Did they twitch? That is cute… THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE HERE.
You shook your head to snap yourself out of those thoughts. That isn’t what you should focus on right now. A small smile made its way on to the gentleman’s lips as he spoke in a polite tone. “Welcome dear customer to Otis’ Doll Shop.“ You could see his blue eyes examine you from head to toe, taking in, and analyzing your appearance. “You look shaken up, are you in need of some help?”
You kept your lips shut as you continued to stare at him. What could you even say? You followed a cat into this strange town. That is a weird explanation… Suddenly, a light bulb lit up in your head as you explained to him how you came here because of a dance. “Do you by chance know of a dance occurring in this town?”
You expected the gentleman to give you a look of pity, but the look of interest never left his blue eyes. “I see. So you’re here for the Dealmaker’s Masquerade Ball.” He said with a charming smile on his lips. You arched an eyebrow in curiosity. The invitation mentioned nothing about a masquerade ball. Is this gentleman the host of the event? Is this why we dressed like this?
The doors of his store widened, allowing you to feel the cold air that billowed out from behind him and catch glimpses of the dolls on display; With the lights on this time. The gentleman held a hand out to you as if expecting something, “May I see your invitation?”
… Ah, your invitation. “Wait, are you the host of this event? The dance is in this doll shop?” You took one step back to examine the size of the shop. It was huge in a shop’s sense, but it wasn’t huge enough to hold a large scale dance or a masquerade ball!
“I will soon explain everything. But first, the invitation if you please.” He was quite adamant about it as he pressed on the importance of the invitation through his words. The scarecrows, who had returned to their posts, had their heads tilted your way, which made a sense of unease wash over you. When the gentleman received no answer from you, he let out a soft sigh and placed his hands on the doors, “No invitation? Then this is as far as I can help you then. I have more matters to attend too.”
You panicked. You came all this way for nothing! Just as the doors were closing, a mewl came from your feet. Looking down, it was the black cat again! Except it had a surprise for you. The invitation letter which you had presumably lost was in its mouth. “Thank you!” You whispered to the cat as you knelt down to take the invitation from it. “Wait! Hold on! Here’s my invitation!” Quickly charging forward, you grabbed on to the doors and pushed it open, holding your invitation out to the gentleman who had jumped back in shock at your sudden action.
He eyed the invitation in your hand before taking it from you. His charming smile reappearing back on his lips as he pulled open the doors once more. “So you had your letter all along. You sure know how to keep things interesting.” He complimented. Placing a hand on the small of your back, he guided you into the doll shop as he used his foot to close the doors behind him. “Let’s get a move on. Wouldn’t want to keep the other guests waiting! Once again, I express the warmest Welcomes, Miss (Y/n). I hope you’re ready for the dance~”
(I drew a little something for my writing, I hope it’s to your liking~)
~
On the night of the party, you looked at yourself in the full-length mirror. A black satin top hat sat atop your head with a thin black veil attached to it, long enough to cover your face, and paired with it is an off-shoulder dress that reached the lower half of your calf muscles. The front part of the frilly dress reached your knees and two short satin sleeves attached to the top part of the dress. Loosely tied around your waist is a ribbon bow tie, your birthstone adorning the centre.
It was a nice yet mysterious costume you ordered last minute, tailored to your fitting. “Oh well. As long as it looks nice on me, it will do.” You commented on your reflection as you slipped on a pair of black gloves and made sure you were comfortable in your boots. It was going to be a long night.
The chimes of your grandfather clock echoed throughout your home, signalling to you it was about time to leave for the Dance. You and Tracy had agreed to meet at the town gates before venturing to the outskirts. With your invitation letter in hand, you dashed on out of your apartment and to the meet-up destination.
As the sun set over the town church tower, the only source of light for you was the oil-lit lamp hanging by a guard post. “Where’s Tracy?” You mumbled to yourself and looked back in the town's direction. She said she would be here by this time. The only sounds that accompanied you were the chirping of crickets and the distant sound of children laughing.
You started getting second thoughts about this Dance. Maybe it was just a mistake, or a trick set up by somebody? After waiting a few minutes more, you turned heel and started heading back to your home. Screw this. You were cold and Tracy had not shown up at the designated time.
“Mew~”
A soft cat call stopped you in your tracks as you perked your ears. “A cat?” You glanced over your shoulder and saw the black cat you met days ago sitting on the dirt path. “You! Where did you come from?” You mentally slapped yourself after that question. You needed to remember that cats can’t understand humans! Though, the cat seemed to respond to your question as it got up from its sitting position and walked further down the path, glancing back to see if you followed. “Or maybe they can understand…” You said out loud to yourself.
With the cat having caught your attention, you followed it. The cat stayed a reasonable distance away from you, its head turning back now and then to check on you. Following the cat got harder when it suddenly jumped off the path and into the bushes, letting out a meow to alert you of its position. Wherever this Dance was, they are not making it easy to find it.
You contemplated on whether if it was worth it to go through the brush to follow the cat. But upon closer inspection, you could see a faint glow in the distance, concealed by the greenery. The cat’s loud meows called out to you as you slowly made your way towards the light, being careful not to let your dress get caught. “I’m coming. Hold your paws!”
When you got closer to the light source and the persistent meows, your eyes widened at the sight of jack-o’-lanterns lining a dirt path you’ve never seen before. “It really isn’t a prank,” this cleared your doubts, but there was still a part of you that was still wary of how this night will go. The feeling of a furry body rubbing against your leg brought you out of your thoughts as you looked down to see the black cat nudging and nuzzling its body against you. “Lead the way then.”
With the invitation card held between your thumb and pointer finger, you made your way through the dense forest; Eyes cast downward to the Jack-o’-lantern lit dirt path you followed with the black cat by your side.
The further you walked, the more you noticed your environment change. Trees that were once close together were becoming sparse, revealing the bright full moon in all its glory. With the help of moonlight, you could make out a distinct silhouette of a town in the distance. You tilted your head to the side in curiosity. The closest town to yours was a day’s journey away. How could there be a town this close by with no one aware of it?
Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind blew by; Carrying with it old autumn leaves and your invitation letter, which had slipped from your fingers. A shocked gasp left your lips before you chased after it, your eyes focused on the letter until your surroundings changed once again. Trees turned into cottages and cobblestone buildings, and the crunch of leaves and dirt beneath your shoes turned into the familiar sound of running along a brick path.
The wind seemed to carry the letter further away from you as you watched it fly higher and higher. Panting, you pressed a hand against a nearby wall and leaned your weight against it. There was no way you can jump that high! “Well, there goes my invitation.” As you took in deep breaths, you also observed your new surroundings. Orange and Black pennant banners hung overhead, pumpkin shaped fairy lights decorated the roofs, and Halloween decorations were at every store front. But there was one thing that disturbed you. The town was eerily quiet save for your breathing.
Where was everyone?
Staying calm, you made your way through the quiet town. You came to a stop when you felt someone’s eyes on you. You turned around, ready to confront the person head on, but only saw a large building just further down the brick path. Tilting your head up to examine it, you concluded that maybe someone there can help you.
When you got closer to the building, it had a large sign over its front doors that read, “Otis’ Doll Shop”; The store front decorated with two scarecrows with Jack-o’-lanterns as heads and instead of simple farmer clothing, they had on dapper tuxedos. “My town’s toy store isn’t even this big,” You mused to yourself before knocking on the door. “Hello? Is anyone there?” No response.
You’ve probably ventured halfway through this town already, yet there was still no one. Hands on your hips, you walked away from the door. “That black cat disappeared too. I wonder where it-” You cut yourself off when you heard a creaking sound coming from behind you. Your feet got ready to carry your body out of there as you turned your head around, wanting to see what made the sound. It was just the Doll Store’s wooden door, which you had knocked on. It was slightly ajar. Was that what made the sound?!
A sigh of relief escaped your lips, your tense muscles relaxing once again. You eyed the door and pondered your next step carefully. Do you venture into the store or do you leave the ghost town?
Curiosity seemed to have you in its grasp this Halloween night as you steeled yourself and made your way back to the store. You made it this far already, why not you keep going?
With an invitation card held between your thumb and pointer finger, you made your way through a dense forest; Eyes cast downward to the Jack-o'-lantern lit dirt path you followed.
Why were you following a path like this? You ask.
The answer is simple. A few days ago, in the early hours of the afternoon, a mysterious black cat appeared at your window with an even more mysterious black and purple striped letter in its mouth. Drawn on the flap of the letter were two red glaring eyes.
“Well, hello there. What’s a darling like you doing on my windowsill?” Gently, you pulled open your window as to not frighten the cat. Knowing it got your attention, the black cat dropped the letter and leaped off the windowsill, running off to who knows where. “Wait!”
A sigh left your lips. Why would a cat listen to you? You averted your attention down to the letter it dropped and picked it up. Written at the bottom left of the letter was your name, signed in gold ink. Feeling curiosity grab hold of you, you opened the letter and pulled out an invitation card and a letter.
“We cordially invite you to celebrate A Special Halloween Dance! Date: 31st October XXXX”
The penmanship on the invitation card was elegant. Whoever wrote this invitation used the same gold ink.
“We look forward to your participation. On the outskirts of the town, follow the dirt path illuminated by Jack-o’-lanterns and you will find your way to the Dance.”
The invitee wrote the directions to the Dance on the note. You eyed the contents of the letter with skepticism. Did anyone else receive this invite? You still had time before the date of the dance. Might as well do some investigating.
Making your way to your table, you grabbed your essentials. A notepad, a pencil, your wallet, and your keys. Those were all you needed before you set out of your apartment and towards the town square where you get most of your information from. “Ah, wait.” Just as you set a foot outside, you retracted and headed back to your table to grab the letter. You can’t forget this!
The town you lived in was bustling as usual. Villagers bustled back and forth, bargaining with the shopkeepers, gossiping amongst themselves or trying to rush back home. It was nearly impossible to stop someone and ask them about a Halloween Dance that’s coming up. From the invitation you had received, the penmanship was remarkable and elegant, to which it can only mean a Noble of some sort had written it.
No way were you jeopardising this Halloween Dance by discussing it with a random gossiper.
“You look to be in a bit of a tizzy. Another scoop, I reckon?”
An energetic voice shouted out at you as a firm hand grabbed a hold of your arm, pulling you out of the crowd and towards a less crowded sidewalk. Turning round, you faced a good friend of yours. Tracy!
“Tracy, I’m glad you’re here.” You said with a smile. Glancing around, you gestured for her to follow you to a more private part of town. She followed along with no fuss, though she looked curious. Why were you being so secretive?
When you knew no one was listening or watching both you and Tracy, you pulled out the letter from your pocket and showed it to her; A gasp leaving her lips. You quickly caught on to that and grabbed her by the shoulder while shaking the letter. “Did you receive this letter to? So, it’s real?” You asked her as she nodded. Well, that was easy. You didn’t need to go into any bars this time to search for your favourite informant.
A guffaw escaped Tracy as her body shook. “Hahaha! Being a journalist really made you a skeptic to everything, huh? The invitation’s real!” She took your letter from your hand and opened it, pulling out the invitation. “No one would have this fine a penmanship to write a fake letter.” She explained to you before handing it back to you. “The invitation’s the reason I’m out here today. I’m going to find some materials that I can use to make my costume for the dance.”
“But… what if its some trap?” You expressed your concern as you tucked the letter back into your pocket. You can’t just go to any party, even though it might be the biggest news you can write on this Halloween.
“Don’t be such a downer~, live a little!” Tracy grabbed you by the shoulders and turned you back towards the busy shopping street. “Since I’m not going alone to this dance, we need to get you a costume too!” Letting out a sigh, you let her push you around town to gather the materials needed. Maybe she was right? You weren’t going to the Dance alone as you had Tracy to accompany you. What could go wrong?
Seated in the booth, Akira looked up from his study notes and glanced over at the counter to see you standing behind it with an apron on, untied.
You rested your arms on the counter and smiled at your boyfriend. “I thought making some drinks would give us that boost of energy we needed to finish our study session. So, what do you want?” You glanced over your shoulder and stared at the wooden shelves, eyeing the wide variety of coffee beans Sojiro has. It’s amazing how the man memorizes all these beans and brews coffee out of them perfectly.
“If it’s coffee, I’ll do my best to brew you a good cup.” Truth be told, you didn’t dare to touch any of them. It felt as if Sojiro would know if someone else other than Akira and Futaba had moved his stuff around. While you were busy, Akira slid out of the booth and joined you behind the counter, grabbing a hold of your apron’s ties and tied them into a knot for you. “Thanks, Akira!”
Standing on your tiptoes, you pressed a chaste kiss on to his cheek, enticing a soft smile to appear on his lips. “Coffee will do for me,” He pulled away from you to get his apron. “You should go back to studying. I can prepare a cup of coffee for you too.” It was a sweet offer from him, but you wanted to decline as you were craving for a good cup of tea. As Akira opened the cabinets to pull out the coffee brewing equipment, you kneeled alongside him.
“Does Sojiro have a bag or a jar of tea leaves anywhere?” Akira let out a hum of thought as he dug deeper into the cabinet and pulled out a sealed brown bag of Ceylon Tea leaves.
“Here.” Your face brightened at the sight of the bag and took it from him to check the brewing instructions. “He doesn’t serve tea often here at the cafe, so he keeps them under the counter. I don’t think he’d mind if you used it.” That was all you needed to hear as you began searching for a teapot or a tea press.
While you searched, he left the counter and headed to the back of the cafe to prepare a kettle of boiling water. Learning under Sojiro, Akira was confident he could make an amazing cup of coffee and would tempt you to take a sip once he finished. As he waited for the water to boil, he measured out the coffee beans he would need to use and placed them into a grinder.
After a few minutes, you found a French press that would be perfect for making tea and got back on your feet just in time to see Akira coming to a stop on grinding the beans. The grounded beans were coarse and would produce a better flavor and less bitterness. “Huh, is making coffee this easy? You could have let me make you a cup of coffee.” You said, a pout clear on your lips.
A small chuckle escapes his lips as he turned around to face you, a devious glint in his eyes. “I make my coffee with a lot of love. There’s no way you can ever recreate that unique flavor.” He retaliated with a smirk on his lips. Sojiro taught him how to make coffee flawlessly, he will not let those lessons go to waste; Especially not now.
You raised an eyebrow at his words, “Then why not we make a bet? Whoever makes the best drink has to make the loser’s lunch for a week.” You made the offer as tempting as you can. What’s not good about a homemade meal? You had a confident smile on as you walked past him, gently bumping him in the side with your hip as you did, “Deal?”
“You’re on.” Just as Akira said that, the kettle whistled. That was the signal that it has reached its boiling point. “Ladies first?” You rolled your eyes playfully at his words and went to turn off the stove before picking up the kettle by its handle.
“How gentlemanly of you,” You teased. Placing the kettle down carefully on a cork coaster, you began your preparations. You poured boiling water into the press and made sure it’s primed enough to maintain its heat. Dumping the water into a spare cup, you scooped in two spoonfuls of Black Tea leaves and poured more boiling water into it to let the leaves steep.
While you were preparing your tea, Akira began his preparations. Placing a paper filter in a dripper, he too poured water into it to wash out the paper taste before adding in the coarse coffee grinds. Putting the dripper over his prepared coffee pot, he took the kettle from you once you finished and drizzled water in, using a teaspoon to stir up the beans occasionally.
You watched with interest over how he made the coffee. It took a lot of patience, especially with how slowly it dripped down into the pot. Your eyes drifted from his hands up to his face, a small smile creeping on to your lips. You probably looked like a creep, but you couldn’t care less. The concentration he held in his dark gray eyes, the warm smile he had, his glasses that rest at the bridge of his nose, and the relaxed expression on his face. You loved them all.
You snapped out of your staring when Akira glanced to the side and made accidental eye contact with you, making you look back at the French Press. “Saw something you like?” He teased you as he watched the tips of your ears turn red.
“Be quiet…”
By the time the coffee pot is a quarter-filled, you had pushed on the press to push the leaves down to the bottom and held it out for Akira to see. “I’m done. Maybe we can drink some tea while we wait for your coffee to finish?” You offered to him as you poured the liquid into two cups.
The aroma of the tea was strong, but it wasn’t enough to rival the coffee Akira was making. When the cup of tea was in his hands, you couldn’t help but feel nervous. What if it tastes bitter to him? What if it doesn’t suit his tastes?
He seemed to notice you staring intensely at him as he slowly raised the cup to his lips. “I’m sure it’ll taste fine, relax a bit.” He reassured you before taking in the tea’s aroma. It was a delicate scent compared to the powerful scent of coffee that constantly invades the cafe. After taking a sip, he let out a relaxed sigh and set the cup down. “It tastes amazing. You can even pick up notes of citrus.”
Akira’s praises made your worries melt away as you sip from your cup of tea. “I’m glad you like it, Akira. The grade of tea leaves that Sojiro bought is amazing.” Usually, the tea leaves you bought were weak. Nothing compared to the tea you’re drinking now. “Hopefully it beats the coffee you’re making.”
“Oh, I doubt that,” Akira said confidently as he checked the dripper and set the cup of tea aside. “If I lose, don’t tell Sojiro. He’ll never let me live it down for as long as I stay here.” The wink he sent your way made you let out a giggle.
Quickly finishing up your tea, you watched as Akira poured the finished coffee into fresh cups and slid it towards you. “Enjoy.” Now, it was his turn to stare at you. But instead of looking worried, he looked at you expectantly; As if waiting for your good praise.
Maintaining eye contact, you took a wary sip of the coffee. Instead of the usual bitter taste you get from the standard cafes, this taste left you wanting more. It was a unique flavor profile. Akira could hear a satisfied hum from you as you took another sip before placing the cup back down on the counter. He stared at you in adoration and had a proud smile on, “What’s the verdict?”
“… The coffee is the clear winner.” You admitted with a sigh. Although you had to wake up earlier to prepare a second lunchbox, it was worth it after tasting this coffee. “I should have known better than to challenge you to something like this.”
You and Akira shared a laugh before you moved your respective drinks over to the booth while Akira cleaned up the equipment you both used. When you came to his side to wash your hands, he spoke up. “Do you want a consolation prize?” Curious, you looked at him with a raised eyebrow.
“What could you possibly give me? Your copy of homework?”
“Something better,” As quick as you could blink, Akira leaned in and pressed his lips against yours; The taste of the tea you made lingering on his lips. Pulling away, you were as red as Arsene’s coat while Akira licked his lips and said something that made you jab him in the side. “I can see why I’m the winner now. My coffee tastes amazing- OW.”
Loud snores, occasional sleep-talking, the tossing and turning on the shared bed, that was what you put up with for the past hour. Your wide tired eyes wandered down to Grim, who slept comfortably by your side.
Usually, you could sleep like that, but tonight was not one of those nights. You could not bring yourself to sleep no matter how long you closed your eyes or how many sheep you counted, none of them worked.
Mentally letting out a frustrated sigh, you gently pulled off your covers and swung your legs off the edge of your bed, doing your best not to wake Grim up. Sliding your feet into your slippers, you pushed yourself out of bed and sneaked out of the room.
Letting your feet guide you, you walked towards the main lounge of Ramshackle dorm and approached the foyer. "Maybe some fresh air could help?" You thought to yourself as you eyed the front door, a smile on your lips.
Picking up your scarf that was hanging from the coat rack, you wrapped it around your neck to keep yourself warm from the winds that blew outside the dorm. After changing out of your indoor slippers to your sneakers, you exited the dorm.
Wearing the scarf was a good move as the moment you took one step outside, a cold breeze blew by, sending shivers through your body. "You know what, maybe this was a bad idea." You thought to yourself and turned back, hand already on the door handle.
That was until you heard a mysterious voice being carried along by the wind. You perked your ears up, able to catch on to a deep but rich baritone voice. Intrigued, you pulled your hand away from the door handle and started to follow the voice; It leads you past the gate of Ramshackle dorm and towards one of the dark dead oak trees.
The voice more audible now upon getting closer, sounding ethereal. You could make out the silhouette of the person and saw a pair of horns. Who could have horns that big? You had a guess~ "I know you. I walked with you once upon a dream..." Not aware of the ground you were treading on, you stepped on a few dead crunchy leaves making the alluring voice, that belonged to the mysterious person, trail off.
“You certainly know no fear, human. What is it you want- “Stepping out from behind the shadow of the tree was none other than Tsunotaro, who looked shocked when he saw who you were. “Oh, it’s you. What are you doing out wandering this late at night?” He inquired as he stayed where he was, standing in a relaxed pose. Feeling brave, you walked closer towards him with a small smile on your lips.
“I couldn’t sleep, so I figured a walk would help.” You answered him as you stood beside him. “I could ask you the same, Tsunotaro. You couldn’t sleep as well?”
An amused smirk graced his lips as he turned his head to eye the Ramshackle dorm which stood just a few meters away. “Nonsense, I was just going on my nightly walk alone, where no one can disturb me. No one except you of course.”
The both of you stood in silence for minutes, the wind gently billowing by. You couldn’t hold it back anymore, the thoughts you’ve been having since you walked up to him were getting louder. “Tsunotaro, you were the one singing just now, right? You have quite a lovely voice.”
His eyes widened in surprise at your compliment for a split second. Just as quick as it appeared, it went away. “Thank you… Is that what you lead you here then? My singing?” You nodded and smiled cheekily, another wonderful idea brewing in your mind.
“Mmhhmm~, I was hoping you could sing some more.” You said teasingly, expecting him not to pick up on your request. It is rare that someone in this school does something for you free of charge. Though, his next words were different.
“A bold request from a human like you, but I’ll entertain you for this night.” Now it was your turn to look surprised. He said what? Before you could tell him that you were joking, he cleared his throat and started to sing again. This time, his voice was much clearer. “I know you. I walked with you once upon a dream.”
As he sang, he gently grabbed a hold of your hand and pulled you towards him, positioning your other hand on his shoulder before placing his hand on your waist. “I know you. That gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam.” It was only for this short moment; You were pulled into this slow waltz with him, dancing with you around the tree.
He has a half-lidded smile while you looked stunned, “And I know its true, that visions are seldom what they seem.”
“But if I know you, I know what you’d do. You’d love me at once…” He trailed off as he spun you around gently and dipped you backwards, keeping a steady hand on your waist. “The way you did once upon a dream.” He ended it off on a quiet tone when he pulled you back up, catching you holding back a yawn.
A chuckle reverberated from his chest as he released your hand and waist, taking a step back. “I see you’ve finally gotten sleepy, human. I shall leave you for this evening then, have a good night’s rest.” Before you could wish him good night, he disappeared in a flash of green sparkles as he usually does.
With a sleepy smile on your lips, you made your way back to Ramshackle dorm, ready for bed. Keeping in mind to thank Tsunotaro next time you meet, and to maybe get him to sing more songs for you.
