I smile faintly. "You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?"
"Of course. What’s the point of a holiday if you don’t have a hot guy delivering your gifts?"
"Oh?"
Nox’s hand slips into his pocket, his fingers brushing against the soft edges of a small black box. He holds it there for a moment, as though steadying his breath before drawing it out. The box looks unassuming in his palm, but the way he offers it makes the air between us thrum in anticipation.
When I ease it open, the faintest catch of breath escapes me. Resting inside, cushioned by dark velvet, is a thin gold chain, fine as a thread of sunlight. At its center rests a single onyx stone, deep and lustrous, its polished surface catching the light to swallow it whole. The contrast of the dark stone against the delicate gold makes it seem almost alive, as if it holds secrets in its depths.
For a moment, I say nothing. My fingers hover above the necklace, not yet touching, as if I’m afraid the fragile beauty might vanish if I do. When I finally lift it from the box, the chain slips across my skin like liquid gold, cool at first, then warming in my hand.
Nox steps closer, his voice low. "May I?"
I turn, baring the line of my neck. The brush of Nox’s fingers as he fastens the clasp is feather light, the intimacy of it sending a shiver down my spine. The onyx stone settles against my collarbone, stark and striking against my skin.
I turn towards him, my smile breaking wide and luminous. "It’s beautiful," I whisper, my fingertips brushing the stone. "You… you thought of me when you saw this?" I feel my eyes burning.
Nox’s eyes soften. "You consume me even when I’m trying not to think of you. But you… you are the breath in my lungs, the pulse in my veins. Without you, I'm a shadow—moving, but never truly alive. You charge me with something I can’t name."
My lips tremble, his eyes fixed on me as though I’m the only important thing in the world. "Neo… you are the spark that keeps me burning. Without you, I’m nothing more than embers fading into ash."
I laugh lightly, though my eyes shimmer with tears. Nox steps closer, his hand brushing my cheek, lingering there."Then stay with me. Always. I want to be the fire and the reason it never falters." I tell him between tears as I lean into his touch, mysmile soft but fierce. "I already chose you, and I’ll keep choosing you. You are my bat boy; no one and nothing can change that!"
Chapter 31
NOX
The bike roars to life, its engine a sharp contrast against the muffled hush of falling snow. I lean in, while Neo clings to me from behind, her laughter spilling out in bursts that cut through the cold, muffled by her helmet. The tires scrape over the icy street, kicking up powder as we speed through the crooked lanes of our town.
The world around us looks like something out of a dream—or a nightmare. Strings of Christmas lights glow faintly beneath a veil of snow, their colors muted, casting long and ghostly reflections on the frosted shop windows. Old lampposts flicker, their halos of light barely piercing the swirling flakes. The houses lean close together, their roofs heavy with snow, their shadows stretching like watchful figures. The whole town looks like it has been plucked from a snow globe and then left to gather shadows. Poles striped like candy-canes line the streets, their paint chipped and weathered. There are wreaths hanging on every door, their holly berries seeming too dark, looking almost black in the dim light.
The air smells faintly of burnt sugar, as though the sweetness of the season had soured just a little. A mechanical Santa twitches to life every so often, its tinny “Ho, ho, ho” echoing down the empty streets like a warning. Icicles hang long and sharp from the gutters, glinting like teeth in the glow of thestreetlamps. The snow muffles every sound, except for the crunch of tires and boots—it makes the silence feel alive, as if the town itself is holding its breath.
And yet, for all its strangeness, there is beauty in it. There’s beauty in the way snow sparkles under the dim lights, in the way the church bells chime faintly in the distance—weaving together Christmas wonders and something darker to make our hearts race. This is Creepmas.
Neo tightens her arms around my waist when we pass a row of carolers. Ahead, the candy shop’s sign swings on black chains, its purple-painted letters faded but still promising sweetness in the midst of uncanny quiet.
The bike skids slightly as we slow, the tires sliding on the icy cobblestones, but I steady us with practiced ease. Snowflakes drift down, catching in Neo’s dark hair as she leans against my back, reluctant to let go of me.Together, we roll to a stop in front of Neo’s shop, its windows glowing faintly with a warm golden light that seems to beckon us inside.
I get off the bike and turn to her with my hand extended. "Careful," my voice is low, but warm against the cold air. My gloved fingers wrap around hers, guiding her down from the seat with a gentleness that contrasts the machine’s rough power. When her boots touch the cobblestones, I don’t let go right away. My eyes linger, taking in the way her long black winter coat frames her figure, the hem brushing against the snow. A teasing smile curves my lips. "You know," I say, brushing a stray flake from her shoulder, "this coat almost hides the fact that you’re wearing the most dangerously festive dress I’ve ever seen."
Neo laughs, wrapping the coat tighter around herself, though the sparkle in her eyes betrays her delight. "Almost hides it?" she teases back.
"Almost," I reply, leaning closer, my voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "But nothing could really hide you."
Neo tilts her head up towards me, her breath curling in the frosty air between us. The onyx stone at her collarbone glimmers as she rises onto her toes, closing the last inches of space between us. Her hands find my shoulders for balance, her fingers curling into the fabric of my coat. Instead of a soft kiss, she catches my lower lip gently between her teeth, playful and daring. The suddenness of it makes my breath hitch, my eyes darkening as I steady her by the waist.
Her smile lingers against my mouth, mischievous and radiant. "You are definitely on the naughty list," she whispers, her voice low and teasing.
I laugh in answer, the sound roughened by the heat of the moment.
"Well, well, well… what do we have here?" We both turn to see Ice, the elf, standing a few paces away. His green coat is dusted with snow, the fur trim glittering under the colored lights, though his grin is anything but innocent. His eyes gleam with mischief, and the bells on his pointed hat jingle as he tilts his head. "You’ve both been on the naughty list since you were born," Ice teases, his voice sing-songy but edged with something sly.
Neo flushes. I straighten, my arm shifting instinctively to shield her.
"You have a terrible sense of timing," I say evenly, my tone low.
The elf only laughs, the sound echoing strangely in the snowy street. "Oh, timing is everything. And right now, mine is perfect because you two were about to be late."
