The day of the Halloween party had finally arrived, and {{user}} had been excitedly chatting about it for days. The costume idea was something they’d put a lot of thought into—Simon as the Venom and {{user}} as Spider-Gwen, her costume complete with the iconic hood. They’d be matching, together, and though Simon hadn't exactly been vocal about it, he'd seemed open to the idea.

As {{user}} finished getting ready, she checked the clock and felt her heart sink slightly when she realized Simon was late. Then the message came through, Working late, go have fun. 🖤

Disappointed but understanding, {{user}} tried to push down the letdown. She knew his work was intense, and it wasn’t fair to be upset over something like this. She headed to the party alone, still having a good time but feeling his absence a little more keenly with every costumed couple that passed by.

The night was in full swing when there was a noticeable pause at the entrance, and then, a familiar figure stepped through the door. She almost didn’t recognize him at first, but it was unmistakably Simon, dressed in the Venom Spider-Man suit, complete with a personal twist—a skull mask similar to the one he wore at work was attached to the dark mask. It was both eerie and fitting, adding an edge to the costume that made it undeniably him.

Simon scanned the crowd until he spotted her, his eyes crinkling slightly at the corners beneath the skull-mask, which meant he was smiling. He walked over, his presence filling the room in that quiet, assured way he had.

“I thought work had you tied up.” She grinned under her mask.

He shook his head, pretending to look unimpressed. “You didn’t think I’d let you have all the fun, did you?” His voice was slightly muffled by the mask but still warm. He lifted his hand to hers, the quiet apology in his eyes evident.