'Let's stick with Dracula...' (Halloween Special #1—Nate Version) (Patreon)

“Ta da!” I call, jumping into the living room with a flourish, my cape floating out behind me as dramatically as I was hoping for.

Nate dips his book down to look over me with a sweep of his dark eyes. A smile instantly grows across his lips.

“You look fantastic.”

“Surely you mean fangtastic,” I correct, lifting my top lip to show off the plastic canines which took far too long to attach but were totally worth the effort.

He places his book down into his lap with a chuckle. “Oh, be sure to tell Adam that one on your way out. I imagine the pun, added with the costume, will give him a heart attack.”

“Why? You think he won’t like it?” I ask, fanning out my cape, the flouncy white sleeves of the costume draping around my wrists as I do. “I thought it was pretty accurate.”

“Accurate to what exactly?” Nate asks with a tilt of his head.

I half-shrug and offer a sheepish smile. “You know what I mean. Obviously real vampires don’t tend to dress like this. Well, not that I’ve met them all. You don’t think I look the part?” I spin slowly on the spot, making sure to show off each aspect of my ‘vampire’ attire. The large collar of the cape blocks my view of Nate as I turn all the way around.

“I suppose that would depend,” he states, standing from the sofa to walk closer with an inspecting gaze, his fingers tapping against his lips before he meets my eye. “Which vampire are you supposed to be exactly?”

“If I said Adam, would it make you laugh?”

He lets out a bark of laughter that is answer enough to my question. “Be sure to tell him that joke too,” Nate says, wiping at his eyes. “But truly, which fictional vampire were you trying to imitate?”

I shrug, sweeping my cape about my legs a little once again. “I don’t know. Kind of a mish-mash of them all, I guess?”

He sighs. “Well, if you’re going to do it, you should do it correctly. Now, choose a vampire.”

I arch a brow. “Uh…Dracula?”

“Did you say him  just because he’s the only one you know?” Nate asks slowly.

“No,” I scoff. “He just seems the most well-known…and fashionable. Guess I could always go dressed as a Cullen.”

He shakes his head and places a hand on my back to encourage me out of the room. “Let’s stick with Dracula.”

--

Nate has spent the better part of forty minutes in his large closet, fishing out pieces of antique clothing that would make a museum envious. They definitely haven't all been for him either, considering the range of sizes he's produced from the seemingly endless room.

“Here,” he announces, displaying a velvet, finely embroidered waistcoat that would perfectly match the rest of the rich attire he’s chosen for me—all of which are much more my size than expected.

I trail my hand in the air an inch away from the garment, as though it might disintegrate at my touch. “I can’t wear that, Nate. It’s beautiful but it’s far too precious just for a Halloween costume.”

“No partner of mine is going out in…,” he picks at the fabric of the cape discarded on his chaise lounge, “a polyester cape.”

I tip my head back with laughter. “Oh, you never cease to amaze me.”

“Amuse you too, apparently,” he states with a wry smile. “Now here. We can alter it enough that it will look good for the evening.”

I relent quicker than I should, enjoying the lavish experience of wearing such fine clothing.

And with the outfit complete, I twist and turn on the spot as I look in the mirror. I look like some fancy noble from a fairy story, but when the long—and substantially heavy—red cape is added, it has the perfect Dracula effect.

“Do you think I’ll do?” I ask.

He comes up from behind me, wrapping his arms around my middle and kissing me on the cheek. “You’ll be the finest vampire that ever graced this town.”

I smile. “I’ll be sure to tell Adam that as well.”

He chuckles.