Monthly Bonus Content #2: 'Couples Costume Contest' (Silas Version) (Patreon)

[Alternate Text: A header image of a beautiful pocket watch that has a Steampunk style to it. The golden cover is opened to reveal the watch face that has a glass center to allow the many gears and moving parts to be visible. It's mostly gold and black with hints of red. The title is "Couples Costume Contest" in an Edwardian cursive script; it is also a golden color.]

"Verner!"

Your shout is muffled by the rows upon rows of corn that rise up around you to create organic walls. They seem almost impenetrable, each stalk boasts many leaves that interweave with their neighbors so the wall is closer to a chain-link fence. They're so tightly grouped! You can't even level your glare at anything but shades of green, brown, and yellow. The dirt path itself is overshadowed in some places, narrowing into alleys that add a darker dimension to the field.

It's like the corn didn't want to be cut back...

At least that's the story behind this year's corn maze based on the 'bloodied' rake Silas alerted you to during your walk together. He warned you not to instantly dash ahead like Ruby since there are scares in here. You spare a quick glance over your shoulder at him to see he's smiling faintly at your commitment to this competition with Ruby. "I think she's doing this intentionally," you petulantly point out, slowing down. "If we aren't there, we can't compete."

"Corn field sabotage?" he dubiously clarifies.

"It could work," you reply, only now returning his smile after linking your hands to stay close while also setting the pace. You widely step over a set of frantic, finger-shaped grooves in the ground. All ten of them dug up the rich dirt as if someone had been dragged unwilling into the towering stalks. "The timing is a little too coincidental."

"Nothing is coincidence with her,—"

"Exactly!"

"—but," Silas continues speaking, adding emphasis after your half-exclamation. "She's too competitive to cheat like this. It wouldn't be a real win."

You consider his reasoning, idly tracing one of his rings when the path narrows to become wall after wall of shadowy stalks without any scares or story hints. It's one he specifically designed for your couples costume. Focusing on the notches of the tiny gear beneath your fingertip is better than peering into the unwelcoming shadows. An animatronic crow startled you earlier when it let out a hellish screech. "Ruby?"

No one answers your call, except for the sound effects of the maze that range from childish giggling to something trampling through it.

"So, now she's back to 'Ruby' instead of 'Verner'?" Silas subtly teases you. "I see."

"She'll be called something else if we spend the whole night in this creepy maze looking for her," you retort, retaliating by lightly nudging him in the side. Silas responds by effortlessly looping his arm around you just as the crisp autumn wind picks up. You break the handhold to press closer to his side despite how this will definitely hamper your brisk walk through the rustling stalks. It's more than worth it when he regards you fondly for sticking a hand in his front pocket, securing a hold around his waist. The detailed metalwork on your outfits lightly clink together, which reminds you of a detail Silas included for you. "One second."

The two of you pause while you check the time on a pocket watch; its pearl white face gleams in the darkness. "We only have 15 minutes before it starts," you reluctantly reveal. "Everyone's supposed to be on the stage."

You're still trying to scrutinize the exact position of the thin minute hand when the watch face closes with a soft click. You peer up to see Silas attentively watching you. His fingers rest on the brass cover before they take the watch from your hold, slipping it back into the breast pocket above your heart. Silas takes his time, patient as ever, to tuck it away and fashionably adjust the chain into a swooping curl.

"Entering it was never a big deal to me," he admits. "I designed these for us, so seeing you proud of your costume is more than enough."

"But everyone should know how much time and care went into these," you half-heartedly disagree. "They're incredible—you're incredible."

Silas is too modest.

He designed Steampunk-inspired costumes for both of you, respecting Victorian fashion ideals and including layers of metalwork. You glance down at what he's wearing to make a point, already having it memorized after he trusted you enough to show you sketch concepts. It wasn't a surprise, but a mutual project where you got to admire his passion for creating and offer your own ideas. Moonlight awakens the brass decor along his powder blue military jacket that has a dated sophistication to it complete with a sapphire hued kerchief. He's wearing a top hat that has some sort of gauge on it. The metallic details continue from there, adding a slight punk edge to his brass-toed, leather boots and the chains along his black pants. Blue is throughout his outfit, just like he threaded your own favorite colors throughout your costume.

He even capped the shoelaces with copper instead of plastic. You can spy it glinting until Silas's hand migrates to your cheek in a silent bid for your attention. You meet his eyes again.

His cool rings against your tender skin tempts you to shiver, but the warmth to his expression chases that feeling away almost instantly.

"[Name], I only need you to know, not everyone else," Silas says. "It was never meant for them."

Every stitch, seam, and button was for you.

You're leaning towards Silas a second after that romantic realization, feeling him welcome you closer for a sweet kiss. There's no need to say anything more. He often shows you his ever-present compassion through actions, so you'll try to do the same by raising your other hand to cover his before guiding it lower to the start of your antique buttons. Silas's dexterity is something you have no doubt of; he undoes the first two closures while still kissing you. It invites a hint of a crisp breeze against your chest that you barely feel once he pulls you closer to begin shucking off your fancy top.

"What if there were evil children in the corn?"

You begrudgingly pull away from Silas to stare down Ruby who is at the end of the alley.

"Or the evil scarecrow who presides over the entire field?" she heatedly continues. "You two would have left me to be fertilizer fodder while making out in a corn maze. Unbelievable."

"That would be an improvement over now," you mutter. "Where were you? I was calling you."

"Where's your cape?" Silas asks in concern.

Silas keeps his arm around you, while you're debating whether or not to stride over to the previously absent Verner heir. Why would she ever go backwards in the maze? She must've been ahead of you. "Ruby?" you prompt her.

"I never heard you," she asserts. "Do not laugh at me... A scarecrow took it—I didn't think they had actors in here, but he tore it off of me."

Your aggravation instantly wanes, especially when Silas takes the lead to guide you both over to Ruby's side to offer some security.

"They don't," Silas confirms. "They shouldn't."

"Then I will have the freak's head," Ruby quietly seethes while brushing off a stray piece of straw that's stuck to her black suit. "Naturally, I hit him because—"

"Ruby," Silas intones.

"—he deserved it," she finishes. "He did not seem to feel it, calm down. I tripped over a shovel in the path, but I believe that was a purposeful ploy."

"Who in their right mind would mess with you? A Verner," you clarify. "We should leave now."

"It's like he lacked a brain," Ruby quips.

The conversation comes to an unsettling end when more trampling noises sound from nearby, except they don't fade and the stalks do in fact move, parting and trembling. It isn't an effect; someone is walking through the rows with intent. The three of you smartly start to back away just before a balled up bundle of ebony fabric comes sailing through the air. It's the cape, though it appears tattered and frayed now.

"Leave it," Silas insists.

Ruby's daring step forward is impeded by Silas gripping her wrist to bring her back to you.

The three of you hurry through the maze, retracing your path instead of continuing deeper while something watches from the shadows.