Moon Dust | Mattheo Riddle

Chapter 45: Halloweenish

Wind blew through the open window, whistling quietly as it gently rocked the velvet green curtain coating Theodore's bed. All of the lights of the dorm were off, save for the candlelight he'd been using to read, but it was getting late now, and the cool autumn air threatened to blow that out too, giving a glimpse of the darkness yet to fall.

Theodore closed his book over, placing it on his bedside table as he moved to turn the light off completely, but not before a shadow crept across the curtain. He paused, squinting his eyes incase it was just a trick of the light. The clock on the table was showing just past midnight. His friends were most likely asleep, or hadn't snuck back into the room yet. Mattheo was always sneaking off somewhere, especially on a night like tonight. Thoedore pulled the curtain back and the full moon crept in from the window, washing over him and feeding light back into the darkness.

He glanced toward his friend's beds, they both had the quilts over their heads, rolled over in deep sleep. With a shake of his head Theo collapsed back on the bed, his mind was playing tricks on him, he needed to just turn around and go to sleep.

Switching his bedside lamp off completely, he turned around to do just that, only to screech at the pale, fanged face waiting for him at the other side of the bed. He sat up quickly, glaring at Mattheo who bent over laughing, pulling his lit up wand out from under his chin. He was wearing a cape and sharp, likely spelled plastic fangs as well as a bunch of under eyebag makeup to make him look undead. Although Theo was tempted to help him look really dead.

He pulled his quilt off with a huff, walking towards the bathroom as Mattheo continued his obnoxious laughing fit. Wiping a hand across the mirror, Theodore splashed cool water over his face, peering up at his half startled, half murderous expression. As he rubbed at the very real bags under his own eyes, the shower curtain behind him jiggled with movement. The tap turned off swiftly as Theodore turned around, ready to tear it open, only for Enzo to jump out first.

His hair was all tousled up and messy under a red bandana. There was an eyepatch on his left eye while the right was covered in thick, black liner and he was wearing a loose white linen shirt that was unbuttoned at the top. Theodore blinked, and then blinked again rubbing the water from his eyes.

"Alright, Matey?" Enzo asked with a grin, grasping the end of Theodore's wrist—with the hook he hadn't even noticed the boy was holding—to pull his attention back. Theodore's breath caught in his throat and he struggled to get any coherent word out, focusing only on the heavy liner around his friend's intoxicating amaretto eyes.

Mattheo leaned against the doorway, still half-chuckling under his breath as he adjusted his fangs. "Don't you love Halloween?"

Enzo lifted his eyepatch up to reveal another linered eye, almost making Theodore audibly crumble. "No he hates it," he quipped, sending a smirk to Mattheo over his shoulder. "But I'll never stop trying to change his mind." A strangled scoff fell from Theodore's throat as he pushed past both of them, moving over to the window that was still letting in the whistling air, and slamming it closed.

-

Nova opened her dorm window, letting in the cool air as she perched herself on the window ledge, glancing out toward the sparkling orb in the sky. She could feel it calling to her, like a gentle ache in her chest and stomach, but it was nothing she couldn't handle. It wasn't nearly as strong as the pull usually was, if anything It just made her feel a little lightheaded, and stiff. Her bones were tingling with anticipation, itching to just get out into the forest, but she'd not been out there in weeks. She'd not transformed in weeks, and really, she wasn't sure she could right now. Every time she thought about it her head would start to ache and her bones would grow stiff. She felt a little nauseous actually, more so as the moon beamed down onto her, but she pushed the feeling down, letting out a slow breath.