Snake Boy

~ Chapter Ten ~

Roman grinned, clapping his hands together. "I told you he'd look great! What do you think?"

"I'm more concerned with what Dorrian thinks." Logan glanced over at his roommate.

Dorrian stared at himself in the mirror, touching the edges of the white mask he was currently wearing. Roman had done a brilliant job, Logan had to admit, adjusting the Phantom mask he kept on a trophy shelf above his bed to cover all of the scales on the side of Dorrian's face. 

The boy turned to them and offered a little grin, which made Logan smile in spite of himself. 

"He says he likes it." He translated for Roman when Dorrian signed it to them. "Makes him seem interesting."

"Aww, Dor you are interesting." Roman pulled him into a hug. Logan raised his eyebrows.

"Roman, perhaps you should give him his space."

Roman let go of Dorrian and smoothed the cape he was wearing. "You look great, Dor, I can't wait to see everyone's reactions."

Dorrian made a little face.

'Will there be a lot of people?'

Logan paused, glancing at Roman before answering in ASL. 'I told him no more than thirty people, and we can always disappear off to a corner if we want to. I don't plan to stay for too long.'

Dorrian nodded after a moment, tucking his cloak around himself a little bit.

"Yo Specs, when are you going to get into costume?" Roman elbowed him. "I've got my outfit ready upstairs but I figured I'd help you two first."

"I'll put my costume on in a few minutes, it's in there." Logan pointed to the duffel bag he'd brought in with him. "I let Dad do the hard part."

Roman grinned and reached up to ruffle Logan's currently white hair. Logan smacked his hand away.

"Don't touch it, it's probably not completely dry yet." 

He scoffed. "It's just colored hairspray, you gunslinger wannabe. You've been here for like half an hour."

"Roman, you are aware how dark my hair is, are you not?" Logan adjusted his glasses. "This took four coats of hairspray."

"So how do you plan to get your costume on then?" Roman retaliated.

"None of it goes over my head, obviously. Now go get ready, you'll have guests soon."

Roman blew a raspberry and went upstairs.

"If you wait out here, I'll change in the bathroom. Then we can go join the others upstairs." Logan told Dorrian. "There might be a few people who know ASL here, so we'll have to keep a bit of our attention on what we say during the night."

Dorrian nodded, fiddling with his mask a little. Logan went over and grabbed the duffel bag he had brought along earlier.

 It didn't take too long for him to get the costume on. He'd designed it to be easy to get on and off, because of how many layers it had to be. Fixing the handmade blue greatcoat's lapels, he looked himself over in the mirror and attached the extra lenses to the sides of his glasses.

Roman was back downstairs when he came out of the bathroom. He was digging in a cardboard box that had been stored beneath the pool table while Dorrian watched in mild confusion.

"What are you looking for?" Logan asked, fiddling with his ascot.

"Tablecloth, Remus already managed to spill an entire bottle of cranberry juice upstairs because he's an idiot- hey, that looks great!"

Logan smirked and straightened the jacket lapels again. "Clearly. I made it."

Roman eyed the Percy de Rolo costume critically. "Diplomacy and everything, huh? You got Bad News or either of the pistols?"

"Not yet, although I'm hoping to by next year's GenCon."

"Nerd."

"You recognized the costume." Logan shot back. "Find your tablecloth and go upstairs."

Roman blew a raspberry. "After you two."

Logan rolled his eyes and looked at Dorrian. "If anyone asks, you're a friend from out of state. I doubt that anyone will question it."

~~~ Two Hours Later ~~~

"Patton, have you seen Dorrian?" Logan stepped out of the way of one of Roman's theatre buddies, glancing at the host's boyfriend. "I went to the bathroom and haven't been able to find him since."

Patton scrunched his face up. "I don't think so. Last I saw him he was with you."

Logan sighed and nodded, thinking hard. He needed to keep calm no matter what happened. Dorrian would be fine, to an extent, but he really did need to find him as quickly as possible.

"Maybe Roman knows where he is- Cupcake!"

"Gross." Logan rolled his eyes. Patton's nicknames for Roman were nearly as sickly sweet as his appetite. 

Roman swept across the room, holding his head high and showing off the elaborate crown he'd fashioned for himself. "How may I assist you, most fair of damsels?"

Patton giggled. Logan pretended he was elsewhere.

"Do you know where Dorrian went? Logan lost him."

"Well he is capable of taking care of himself somewhat." Logan sighed. "It isn't as if I just abandoned him, I was using the bathroom."

"Didn't want to take him with you?" Roman teased, smirking. "You two have been glued to each other all night."

Logan glared at him.

"No, I haven't seen him recently. There are a couple people out on the patio though, if you start there you'd be able to work your way through the house and try to find him."

Roman grabbed Patton's hand as Logan began to walk away. He heard giggles and rolled his eyes once more.

Romance was so trivial.

The patio was indeed being utilized by a few guests, and the quick movement of hands quickly caught Logan's eye. Dorrian was standing by the railing, signing away with a dark skinned girl who looked vaguely familiar.

She had been in his ASL class, Logan realized. She was deaf in one ear and had hearing loss in the other.

Dorrian saw him coming and signed a greeting. Logan nodded, then turned and offered Esther a quick hello.

'I've been talking to your friend, Logan, he's really smart.'

The human side of Dorrian's face flushed a little.

"I know. I'm glad he found someone to talk to, I'd imagine I become a rather boring conversationalist after too many interactions."