True Colors (joshler, multi-fandom)

19 - There's Someone at the Door

October 27. It's nearly Halloween, and the day of the party. That means a lot of people crowded together at somebody's house, where not even the host knows what's going on at all times. What could possibly happen?

Luckily enough for the planners, the building of this event has been a steady ride, until Tyler gets a text in Brendon's group chat:

Ruby: I'm sick. I can't go. I'm sorry. Tyler can you go pick up the stuff I put together? I sprayed it with Lysol so you won't get sick (Delivered 1:24 p.m.)

Ruby was supposed to be the voice of reason! Now Tyler has to be. Or, she's just one less friend at the party.

Tyler: do I have to go inside your house? (Delivered 1:25 p.m.)

Ruby: No. My mom will give it to you in a grocery bag (Delivered 1:26 p.m.)

Tyler: ok (Delivered 1:26 p.m.)

***

Tyler showed up at Jon's door wearing a skeleton jacket, because it was the best costume he had. Josh also had one to match.

Jon answered the door, dressed up as Frankenstein's monster, with his mask on, but over his head, showing his face. "Hey, you got all that stuff?"

"Yep. I got mine and Ruby's all here. And Josh has his."

Josh got out of the passenger seat of Tyler's car with another plastic grocery bag, this one of plastic cups and not party sized chips or 2-liter soda bottles.

The first thing the boys heard as they entered Jon's house this evening was a snarky comment from Spencer, so was dressed as a werewolf and was holding his mask: "This party's gonna be so lame. Have you ever thrown one before?"

"Nope."

At least the decorations were decent. Purple and green string lights, cloth ghosts, and fibery cobwebs string the edges of the ceiling, met at the corners of the wall with projection party lights plugged into every outlet of the living room.

On the plastic table was a crate of Capri-Sun, a case of canned Cokes, and one 2-liter bottle of obviously Mountain Dew, but it had a printed sticker label that reads "POISON."

Spencer announced, "Alright, we gotta rehearse this stupid fucking song-"

Spencer was interrupted with a distant "Hey!"

"-I mean. Our stupid fucking song. Because we got our amps to work, finally, and I hope we won't distract you guys."

Tyler waves a hand at him. "No, you're fine. We'll just go in the backyard."

The backyard was expansive and perfectly landscaped. The scenery went well with the evening sun. Was Jon really sure he wanted a party here? It's just too nice, and complete with a shaded garden table, which Tyler and Josh say under while the band rehearsed. They could hear the music from inside, a dancey beat with a synth keyboard, Ryan singing, then Brendon singing.

Josu commented on the band, "Even from out here, they sound really good."

Tyler nodded. "Any band with Ryan and Brendon in it will be good."

Tyler could kind of see inside. Are they dancing? He chuckles. "I think this party's gonna be fun." He smiled at his friend, then heard a car pull in out front, followed by two distant and indistinct (locust) voices.

"I wonder who's here." Said Tyler, knowing exactly who those locust voices belong to. "I wonder if they know Ruby isn't here."

"She would definitely have told them," Josh commented, "She wouldn't leave anyone in the cold like that."

The band finished their rehearsal and answered the door, then Tyler and Josh went back inside.

Gerard and Frank didn't quite dress up either. At least they had makeup, red shading under their eyes, making them look more threatening than they already do. Both of them are wearing black dress clothes with red neckties.

"What are you two supposed to be?" Jon asked from the makeshift stage, with edges taped off where a real stage would be.

"Vampires." Gerard replied, looking narrow-eyed at the stage, with Frank copying his actions. "When does the party start?"

"Sundown. Or when enough people get here, whichever comes first."

Another boy walked in the threshold, he was shorter than Gerard, but still taller than Frank. He had a very sharp jawline and a skinny build, dressed the same way the other two are.

Gerard turned around and faced him. "Hey. About time you got up here."

"I was checking something."

This was the first guest that wasn't part of the group. Tyler finally recognized the boy was Mikey, Gerard's little brother, who he never talked about.

Jon came up and joined them. "What's your name, kid? I'm guessing you're a vampire, too?"

"Yep." Mikey looked nervous and annoyed at the same time. He probably didn't want to come.

"Oh come on!" Brendon shouted. "This is too many vampires!" At least he actually dressed like a classic vampire.

"Close the goddamn door, too. We don't want any flies."

Jeez,the party hasn't even started and Jon already needed to lighten up.

Spencer tried to tone down the tension that was already building. "Does...anyone know who else is coming?"

Ryan, in all his beige mummy bandages, spoke up for the first time all evening. "Pete and Patrick are supposed to be here in a couple minutes. The last thing Pete sent me was 'leaving now with Patrick' about seven minutes ago."

Brendon changed the topic. "Unrelated, but aren't Pete and Patrick..."

Ryan finished the question. "Dating? Yes. Since like right after we got together."

Frank made a comment. "Aww, little lovebirds. First you and Brendon, now Pete and Patrick." He turned slowly toward and made a side eye at Gerard.  "I wonder who's next."

"Don't forget Ruby and Nicole." Josh interjected.

Gerard replied, "Oh, we couldn't forget them. Poor thing, Ruby's sick."

The doorbell rings, following Tyler reacting, declaring "I got it!"

He answers the door to Nicole, along with some other tall boy with brown, neatly kept hair, and a shorter girl with straight, bright red hair, neither of which nobody's seen.

Uh oh.

"Don't look so shocked, Tyler. They're are just some friends from school, Hayley and Dallon."

Tyler allowed the new group in, where they were greeted with various "Hey's" and "Hi's." They all dressed as eras of fashion: Hayley like an 80's pop star, Dallon wearing all fringe like the 70's, and Nicole in tie-dye and a flower crown like the 60's. Tyler assumed Ruby would be representing the 50's.

Just before Tyler could close the door, two more boys ran up to the door, Pete and Patrick, finally. Pete was dressed up as a demon, all black and red complete with horns, while Patrick was an angel, in white robes (bedsheets?) and a wire halo. It was awful strange to see everyone so dressed up.

Now there's finally enough people for a party.