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English
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Peja's Wonderful World of Makebelieve Import
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Published:
2020-11-05
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1,277
Chapters:
1/1
Kudos:
17
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994

Trick or Treat

Summary:

It's that time of the year and the Devil is up to his usual, well, tricks.

Work Text:

Title:  Treat or Treat

Universe: Brimstone

Rating:

   

Zeke headed back to his hotel.  He was tired.  He was sure if he could feel pain he’d be aching all over.  This last soul hadn’t gone willingly.  He chuckled.  Well, none went willingly.

 

“Uh, Mister?”

 

Zeke stopped as a teenage boy passed.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Your…..smoking.”

 

Zeke looked to where the kid pointed.  His sleeve was smoldering.  He slapped at it with his hand.  “Thanks.”

 

The kid stared as Zeke continued to walk, patting at his coat.

 

He heaved a sigh as he reached his hotel.  He wanted a shower and then sleep.  Maybe not in that order.  He pushed the door open and froze.  The sight inside was – frightening.

 

Max stood behind the desk.  Her hair was orange.  She wore a black bustier, a spider web was tattooed across her chest. 

 

“What the hell?”

 

Max looked up.  “Stone.  Whadda ya gawking at?”

 

“What are you supposed to be?”

 

“I’m Goth.”

 

Zeke just stood there.

 

“For Halloween?”

 

“Is it that time already?”

 

Max took a deep breath, her chest threatening to spill out.  “Stone, you need to get out more.  Lighten up, have some fun.”

 

“Fun.”  Zeke shook his head.  “Right now I want sleep.”

 

“You’ve got till tomorrow.”  Max continued as Zeke entered the elevator.  “Think about it.  Hey, and you’re smoking!”

 

Zeke leaned against the elevator wall and closed his eyes.

 

“Halloween.  What an amusing tradition.”

 

Zeke groaned, eyes still shut.  “I’m not in the mood.”

 

“Wouldn’t humans love it if the dead really walked among them?”  The Devil smiled at Zeke.  “Kind of like you?”

 

“I’m not a goblin.”

 

The Devil narrowed his eyes as the elevator doors opened.  “I don’t know, you look kind of ghoulish.”

 

“Ha. Ha.”  Zeke walked towards his room.  He pushed the door open and stopped.  He closed the door, laughing.

 

“Nice look.”

 

The Devil lay on his bed, dressed in a red suit, horns and –

 

“Is that a tail?”

 

The Devil spread his arms wide.  “Isn’t this how you humans see me?”

 

“Not on my bed I don’t.”

 

“I’m just setting the mood for tomorrow’s midnight shenanigans.  I think you should attend.”

 

“As what?”

 

The Devil grinned and disappeared.  A matchbook lay on the bed where he had been.

 

***

 

“No.”

 

“Yeah, you look good.”

 

“No.”

 

“Come on, Stone.”

 

“I’m not wearing that hat.”

 

“Sherlock Holmes always wears a hat.”  She looked him over.  “Well, with that jacket you could be Columbo.”

 

“Columbo?  I liked that show.”   Zeke threw the deerstalker hat onto the bed.  “So then I don’t have to dress up?”

 

Max plopped on the bed.  “That coat is disgusting.”

 

Zeke ran his hands over his jacket front.  “What’s wrong with this coat?  I love this coat.”

 

Max rolled her eyes.  “No one is gonna say “I wanna tear your clothes off” when you’re wearing that thing.”

 

Zeke smiled.  “You’d be surprised.  I had a little old Chinese lady say I was a ‘pretty white boy’.”

 

"Obviously she was blind.  Maybe you’ll get lucky tonight, white boy.”

 

“Maybe you will, spider woman.”

 

“My new boyfriend likes this.”  She gestured to her chest.

 

Zeke grinned.  “I bet he does.”

 

“The tat.  It’s temporary, Stone.”

 

“Have fun at your party.  You and spiderman.”

 

“You too, Stone.”

 

***

Zeke headed to the address the Devil had left.  The party was in a large club downtown.  Zeke wished the Devil would just spit it out.  Tell him who he was looking for instead of all this cloak and dagger stuff. 

 

Zeke gazed around the gloomy bar.  It was dark and smoky.  He worked his way through the crowd to the bar and ordered a beer.  He sipped it as he looked around.  Why wouldn't the Devil be clearer on his clue?  He snorted.  He knew the answer, the Devil liked to be a pain in the ass.

 

Zeke found an empty table and sat watching the crowd.  A man in a priest costume drifted by. His profile caught Zeke's eye.  Zeke turned quickly but the man was swallowed by the crowd.  Zeke shook his head.  No, it couldn't be.  But for a second that guy had looked like Father Salinas.  His musings on his first damned soul was interrupted by a voice.

 

"Can I buy you a drink?"

 

Zeke looked up.  "Ash?"

 

"Who?  No, my name is Katherine."

 

Zeke rested his hand on his gun.  He couldn't shoot Ash in the middle of a bar.

 

"Can I get you something Katherine?"  The waitress had appeared. 

 

"Yes, two beers."

 

"Katherine?  You look just like someone I know."

 

"This Ash person?"

 

"Yeah."  Zeke finished his beer as the waitress brought two more.

 

"Maybe I have a doppelganger."

 

"A what?"

 

"A twin."

 

"Yeah, right."

 

Zeke wasn't sure he believed her but there wasn't much he could do in a room full of strangers.  But were they strangers?  Too many looked familiar.  Coincidence?  The Devil?  Zeke grinned.  He'd bet on the latter.

 

He surveyed the crowd closely.  His eyes stopped on a man standing by the juke box.  Zeke only saw him from behind but something about him seemed...

"Familiar," he said aloud.

 

"What?"

 

Zeke turned back to Katherine/Ash.  "Nothing."  He looked back to where the guy stood but he was gone.  Zeke scanned the crowd again, trying to tune out the noise.  Everyone spoke too loud.  The voices pounded in his ears, grating on his nerves.  He wished they would all shut up.  The noise and smoke were giving him a headache.  Wasn’t that Po dancing with Gwen?  She had that fiery look in her eye again.  And that sure looked like Willy and Sally Annie at the bar.  Zeke’s eyes traveled to the back and he swore that was Paco and Jocelyn necking in a dark corner.

 

"See someone you know?"

 

"Yeah, lots of 'em."

 

"You come here a lot?"

 

"Nope."

 

Katherine's brow furrowed.

 

"Doppelgangers."

 

Katherine stood.  "You know, if you're not interested just say so.  You don't have to ignore me then make fun."

 

Zeke raised his beer in a salute as she left. 

 

"Good riddance."  He muttered.  Last thing he needed was another Ash.  If he could have shot her he would have.  He rubbed his temple. 

 

"Aren't you having fun, Mr. Stone?"

 

"Jesus, not you too."

 

The Devil was still wearing his devil suit.  He lifted his tail as he sat in the vacant seat.

 

"Wrong again."  The Devil smirked.  "Thought the costume gave me away."

 

"What. do. you. want?  Zke said the words slowly.

 

The Devil snapped his fingers under Zeke's nose.  "I thought I was plain.  Are you having fun?  You accused me before of not having fun.  So?"  He held his arms wide and looked around.

 

"So?"

 

The Devil slumped back in his chair.  "I'm hurt.  I went to all this trouble and you aren't appreciative."

 

"Appreciative?"

 

"Have you lost the ability to speak in sentences?  This.  I rounded up your closest friends for a little party, in your honor,” he gave a little bow of his head, "and this is the thanks I get."

 

A raven flew from where it had been sitting by the bar and landed by Zeke's hand.

 

"Nevermore," the raven said, then dipped his beak in Zeke's beer.

 

"What the hell?"  Zeke pushed the beer away.

 

"Exactly," the Devil said, slapping his leg and laughing.

 

Zeke stood.  "This," he looked around, "this is your idea of a party?"

 

The Devil smiled widely.  "This is my idea of fun."

 

"Treat or treat," said the raven as Zeke stalked toward the door.

   

The End