Ocean Blue | gxg ✓

~ halloween short ~

a/n: a pointless little halloween romp for your viewing pleasure ;)))​​

Raindrops roll off the sleeves of my faux leather jacket. The black loafers I stole from my dad are probably on the brink of flooding, and my carefully slicked-back hair is likely ruined. Next to me, Alyssa tugs up her slouchy flared jeans and hops over a puddle. Her feet hit the wet pavement at the end of Jace's driveway with a splash.

"It's usually freezing in Woodbury for Halloween," she says. She offered me her umbrella, but I figured her impeccable Rose Tyler makeup was a little more important than my Ninth Doctor nose contouring, so I told her to keep it. It's funny, because now I can't see her face at all. She's completely hidden by the black umbrella.

I know she looks adorable, though. "Oh yeah? No frigid rain?"

"Nah, just cold, frost-bitten grass, if not snow."

"Snow? That doesn't sound Halloween spirity at all."

We've reached Jace's doorway now. There's a dull thumping on the other side, and now that the Westerfeld's stoop covers us from the rain, Alyssa lowers her umbrella and looks up at me with round, bright eyes.

"Ready?" I ask.

"Meh," she says, and swings open the front door. AJR pulses inside, and a girl I recognise from Alyssa's art club waves from her spot against the mudroom wall. Alyssa waves back and the girl stumbles off back into the living room, where Duncan stands on one of the plush couches, just in our view.

He's dressed in a giant Clifford the Big Red Dog jumpsuit, with this stupid plush head that bobs over his actual head as he Gangam Style dances on the Westerfeld's sofa. The clump of costumed-up teens bouncing about him howls, coincidentally in sorta-key with the AJR song.

But it's no AJR song that Duncan is singing. "LET'S GET PHYSICAL," he screams, dropping into a squat. His hips swivel in a low, rhythmic motion, the Clifford head following suit. "PHYSICAL."

I don't know where Neema is, but she's here somewhere, dressed as Emily Elizabeth and probably rolling her eyes so hard that they're now somewhere back in her skull. Couples costumes are fun. Christopher Eccleston's Doctor and Rose Tyler for me and Alyssa, a girl and her dog for Neema and Duncan. One is arguably less kinky than the other, but whatever—if my best friends want to turn a giant dog into a couples costume, then I totally will not make furry and/or bestiality jokes. Will not. Won't.

"MAKE SPACE, MAKE SPACE," shouts Duncan, flailing his arms wildly. The crowd parts for him, screaming. Duncan's dog head waggles excitedly, and onto the living room floor he soars. It's his party staple; the crowd is quick to start chanting his name as he worms. I can't see it. I just know. He's worming.

It's playing a newish Still Woozy song when the crowd parts, still hollering for Duncan. After a strong salute, he weaves his way towards the bathroom and spots me and Alyssa, still standing in the doorway, holding hands and laughing. It feels good. Nice. Chill. What I would have wished high school to be like if I had known it could be. The last time I was at one of Jace's big parties, I was happy, but stressed. I still don't like thinking about the night that wound up becoming. But this? This is already so much better.

Duncan departs with a simple salute. Alyssa gives my hand a strong tug and leads me over to the kitchen. Apparently, this is where our new group has decided to settle down. Norm in Captain America gear pours Neema a red solo cup of fruit punch straight from the plastic jug, while Jace and Tanner take mindless selfies on their phones, dressed as Marshall Lee and Prince Gumball. I know there had been an attempt on Tanner's end to feed his Dan Stevens obsession with a Beauty and the Beast same-sex costume, but this setup is a lot better, in my opinion. Tanner can seriously rock pink hair.