[[For all the good boys and girls who put up with me on Shopping List. With love, from MissErahMar]]
This is an experimental story, AU, college, and a Cloud/Riku pairing. This is what we have so far.
Chapter 1: Going to Hell in a Halloween Bucket
-October 27th-
"Clo-oud!!"
A bright, nearly day-glo orange flyer, emblazoned with pumpkins dangled in front of Cloud's face, blocking his game. He pushed it out of the way in time to hear,
"Finish him!! ~Fatality!"
"Son of a~"
Throwing the paddle on the floor, and turning off the Playstation at the same time, he batted away the flyer that was now fluttering around his right shoulder.
"Tifa, no. I am not letting you drag me to one of those stupid mixers again."
Vaulting over the back of the couch, Tifa plopped down next to her best friend. "Oh, come on!! It's being held by Phi Theta Kappa. You know they throw the best parties." She waggled the orange paper in front of the blue green eyes and disbelieving blonde brows of her friend.
"The last party you took me to was last Valentine's Day, and I kept getting hit on by some sloshed tart who didn't get the hint that I like cock." He shoved back into the couch corner, and picked up a book from the floor.
As he turned to his bookmark, he felt his thigh receive a vicious tap from Tifa's fist. "Dammit, Cloud!! That was once!! Let alone over 8 months ago! Could you possibly try and have fun?" She leaned in close with a knowing smile on her lips. "You might have a good time, and find a toy for the night."
Cloud rolled his eyes. "Come off it. I can get a fuck without putting in an appearance at a stupid party."
"Fine." Pursing her lips, Tifa set down the paper, and gingerly plucked Cloud's book from his hands. "Goddamn you, you stubborn son of a bitch!" She started wailing on his gravity defying spiky head. " I'm trying to get you out of your house for a little bit of fun, and you just want to stay in and miss one of the funnest nights of the year!"
Cloud swatted at the hands in vain, crying,
"Ti-ifa! Stop it! I don't want to go! Especially since we both know that you would pick out my costume, and it would be some faggy… THING!!!"
Tifa stalled for a moment, considering. Well…" She sat back, thinking, "If I can promise you something not faggy. . . " There went her first idea. ". . . will you come?"
Scrunching up in his corner, Cloud snatched up his book and hid behind it. "Only if you will swear, on you father's grave, by all that is good, and by any future fucks you may ever have, that my costume will NOT be faggy? No. . . handsome prince in tight leather pants, or Peter Pan, or something like that??"
"All right." Tifa grinned, and ran a and through Cloud's hair, ruffling it. "No faggy costumes, my little chocobo head!"
Groaning, Cloud pushed away the hand, and smiling slightly, he returned to his book.
-October 31st-
"Fuck no!"
"Cloud!!!" Tifa pounded on his bedroom door. "You promised me, you jackass!! You said you would come!"
The reply from Cloud was as clear as if the door wasn't there at all. "NOT IN THIS!!"
Ah. Yes. The costume. That had been a stroke of genius. "What?" It took great strength for her to choke down the raucous laughter in her throat. "What is the problem? It's not faggy!" No tight leather, no tights, no high-cut, middrift revealing, glittery-faerie-makeup-and-blush costume!"
"Ugh." Goddamn loopholes. "But it's so… stupid."
Running her hands down her own slinky police woman costume, she smiled. "Well. . . You didn't specify that it couldn't be 'stupid'. Besides, I think you look cute!"
The thunk of a head could be heard on the other side of the wooden door. "I'm a twenty-two year old man! I don't want to look 'cute'!"
"Well, suck it up, and stop being a whiny bitch." Tifa snapped. "You promised, and if you don't keep it, I'll kick down this door, strip you down to one of my lacy thongs, and drag you to the party like that."
Cloud had very little doubt in his mind that if he didn't come out, she would do as threatened. And as he didn't' want to go to a party --let alone anywhere in one of Tifa's 'special occasion' thongs-- he unlocked the door and trudged out.