We're Simply Meant to Meet
Twisted Wonderland Skully J. Graves x Reader
Read on AO3: Weâre Simply Meant to MeetÂ
This was written last year (2024) after the Lost in the Book with Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas event came out on Japanese servers. Written for all the Skully fans that wanted to see him after he was discovered to be dead. I know we got Skully and all his ghostly glory this year on the western servers, so I'm posting this now.
I hope you enjoy!
Parting is such sweet sorrow. You hoped that one day you would get to see each other again. Preferably soon. Â
Before you leapt into the open grave to return to Twisted Wonderland, you took the opportunity to give your own farewell to Skully. Once everyone else seemed to either be preoccupied saying goodbye to the citizens of Halloween Town or had already leapt in, you located the lanky boy in the back of the group.Â
âSkully?â you waved him to draw in close to you. He bent down so you were at eye level with those red eyes you had become familiar with.Â
âIs there something you wish to say to me?â Skully grinned. âOr do you perhaps have something to bestow upon me? A goodbye kiss, perhaps?â His teasing voice was also laced with an underlying layer of fear.Â
Before you could psych yourself out, you worked up the nerve to do what you had been building up towards: giving him a kiss on the cheek.Â
You closed your eyes and laid one on him.Â
The grin that graced Skullyâs face dropped into open-mouthed shock. His jaw reached the floor, and his hand went to cover the spot where your lips graced his skin.Â
Any further action Skully could have taken was impossible because you turned and jumped your way back to Twisted Wonderland.Â
See you on the other side of this, Skully, you thought in your mind as the darkness enveloped you.Â
But once you and the rest of the boys that got dropped into Halloween Town returned to the book fair, a certain person wasnât with the group.Â
To make matters worse, hardly anyone else remembered your interactions in Halloween Town, so only you were left with the knowledge of Skully.Â
You arrive back to Ramshackle to see Headmaster Crowley lugging a giant painting with him. He struggled with the painting, but was in high spirits. This painting depicted a student that graduated from Night Raven College. It was a prestigious student that went on to become one of the worldâs most famous figures, even though there were few portraits gathered of him. A rare find in the archives. He unveiled the figure in the painting with a flourish.Â
There he was. Skully J. Graves.Â
The King of HalloweenâŠÂ
Telltale pricks of tears gathered in the corner of your eye before you heaved a large breath. Approaching the painting, you laid a gentle hand on the rough surface. Skullyâs red eyes, uncovered, stared deep into your soul. That crybaby, Halloween otaku was not here. Not really. A sob escapes your throat, and you clutch the painting closer to your chest. Your fingers curled around the edges of the frame as you kept the image of Skully close to your heart.Â
Everyone around you was frantic or concerned at the assault of your tears. No one really knew what to say or do in the face of you crying over a picture. Eventually, Trey approached you with a handkerchief that Riddle produced for him. He pried your sobbing form away from the portrait before handing it off to the nearest personâSebek. Epel and Vil were able to produce more tissues while Jade called Floyd on his phone to bring him his tea making set. Azul was running off to make plans for the Mostro Lounge before Crowley unveiled the painting. Jamil had already dashed away to see if Kalim was getting into trouble. Idia had booked it clear across campus when your tears first fell. Malleus was keeping a close eye on you but wouldnât interfere if he was not needed. Leona had already left as soon as the image was unveiled. He was not interested in the painting.Â
You continued to sob into the tissues and the handkerchief, soaking everything. The boys around you were doing their best to console you without any context as to why you were crying over the painting. Eventually, they collectively gave each other a glance and nodded in agreement. It was best to get you into Ramshackle and let you continue your crying there, away from prying eyes.
Trey waved Jade over to take his place at your side. With Jade lifting you up into his arms to carry you through the doors of Ramshackle, the boys that remained followed Jade. Sebek hefted the painting into a better grip before hauling it with the group. His strength was more than enough to be able to carry the precious cargo with him.Â
âExcuse me, young man! Where do you think youâre taking that painting?! Thatâs property of the school!â Crowley waved his hands, protesting. He took his cane and held it in front of Sebek, preventing him from going any further.Â
Sebek leveled Crowley with a fierce look. Even though he usually had the utmost respect for people in positions of authority (when warranted), there was a sobbing friend of his (he would admit it in his head, but he would never say it out loud that you were his friend) that seemed to need this portrait more than Crowley did for whatever scheme he was planning.Â
âIâm sorry, Headmaster. But the Prefect needs this painting more. I will fulfill my duties as a retainer of Malleus Draconia to assist those that are in need.â With that final, decisive word, Sebek stole the portrait away from the speechless, sputtering Headmaster to bring into Ramshackle. Â
Jade placed you on the couch in the living room, and Epel covered you with a nearby throw blanket. The soft, furry material wrapped you in warmth as you clutched the remaining tissues in your hand. Vil located a spare towel to cover your pillow to catch your tears. As the men flitted around the kitchen and the living room, Sebek propped the portrait in the hallway. âIs there a place where you believe it would be appropriate to hang this painting?â Â
You perked your head up at the mention of the painting. âSebek?â you shakingly called out. Sebek entered the living room to see your curled form on the couch.Â
âIs there any area that would be suitably appropriate to install your painting?âÂ
You pondered that question. There were many places where a painting of that size would feasibly fit.Â
âCan you hang it on the wall in the hallway in front of my bedroom door?â
You would feel phantom touches on your hand, as if chapped lips were whispering kisses onto your outstretched hand, but no matter where you looked, there wouldnât be anybody in sight. It didnât help that every morning before Halloween, you opened your bedroom door to see the esteemed figure of Skully peering down at you. It almost seemed like his eyes would follow you whenever you walked through the hallway. There was a sense of someone watching over you like a protective presence that existed in the halls. The closer Halloween came, the stronger the presence felt.Â
Each time you saw the portrait, you couldnât help but stop and stare at the proud Halloween King on display. Such a person was really that same Jack Skellington simp you knew? A chuckle escapes your throat at the thought of Skully gushing over Jack. You really were something else, huh?
Day by day, the preparations for an extravagant Halloween were coming to fruition all around the campus. Every dorm was seeking to be the most prominent dorm in terms of Halloween. Even the Ramshackle ghosts were getting in on the action. A featured photo of the ghosts circulated Magicam and brought chaos with it. Chaos being an understatement. Not to mention, other ghosts made the trip over from the spirit world to have their part of the fun that gripped the students. Although you figured that feeling of knowing that Skully used to exist on this plane of existence, that didnât mean he would come back to Night Raven College as a spirit, would it?Â
Crowley said Skully would go out into the world and travel to find new Halloween traditions. His ghost could likely still be roaming somewhere out in Twisted Wonderland, celebrating Halloween with new people or places.Â
But there was something in your chest. That earlier feeling of being watched over. Â
You knew that Skully was, first and foremost, aâself-proclaimedâgentleman. He emulated some of the mannerisms of a gentleman, at least. With his emphasis on being someone as similar to Jack Skellington, you figured there likely wasnât a chance that Skully would spy on youâŠwas there?
On the actual evening of Halloween, your exhaustion after the parade on Main Street followed by the subsequent feast for the students could not be understated. Aching bones, weary feet, sleep threatening to overtake your eyes, it was a pitiful sight. Nevertheless, you brought your tired body back up the stairs to your room.Â
Bypassing the familiar portrait, you whisper, âHappy Halloween, Skully.â You pulled off your witchâs hatâcrafted by the Ramshackle ghosts themselves for your costumeâto free your head from embellishments when you heard it. Â
The ghostly laughter haunted your ears as you frantically looked all around you for the source of the sound.Â
Out of the corner of your eye, you spot a flickering light turning the corner to where the stairs were. You sprint after it, dropping your hat.Â
Peering over the banister to the sight of the living room down below, you see the hint of the mystery light by the front door.Â
You fly down the stairs. Flinging open the front door, you look left then right.Â
The guiding, teasing light disappeared into the trees that surrounded Ramshackle. You hastily chase the light.Â
After a few more minutes of searching, you come across the clearing in the woods behind campus. Â
A figure stood in the middle of the clearing. Although the memory of the ragged twin tailcoats of his suit were of them dragging along the cobblestones of the streets, they now floated around the transparent legs of the very tall individual. Seeing the familiar black and white striped suit that adorned Skully, you felt your soul settle in a way it hadn't since you returned from Halloween Town. Surely he could hear your pounding heartbeat with each crunching step you take closer to him.Â
Perfect moments filled with all the emotions tend to manifest in songs. Tightening roils in your chest boiled into a tune in your mind.Â
The stirrings of a duet, perhaps?
Taking a deep breath, you exhaled into the crisp night air. Your steps bring you closer to the ghost that is bathed in the silver light of the moon. Itâs fullness bears down on the wispy figure in front of you.Â
You remembered how much Skully appreciated the musicians at Halloween Town for their ability to produce some lovely tunes. On top of that, Jack was a singer. Skully and Jack had harmonized and bonded over opera and Shakespearean quotations.Â
The other thing wasâŠyou also knew how to sing. Sing a perfect song for a perfect moment. A song of reunion and of understanding. With this delicate melody in mind, you took another deep breath.  Â
My dearest friend, if you donât mind
Iâd like to join you by your side
The white haired boy turned to look at you. A tender smile on his face. His scarlet eyes, without his trademark dark glasses, shone with joy at seeing your beautiful visage in front of him.Â
Skullyâs voice could be heard on the wind. âWhere we can gaze into the starsâ
Skully takes your outstretched hand in his. He breathes a kiss onto the back of your hand, just like what he did in your first meeting. âWill you join me in a waltz in the woods, my precious pumpkin?âÂ
You roll your eyes above him. Luckily, he still had his lips on your hand and his eyes closed. You take the opportunity to study his vulnerable figure. He looked exactly like you remembered him. From the white hair, pale skin, skinny body, and perfected posture, it seemed like no time had passed since your last meeting at the graveyard. Â
When you felt Skully tense in worry over your pregnant pause, you finally let him out of his misery to reply, âI canât say no to the King of Halloween.â Skully straightened and pulled you in close. You feel your chest flush against his. Â
A steady hand grips your waist. The other hand holds yours tightly. You place your free hand on his bicep with a firm grip while Skully adjusts so youâre comfortable in his grip. With a little nod of acknowledgement to the correct positions, you wait for him to take the lead as he begins to slowly waltz.Â
Under the slightly swaying branches of the trees, illuminated only by the orange glow emanating from the newly summoned Jack-o-lanterns decorating the forest clearing, you were led, weightless, floating, in a dance. Skully hummed as he guided you in a waltz. Tender gazes were the only view you both could see. The precious, private moment remained uninterrupted. The only sounds you could hear was the wind playing with the trees and Skullyâs musical timing. Â
Weâre simply meant to beÂ
As the last whispers of your duet filled the air, you paused in your dance to see Skully looking down at you with a certain gleam in his eyes.Â
âMy lovely, I believe that I still owe you a proper kiss for the one you had gifted me. Would you do me the honor of allowing me to bestow a kiss on the one that has stolen my heart?â
âIsnât your heart full of all things Halloween?â
Skullyâs smile softens and the tender gaze in his scarlet orbs are the only things in your vision. âMy heart has room for the person that taught me that Halloween can mean more than just reflective solitude.âÂ
He cradles the back of your head. You can feel his fingers tangle in your hair. Â
You wrap your arms around his neck as he brings his head down. He brings his lips down to give you a peck on your forehead.
You give him a glare. All that talk and he didnât even kiss you properly? You raise your eyebrow, and Skully sheepishly chuckles at the look in your eyes. Your glare turns into a pout with your lips slightly puckered and downturned. âWhat was that?âÂ
Skully turns his head to the side. âIâŠmight have chickened out at the last second. You look so wonderful, andâŠIâve never done this before.âÂ
You snort, âI can take the lead if youâre too scared, Mr. Halloween King.âÂ
âNo! No!â He scrambles to pull your head to his chest. He wraps his arms around you to keep you there. âItâs the duty of a gentleman to bestow the kiss! And, and you kissed me first!â
âI need to reciprocate in the proper manner!â He gives you another kiss on the top of your head. âPlease allow me to properly kiss you this time.â
You give pause. Your lips pursed while your eyes stare into his. With each passing moment, Skullyâs chest pooled with dread at the possibility you wouldnât allow him to kiss you.Â
Finally, you nod your head.Â
The relief that expands like a balloon to replace the leaden worry allows Skully to breathe freely once again. While ghosts donât necessarily need to breathe, the sheer amount of anxiety that he felt at the prospect of your rejection clenched his heart. Your approval unraveled his doubts.Â
His eyes peer into yours. He gently presses his head forward until your foreheads touch. A little bounce and the arm wrapped around your waist now supports you as he lifts you off your feet to bring you to his height. You close your eyes and let Skully do as he intended, trusting that he would actually do it properly this time.Â
âThank you, sweetheart.â Now, he brings his lips to touch yours.Â
His lips may be cold, but the warmth that spreads through you was searing. The chapness of his lips was an afterthought to the soft way he moved his lips with yours. You took the initiative to tilt your heads so your noses wouldnât be squished.Â
You pressed deeper when you sensed that Skully felt more confident in the kiss.Â
Time to take some control.
Using your position to your advantage, you plundered his mouth when he gasped at your insistence. Wrapping your legs around his hips, you used your new position to pull him even closer to you. You wrap your fingers around his neck to deepen the kiss even further.Â
His tongue timidly licks at your lips. You smile at the gesture and allow him to carefully enter your own mouth. He takes back some control by tasting you. You give him access freely.Â
Eagerness dominates the kiss. You do your best to keep up with Skullyâs newfound insistence and his ability to kiss you forever.Â
Unfortunately, you do have your limits as a living, breathing person. Skully chases after your retreating lips when you pull back to take in deep breaths. To stop Skully from recapturing your lips, you, instead, tuck your face into the crook of his neck. Your place there gives Skully time to process that you had properly kissed for the first time.Â
âWas that as wonderful for you as it was for me?â Skully couldnât help but ask.Â
âAs far as first kisses goâŠthat was literally breathtaking,â you laugh into his neck.Â
Skully nuzzles the top of your head, peppering more kisses to all the parts he can reach.Â
You squeezed your fingers tighter together where they were resting on the back of his neck. âWill you come to find me again? Next Halloween, maybe?âÂ
A responding arm tightened around your waist. âI will be sure to be here to greet our meeting with a kiss.â Â
Finally, the edges of your lips curled up. âI canât wait for next Halloween.â Â
Under the twinkling stars, surrounded by the quiet night air of the forest, two people found each other once more.
