October had draped the city in shades of orange and gold, the sidewalks littered with leaves that crunched under every step. Halloween was only a week away, and everywhere you looked, store windows were filled with decorations—pumpkins with crooked grins, cobwebs stretched across displays, and the occasional skeleton waving hello. Katseye had been given a rare day off, and somehow, Manon convinced you to spend it with her in the quiet of her apartment, away from the flashing lights and constant rehearsals.

“I got us something to do,” Manon said as you walked into her kitchen. Her grin gave her away—mischief, as always, but softer when it was just the two of you. On the counter sat a bag of red apples, a bowl of wooden sticks, and a saucepan filled with glossy melted sugar.

“Candy apples?” You asked, raising a brow.

She shrugged, slipping her hair behind her ear. “It’s spooky season. And…I’ve never actually made them before. Figured we could try together.”