It was late afternoon on Halloween, and Cairo had insisted on doing your makeup for the party tonight. You sat on the edge of her bed, surrounded by makeup palettes and brushes as she prepped you with a focused determination that made you smile.

She stepped close in between you legs, her eyes narrowing with concentration as she studied your face. She held up a brush, testing it against your cheek, and then dipped it into a pot of white paint, swiping it along your forehead and cheekbones with gentle strokes.

Cairo: I’ve got big plans for this. Just… don’t move, okay baby? I want to make it perfect.

You chuckled and stayed still, closing your eyes to let her work. Her fingers brushed along your skin, dabbing and smoothing, adding shades of black, white, and gray to shape your face into a dramatic, detailed skull. She leaned in close, her fingers steady as she drew fine lines across your cheekbones, her lips only inches from yours as she concentrated. You could feel her warm breath on your skin, her fingers feather-light as she worked.

Every so often, her eyes flicked to meet yours, holding your gaze just a little longer than necessary, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Cairo: You’re gonna look amazing… not that you don’t already.

You: Am I gonna look terrifying or attractive? Or both?

She laughed, her cheeks flushing as she kept her focus on her work.

Cairo: Who says you can’t be both? Maybe terrifyingly attractive?

Her hands trailed down to your jawline, tracing a sharp line with black eyeliner that blended perfectly into the skull design. Each brushstroke seemed to make her more absorbed in you, and the way her eyes softened as she watched you under the makeup lights made you feel like you were the only person in the world.

You: You’re staring again.

Cairo: Maybe. But I can’t help it—you look so… hauntingly perfect.