Rainbow Connection, AFTG ✔️

1.6

PORTER
CHAPTER SIX

The Foxes cleared out of Abby's house before noon the next day, but Andrew's group didn't head back to the dormitory. Porter was in a bit of shock when Andrew gestured him along too, but four people squeezed into Andrew's backseat that day instead of three, and none of them were awake enough to debate legality. They went out for an early lunch, where Aaron, Nicky, and Kevin were too hungover to eat and settled for pushing their food around their plates. Andrew was oblivious and unsympathetic, but Porter was quick to ask for Nicky's fries.

Abby had made a lot of progress on getting Porter to eat food. By the time he started playing Exy again, he needed the nutrition, though even then he was barely eating enough. When Abby had him process it with Bee, he managed to force himself through meals, and he'd finally just reached two full meals per day -- Abby promised to get him to three soon.

By the time they left the restaurant, the three were looking a little steadier, so Nicky drove them to a party store fifteen minutes out from campus. Porter already knew why they were going, since Nicky had been talking about it nonstop for over a week: Eden's Twilight, a club in Columbia that the group apparently frequented, was having an event the Friday before Halloween. Porter hadn't expected an invite, but he assumed this was some twisted way of dragging him along.

"We're a little old for costumes, don't you think?" Neil asked as they all spilled out of the car.

"It's bad form to go to a Halloween party without a costume, Neil," Nicky said. "Besides, the bartenders give out a free round to anyone who comes dressed up."

"I don't drink," Neil said.

"Then give your shot to me, you stingy child," Nicky said. "I know you said you'd never come shopping with us again, but we're doing you a huge favor dragging you along. You wouldn't trust me to pick out your costume, would you? I'd probably make you a French maid or something. Come on."

The front of the store was packed with decorations, everything from packs of spider webs to skull-shaped shot glasses and ghost window clings. An animatronics raven flapped its wings and cawed at Neil as he approached. He pushed it to the back of the shelf and moved a glittery Styrofoam skull in front of it. It cawed once more at the rough handling, but the sound was muffled. Porter almost paid Neil to thank him.

They passed rows of wigs, masks, and an entire shelf of face paint and gaudy makeup. The entire back half of the store was devoted to costumes. The six men spread out between the racks to search, and Porter froze, not sure what to do.

He walked over to Nicky and Aaron, who were near the same rack and moving hangers around, looking around awkwardly for a moment before tapping Nicky's shoulder, "Uh..." Nicky turned to face him with a smile, and Porter tried to phrase his plight, "I don't...I've never...I don't really...know Halloween."

Nicky's brows turned upwards in an instant, immediately full of sympathy and pity, which only made Porter more embarrassed. "Ohh," Nicky whined, "You poor boy, come here!" He grabbed Porter by the arm and dragged him to another rack, raising a finger at him and starting a ramble, "Halloween is all about the right costume, okay? It's a dress-up holiday, it's a party! Find something you want to go as, make sure it fits, and we'll put it on the Fox card."

"Hmm." Porter hummed in reply, not quite understanding the point, but listening nonetheless.

"People don't really wear these, do they?" Neil asked across the store. Nicky sent him a curious look, so Neil pulled the next one off the rack. It was a milk carton with a cutout for the wearer's face and a bold "Have you seen me?" printed beneath it.