Disclaimer: I do not own Shirokuma Cafe or the characters.
Notes: And now, a fic taking place in the cub-years of Shirokuma and Grizzly, a sort of belated Halloween celebration. There is just very close friendship between them at this point in time, so there's no deeper meaning behind what happens later. There might be some OOC. I hope you enjoy!
One of Grizzly's favourite phrases to declare was I'm the King of Alaska!, accompanied by a rather threatening roar, which terrified a lot of the smaller animals. He found it wasn't that much fun to be a king without subjects and would sulk for a little while following.
Until he'd met Shirokuma. He'd tried roaring threateningly, but the white cub hadn't been the least bit phased. Grizzly had tried to tell him that when his species grows up, they become the Kings of Alaska, but he was over-ruled by the fact that polar bears become the largest carnivores on land when they grow up. Game over.
Shirokuma didn't appear it, but he felt a little bothered that he'd suddenly spoiled someone's fun. Well, he'd just have to make up for it somehow.
Grizzly's mother was at the stove, cooking up a fish stew that she knew her son liked to eat. "Grizzly dear, it's almost Halloween. What are you going to be this year?"
He crossed his arms over his chest and huffed. "I'm not a little kid anymore, Mama! I don't do Halloween anymore!"
"Really? Oh dear, what will I tell Shirokuma-kun?"
"Shirokuma?"
"Yes. I spoke with his mother and she noted that he's very excited about Halloween. He has numerous costumes that he wishes to wear on the night."
He sighed and looked at the tabletop. "W-well...if he insists, I guess I'll go..." he muttered.
The older bear smiled. "So, do you know what you are going to be?"
He opened his mouth to respond, but he heard the phone ring. "I'll get it!" He slid off of his chair. The pads on his paws let out small padding sounds as he ran across the hardwood floor to pick up the phone before it rang out. "Hello?"
After he finished lunch, Grizzly made his way to the front door. "Bye, Mama! Going to Shirokuma's!"
"Don't be out too late!" she called in response.
He threw the door open and hurried outside, allowing it to close behind him. The conversation from earlier rang through his mind as he hurried to his best friend's house.
"Hello?"
"Grizzly-kun. It's me."
"Ohh! Shirokuma! What's going on?"
"Halloween."
"I heard you're excited about that."
"I want to dress up. I want you to dress up too."
"But, I don't know what I'll be. I didn't plan on doing anything this year, not until Mama told me you're looking forward to it."
"I know what you can be. Come over."
"I'm about to have lunch. How about later?"
"Okay. I'll get the costumes ready."
"Okay. See ya!"
"Bye, Grizzly-kun."
Just what does he have planned anyway? As he tried to work out what his friend was thinking, he soon arrived at his intended destination. "Oh. Here already?" He stepped up to the doorbell and pressed it.
A white cub answered the door. His dark eyes were shining and he was smiling slightly. "Grizzly-kun. Come in. I have the costumes ready."
He stepped inside, excusing himself for the (invited) intrusion.
Shirokuma opened the door to his bedroom and stepped inside.
Grizzly fell over in shock. "Are these the costumes you're choosing from for Halloween this year?"
"No. They're all the costumes I will wear."
"How the heck will ya pull that off?"
"I'll wear one. Then another. Then the next."
He sweatdropped. I was right. There's something wrong with this guy... He stepped inside, minding where he placed his paws. "So, what will I be?"
Shirokuma tilted his head cutely. "Huh?"
His temper flared. "You said that you have an idea for a costume for me!"
"Ah! I did, didn't I?"
He quickly calmed down, resigning himself to the thought that his friend was some kind of fool. "So, what was it?"
"First, I'll show you my main costume." He picked up something, stepped into his bathroom, and closed the door. "No peeking!"
"As if I would, idiot," he replied, half-annoyed, half-amused. He looked around at the different costumes lying around the room. If he had to guess, there was at least thirty.
Shirokuma stepped out. He was wearing a light blue dress and a golden crown on his head.
"Why the heck are ya wearing a dress?" the brown cub demanded.
Shirokuma chuckled quietly before he pointed to the piles of costumes around his room.
"That's a mess."
He then held up a nametag.
"That says Bess."
He finally showed an exam paper with a written answer that was incorrect.
"That was a guess. I said dress!"
"Because this is my costume. I'm a queen."
"Your first costume is a queen?"
"Yes. Because it suits your costume." He then dug through the piles of costumes until he found another crown, slightly larger than his own, and a royal purple robe. He placed the crown on his friend's head and wrapped the robe around his shoulders.
"Huh? This is..."
"You're a king."
He remembered the first words he'd ever exchanged with the white cub, and felt his dark eyes welling. He blinked the emotions back. "I'm a king...?"
"King of Alaska. Just like you want to be."
He smiled. "Thanks. But, why are you being a queen?"
"Because no king can be without a queen." He stepped forward and pressed his nose to Grizzly's cheek in the form of a friendly kiss.
He blushed. "Hey!"
"A queen can kiss her king. Can a king kiss his queen?"
He averted his gaze before reciprocating the actions. "There. Happy?"
He nodded, his smile a little wider. "Are you?"
"Yeah. I can't wait for Halloween now."
The night finally arrived, and among the crowds of trick-or-treaters, there were two cubs walking around; Grizzly pleased he can show that he truly is King of Alaska, even if it was just for one night.