The Haunted Masquerade Part 1/?
Summary: Jensen just thought that it was just going to be another lame CW Halloween party. Crappy music paired cheap orange colored food that Jared inhaled tons of before going into a sugar coma. What he didn't expect was for some powerful warlock with a serious axe to grind with the stations president to show up and turn everyone into their costumes.
Pairing: Jensen/Jared
Rating: Currently just T for swearing and violence in later parts, but the rating may change to NC-17 if I decide to up the J2 ante. :)
Word Count (so far): 2k+
Warnings: Swearing, violence, future graphic J2, characters death (Not J2) and lots of crack :).
A/N:This story is based off the prompt given by the user tipsy_kitty The fic is set in our current time (well, a tiny bit ahead of it actually). Please forgive any spelling or structural errors that I might have made. I didn't bother with a beta and read over it a couple times myself, but somehow I always manage to miss a couple random things. It's also been a while since I've done a comment fic, but I just couldn't help myself, lol. In case you're curious, the title is partially taken from the R.L. Stine book The Haunted Mask. What can I say? I’m really a child at heart. Enjoy!
Part 1
Jensen sighed loudly, his aggravation showing clearly on his face.
He looked around the jam-packed costume store that had just opened up a few weeks ago with a hangdog expression.
“The Warlocks Workplace" was swarming with some of his coworkers, children, and other curious shoppers. The boxed in feeling of being so surrounded by people was quickly making Jensen’s patients was running thin.
"Jared, this is stupid. I don't even want to go, so all of this?" He motioned around emphatically at all the different costumes hanging around him, "Is completely pointless."
Jared pouted at him. This was the fourth costume store he'd dragged Jensen to this week. Jared being Jared had of course waited until the last possible second to get his shopping done considering the CW Halloween party was tomorrow night.
With only one day to go Jared was now scrambling to find the "perfect costume" as he called it and Jensen -despite his many protests- has been dragged along for the trips to every costume department and store in town.
"Why are you being such a stick in the mud about everything this week? Halloween is great! You get to dress up like whatever you want, party, and get free candy. What's not to love?"
Jensen rolled his eyes. "Okay one, it's still weird that you go trick or treating dude, and two, every day at work is Halloween for us Jared. Aren't you tired of having to play dress up?"
"It's not the same!" Jared whined. "There we have to dress up as what we're told. Today we can dress up like whatever we want!"
Jared started bouncing on the balls of his heels like an overly excitable puppy again and Jensen knew he was close to losing.
"You're gonna have on hell of a sugar hangover in the morning." He tried, grasping at straws by this point.
Jared snorted at that. "I've been eating huge amounts of sweets since I was ten dude. I've built up about as strong of a tolerance to the stuff as someone possibly can."
Jensen's shoulders slumped in defeat. "Fine, but I'm not dressing up like a freak. If I have to wear a costume I'm wearing the same one I do practically ever day; Dean."
Jared chuckled. "Wow, way to think outside the box man."
Jensen bristled at that. "What's wrong with Dean? We're going to a party bound to be filled with people dressed up like vampires and stuff, so a monster hunter is an awesome costume."
"Whatever you say- Ooooh!" Jared squealed suddenly, rushing past Jensen over to the clearance rack filled with the odds and ends of different costumes.
He plucked a dark green tunic, black faux leather pants that were somehow his exact size, a matching dark green witch hat, and finally a slightly ugly looking dark brown wooden wand that looked like something from a Harry Potter movie.
Scrutinizing the items closely, he nodded firmly after a moment and smiled widely. "It's perfect!"
Jensen just rolled his eyes again, just barely resisting the urge to imagine how Jared would look in those leather pants.
"Glad to hear. Now lets go pay for it and get the hell out of here already."
-------
(The next night around 11:30pm)
Jared rushed out in front of him towards the main studio where the party was being held.
"Last one there is a rotten egg!" He shouted from over his shoulder, already halfway in the door.
Jensen just chuckled lightly and waltzed into the party hall casually. He looked around curiously and was unsurprised to see that the party was now in full swing. Dozens of actors, crew members, coworkers and other miscellaneous people from the station danced merrily around them.
Jensen smoothed out the t-shirt, leather jacket and faded blue jeans that he'd nabbed from the 'Dean' clothes trailer.
The amulet that hung heavily with a familiar weight from around his neck slightly irritated the actor, but it was bearable.
He still kinda hated the thing for all the grief it had caused him when they'd still made him wear it -chipping his damn tooth during shooting for instance- but he figured if he was going to be Dean he might as well sell it.
Amazingly, Jensen had managed to find an exact -albeit cheap plastic- replica of the gun Dean favored on the show while waiting for Jared to finish checking out yesterday.
Stealing clothes from set was one thing, but Jensen would get one hell of a tongue lashing if he tried to make off with one of their prop weapons. The show had them specially made and they cost a small fortunes so the props department was extra protective of them.
Looking over towards the refreshments table Jensen saw some familiar faces and patted Jared's arm. The music was to loud for them to really hear each other so Jensen motioned towards the table and mouthed, "Follow me." Jared nodded and trailed along behind him.
Chad, Tom and Misha stood around the table chatting idly while picking chips out of one of the huge decretive bowls. Thankfully the music wasn't quite as loud over here so Jensen could finally hear himself speak.
"Hey guys.” Jared greeted them happily. Jensen silently nodded his own hello.
The three men looked over at them and uniform eyebrows shot up judgmentally.
"Wow dude, that’s a pretty creative costume you got there. Did it take you all night to come up with it?" Chad teased Jensen, tucking a stray pirate style braid behind his ear.
Jensen shot him a dry look. “Screw you Murray, like your costume is any better. Eyeliner dude, really?”
Chad stuck out his tongue childishly. “It’s called guyliner asshat, get your facts straight. Also, I look good and every babe here knows it.” As if to prove his point he winked and clicked his tongue suggestively towards sexy-nurse Allison Mack.
Jensen snorted softly, put a hand over his mouth to hide his grin. Tiny laugh lines in corner of his eyes crinkled as he resisted the overwhelming urge to laugh.
The face Chad is making looks absolutely hysterical. Jensen thinks he was shooting for ‘seductive’ but unknowingly ended up with ‘slightly constipated’ instead.
Allison seemed to agree because she spared exactly three seconds of her attention before scoffing and tossing her hair back haughtily.
“You wish Murray. Try again when you develop an actual personality.” She said dryly before strutting off without a second glance.
Chad pouted, grasping at his heart dramatically. “Don’t be like that baby! We could have a real future together!”
Misha, dressed as a Tibetan monk, made no attempt to hide his amusement and laughed openly. He might have even murmured something about Chad being an “overcompensating douche” under his breath.
Chad shot the two men a pissy look and flipped them the bird.
Tom laughed and popped another orange colored chocolate pretzel into his mouth. “Now, now, lets not fight amongst ourselves children.” He chided.
“Shut up dude, you’re just as bad as Jensen is.” Chad said.
Tom looked down at his Superman costume and pouted. “Jamie said it would be clever.” He grumbled.
“Oh, well, isn’t that sweet.” Chad cooed out mockingly. “Just curious, do you always let mommy pick out your clothes for you?”
The actor scowled at that. “Everyone for Chad shutting the hell up say I.”
“It’s not my fault you-”
“I.” Said Tom quickly.
“Stop it assho-“
“I.” Agreed Misha.
“C’mon, I’m just-”
“I.” Jensen and Jared chimed in unison forcefully.
Chad grumbled to himself, throwing a couple pieces of popcorn at each one of them but quieting down.
Jensen opened his mouth to speak again but the loud sound of a gonging clock interrupted him, signaling that it was twelve.
The crowd turned towards the main stage where it was coming from curiously.
A tall, lanky man who looked to be in his mid forties stood center stage, the cordless microphone in one hand and an ornate black cane in the other.
He wore an expensive looking black suit that complimented the eye-catching red velvet cape lightly flowing behind him. His dark brown -almost black- hair was slicked all the way back, leaving no piece of his sharp but still attractive face hidden. What struck him most though was the strange mans eyes. In contrast with his dark outfit the electric hazel eyes seemed to almost, well, glow, for lack of a better word.
Jensen shivered a little when they seemed to slice through the audience thoughtfully.
The man cleared his throat lightly before raising the microphone to his mouth. “Good evening. I trust you’re all having a good time?” He asked lowly. His voice held the indistinguishable hint of an accent paired an unnervingly monotone.
The crowd, seemingly oblivious to the huge creep factor of this guy, all cheered enthusiastically. Jensen turned to look at his friends and saw that they too were cheering along; all except for Jared.
They locked eyes and Jensen mouthed a silent, ‘Is this guy freaky or what?’
Jared nodded emphatically, eyes widening. ‘Totally freaky!’ He wordlessly agreed.
They both turned back to look at the stage and were visibly startled when they found Victor’s eyes now looking directly at them.
Jensen was afraid that he’d somehow managed to read their lips from almost twenty feet away and was going to call them out for it in front of everyone.
He simply stared at them for one more long, tension filled moment before looking away and continuing on as if nothing happened.
“I’m very pleased to hear that. I’m sure you’re all wondering who I am.” The man smiled wryly. “My name is Victor, and I’m your humble host for tonight’s gathering. I recently opened a store in town called “The Warlocks Workshop” for just this event. In fact, most of you probably bought your outfits from my store.”
Jensen blinked. Huh, that’s where Jared had got his costume and Jensen his fake gun. Taking into consideration the low murmurs from behind and around him, pretty much everyone else had gotten their costume from there too.
Victor smiled wider, a sharp edge entering it. “I thought so. That will make this so much easier. You see, my dear partygoers, I’m currently in a rather serious disagreement with this stations president currently in progress.”
Confusion crossed the faces of everyone in the room and Jensen felt a chill rush up his spine when the air seemed to crack around them.
“He’s been attempting to expand into my private, family owned land located in Northern Vancouver for almost a decade now in hopes of building a new-“ His thin lips curled hatefully around the next words.”-filming studio.”
The disgust and hatred in his voice was palpable now. “That land was in my family’s possession for over five centuries. My father, his father, and his fathers father all bled, sweat and died tending to this land! It was as much a part of my being as any other limb.” His eyes softened for a moment before hardening again, the ominous burnt-red glow of his eyes increasing.
Jensen stumbled a bit, feeling his stomach twist and turn as the crackle of power in the room increased, seeming to visibly making the air tremble and twist with small waves of dark red electricity.
“That is, until a month ago when his parasitic army of lawyers managed to find a loophole in the public records that proved my ownership over it. So, in the midst of the chaos that bastard slips in and buys it without my consent!” Victor roared, voice booming throughout ever corner of the room.
The once confused looks from the other partygoer’s expressions were now all a mixture of fearful and sickly.
Another vertigo inducing wave of energy caused Jensen to fall back against Jared, who just barely managed to keep him from collapsing seeing as he wasn’t fairing any better then Jensen was.
As the man continued talking, Jensen suddenly felt a strange new sensation rake through him. A sudden warm vibration against his side startled the woozy actor.
Looking downwards, it took him a moment of intense focusing through the mental haze to realize that the main source of the vibrations was coming from the fake gun tucked inside his jeans waistband.
“W-What…” He started to stutter out, but a booming laughter cut him off.
“So, I think it’s only fair that since he’s taken something so important from me, I’ll take something precious from him; his wretched television station.” Victor growled. A blinding flash of white light erupted from the Grandfather clock behind the man and screams of terror and shock raced throughout the room.
The deep red waves of nausea wracking through Jensen’s body were too powerful to withstand any more, causing his knees to buckle underneath him and sending him tumbling to the ground.
The sound of accompanying bodies collapsing all around him quickly followed, and the actor felt Jared collapse next to him; unconscious before he even hit the ground.
A prick of worry for his best friend sharpened his spinning mind for a few more moments.
“J-Jay…” Jensen croaked out weakly, just the act of talking making him feel sick.
He didn’t get a response, causing his worry to grow.
“The joy I’m going receive from watching his company’s actors and staff rip each other apart will be immense.” Jensen heard the man chuckle out darkly.
“That’s just the main course for tonight though. Dessert is when things get truly interesting.” Another ominous laugh that promised nothing but trouble pierced through the room before a final wave of energy washed over them.
There was no chance in hell that Jensen would be able to defy the unconsciousness that followed quickly after it dispersed.
On the brink of sleep, Jensen felt one last strange thought enter his mind before everything went black.
I hope Sammy’s okay…
Part 2