Monthly Bonus Content #2: 'Couples Costume Contest' (Sofia 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 Sofia alerted you to during your walk together. She warned you not to instantly dash ahead like Reese since there are scares in here. You spare a quick glance over your shoulder at her to see she's smiling faintly at your commitment to this competition with Reese. "I think he's doing this intentionally," you petulantly point out, slowing down. "If we aren't there, we can't compete."

"Corn field sabotage?" she dubiously clarifies.

"It could work," you reply, only now returning her 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 him,—"

"Exactly!"

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

You consider her reasoning, idly tracing one of her rings when the path narrows to become wall after wall of shadowy stalks without any scares or story hints. It's one she 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. "Reese?"

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 he's back to 'Reese' instead of 'Verner'?" Sofia subtly teases you. "I see."

"He'll be called something else if we spend the whole night in this creepy maze looking for him," you retort, retaliating by lightly nudging her in the side. Sofia responds by effortlessly looping her arm around you just as the crisp autumn wind picks up. You break the handhold to press closer to her side despite how this will definitely hamper your brisk walk through the rustling stalks. It's more than worth it when she regards you fondly for sticking a hand in her front pocket, securing a hold around her waist. The detailed metalwork on your outfits lightly clink together, which reminds you of a detail Sofia 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 Sofia attentively watching you. Her fingers rest on the brass cover before they take the watch from your hold, slipping it back into the breast pocket above your heart. Sofia takes her 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," she 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."

Sofia is too modest.

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

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

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

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

Every stitch, seam, and button was for you.

You're leaning towards Sofia a second after that romantic realization, feeling her welcome you closer for a sweet kiss. There's no need to say anything more. She often shows you her ever-present compassion through actions, so you'll try to do the same by raising your other hand to cover hers before guiding it lower to the start of your antique buttons. Sofia's dexterity is something you have no doubt of; she 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 she pulls you closer to begin shucking off your fancy top.

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

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

"Or the evil scarecrow who presides over the entire field?" he 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?" Sofia asks in concern.

Sofia keeps her arm around you, while you're debating whether or not to stride over to the previously absent Verner heir. Why would he ever go backwards in the maze? He must've been ahead of you. "Reese?" you prompt him.

"I never heard you," he 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 Sofia takes the lead to guide you both over to Reese's side to offer some security.

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

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

"Reese," Sofia intones.

"—he deserved it," he 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," Reese 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," Sofia insists.

Reese's daring step forward is impeded by Sofia gripping his wrist to bring him back to you.

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