DEVIL, DEVIL (Michael Langdon)

Halloween night brought a sense of excitement to Outpost Three for everyone except for Judas, who knew how this night was going to end and was glad he wouldn't have to experience it firsthand.

Only an hour before the doomed masquerade, Michael called Judas to his room. He didn't bother to knock this time, only opened the door. Michael was sat at his desk. Waiting. Hair hanging into his eyes. He smiled faintly, waving Judas over. Judas hesitated, sitting at the edge of the desk. Michael let out a chuckle, hand resting on Judas' thigh. "I almost thought you wouldn't come," Michael noted.

"Really?" Judas asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Really. I know you well, certainly, but you have changed. I planned for both outcomes, of course, but I didn't know which plan I'd carry out," Michael explained.

Judas snorted faintly. "And what did you plan for if I showed up?"

Michael didn't answer for a moment, only allowed his fingers to creep up the inside of Judas' thigh toward the buttons on his pants. "Many things," he said.

Judas caught Michael's wrist, locking eyes with him. "Are they going to suffer?" he asked.

"Who?" Michael said, and he moved to pull his hand free from Judas' grip.

"The others. My friends who are preparing for the party right now," Judas stated.

"Friends?" Michael said with a snort. "That sorry lot? They aren't your friends, Jude. I'm the only friend you have left."

"Are they going to suffer?" Judas asked again, ignoring Michael's annoyed expression.

"What do you want me to say?" Michael stated, mouth set in a frown. "That it will be all sunshine and rainbows? The fruit is poisoned, Jude. Have you ever known poison to go down gently? Of course they will suffer. All humans have to suffer." 

Before Judas could say anything, Michael caught his arm, pulling him down into a kiss. Judas didn't want to argue. And so he just kissed Michael back.

In the sitting room, all of the guests had arrived. All except for the young warlock in Michael Langdon's room, whose lack of attendance certainly didn't go unnoticed. Gallant couldn't stop glancing at the doorway as the Grays handed out glasses of water.

His mind only left Judas when he saw Ms. Mead rolling a cart with a bobbing barrel full of apples into the room. He and Andre stepped forward to examine the fresh fruit, eyes wide beneath their masks. Andre reached slowly into the barrel to pick up one of the ruby red apples, earning a slap from Ms. Mead. "Ow," he stated.

She glared. "No treats until the time comes."

"Nobody's even seen a piece of fresh fruit in over eighteen months. Where did this come from?" he asked.

Ms. Mead was not in the mood for questions. "Perhaps I should drag in one of the horses who rode through hell to gift us these sweet little wonders so you can look it in the mouth."

Andre lowered his head. 

"I know," Gallant spoke up. "It's symbolic. It's the Garden of Eden, apples from paradise. It's obviously from the Sanctuary."