Disclaimer:
All characters depicted are 18 years old or older. Any resemblances to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events are purely coincidental. This story is a work of fiction and should be enjoyed as such.
Author's Note:
A quick thing for Halloween!
- - -
"Trick or treat!"
The remark was muffled through the door, but Vas heard it clearly enough. It was Halloween, and all around his neighborhood, people were indulging in the chance to dress up and get free candy. Despite the spirit of the occasion however, he couldn't help but feel annoyance knit its way into his brow.
He had deliberately set-up his lawn to be devoid of any decorations, going as far as shutting off his lights and putting up a sign to ward off any stray visitors. After all, last year's Halloween very nearly ended in him chewing out a kid for taking the whole bowl of candy he had set out, and thanks to the escalated response from the parents, he had decided to forgo candy-giving altogether this year.
And yet...someone was out there, calling out to him.
"Trick or treat!"
Vas signed audibly and opened the door. "Can't you see the sign up front? No candy here." He said pointedly, making no effort to hide his scowl. Soon enough, the expression grew more pronounced when he saw it was no child doing the trick-or-treating.
"Oh but sir, I don't want candy." The woman who stood at his entryway had to be around her early twenties. Her eyes were dark and soft, much like the jet black hair that fell down her shoulders in gentle waves. Atop her head was a headband with ruffles, and it seemed to match with her short black dress and overlying apron. He recognized the get-up at once: a maid.
"I'm just here to trick or treat!" She continued with a smile. As she spoke, Vas belatedly noticed another detail of her costume: a deep blue pendant adorning the lace choker on her neck. The azure gemstone was cut like a teardrop, each crystal face shimmering in what little light it caught. Something about the item drew him in, conjuring images of the ocean--being lost in a cerulean haze.
"Sir?" The woman coughed, pulling Vas out of his reverie. What calm the pendant had inspired dissipated as he turned to her, frown returning with renewed vigor.
"Like I said, there's no candy for you here." He repeated firmly. The man then looked around. Usually, college-aged trick-or-treaters came in gaggles of friend groups. Maybe the rest of her buddies were out there waiting to pull a fast one on him. Or maybe one of them was already recording the entire exchange. The thought of being posted online for how he chose to spend his Halloween made him shudder.
"And like I
said
, sir, I'm just here to do some trick-or-treating." The woman insisted, lips still set into a small smile. Vas couldn't quite put his finger on it, but her grin seemed self-assured...almost predatory.
Still, the back and forth had made his annoyance skyrocket. He didn't want to go in circles, so he detracted from the conversation by looking her over with a huff and a sneer. "What are you even supposed to be?"
As if waiting for the question, the woman smiled and put a hand up to her chest, head dipping in a small bow. "Oh this? I'm a sex doll."
Vas' mind screeched to a halt. He did a double take on that. "What?"
She remained earnest as she replied, but tinges of evident amusement bled through her tone. "Oh yes, sir. I'm a sex doll for Halloween. I'm surprised you couldn't tell, especially since you were already ogling my chest earlier."
The accusation made Vas go on the defensive. His brows furrowed and he snapped at the woman. "What? I wasn't ogling anything! I was looking at that pendant of yours--"
He pointed towards the thing to prove his point, but as he caught sight of the glistening blue gem, his frustration suddenly became muted. It felt like all his ails were tantamount to a rock being thrown into the sea, the force of the impact being cushioned by the waves. His posture faltered and what tension he held from the exchange left his body.
All he could hear was the ebb and flow of water crashing onto the shore. Each time the seafoam receded, he felt himself...placated by something he couldn't quite grasp. It was like his mind was the one being pulled back into the ocean. The bubbling sand, the hissing sea...it served as background noise to words that weaved in and out of his consciousness.
Snap!