"Here Michael, zip me up," Fiona said, turning her back towards him and piling her hair on her head. He obliged, and she twisted the mass of hair into a tight bun, securing it with a pencil. She finished the look with a pair of thick framed glasses and smiled in the mirror, pleased with herself. "There." She turned to face him and her smile fell almost immediately. "Michael," she pouted, "you're not ready."
"Yes I am," Michael said, "what's wrong with this?" He gestured to his brown everyday suit. "You said no sunglasses."
Fiona sighed, "I also said it was okay to start with your suit as the base for your costume, not end there. Honestly Michael if this were a job-" She stopped herself, there were no more jobs ever; they had agreed.
"Well it isn't." Tension bristled between them. It was sad, they were inches away from one and other, nearly touching, and yet, they couldn't be further apart. The silence danced between them, neither willing to acknowledge how deep they'd buried things. Michael speaks first, "I added a watch."
"Oh." Fiona said her eyes more than her words acknowledged the effort. "Add a tie, and…" she stepped away from him briefly, rummaging through the closet, "carry this." She handed him a small brown briefcase. "Then I'll consider you ready."
Michael moved away from her to the dresser, selecting a tie and slinging it on, turning around as he starts the knots. "So tell me, why are doing this again?"
"Because Michael, we're trying to be normal," she huffed, heading over to him to adjust his tie. "Normal adults go to parties. Normal couples wear couples' costumes. Because it'll be fun." Catching Michael rolling his eyes, she leaned in closer and whispered "if nothing else you'll enjoy removing this sexy sectary costume later on tonight."
"Why can't we just skip the party and move right to enjoying each other now?" Michael asked leaning in. Fiona takes a half step back.
"Because as much as I might want that," she purred, "this dress costed you far too much to only be a floor covering, and besides you promised me dancing." Fiona moved away from him then, and Michael shrugged on his sportcoat. "Now come on, or maybe I'll find myself a new boss to go home with."
Michael laughed and followed her out the door. "Aye didn't know Erish lasses cared so much for All Hallow's Eve." Michael mocked, using his brogue.
"Not most," Fiona replied with a slight chuckle as she slipped back into her natural tone, "but then they don't get to celebrate American Independence day either, look at the extra chances they miss to blow things up."
They shared a short but true laugh. Michael had no argument for that and the remainder of their night passed uneventfully woth Fiona in complete control of the evening's events. When they returned home, Michael followed her into the loft. "I guess normal life isn't so bad. There's just one thing."
"What?" Fiona looked at him closely, genuinely curious.
"We got these costumes backward."
Fiona gave the same sort of glinting grin she would a pile of C4 before responding, "Oh I know that. You just would have looked awful in this dress." Michael frowned for a split second, picturing it, before Fiona continued, "but normal life leaves us more time for other things too. Come here." With that she fell backward on the bed and pulled out the pencil, splaying her hair everywhere.
Michael removed his jacket and tie, pulling open his shirt as he spoke, "thought you'd never ask."