The Halloween Crush
"No time for dilly-dallying, Mal!"
Uma watched highly amused as Mal was dragged off by the blue haired girl from their Intro to Writing class. Despite the complaints and annoyed groans, Uma knew her roommate/frenemy wasn't completely against this girl - Evie, if Uma remembered correctly - and the smiling son of the university's president who was watching the two with an enchanted look in his eyes.
Uma didn't know who she was betting on to make the first move on her roommate but whoever it was she hoped they took the stick out of Mal's butt soon.
Sighing with her only source of amusement now dragged away, Uma looked around the quad turned spooky fairground. She had to admit, the decorations and set up for this "All Day Halloween Masquerade Spectacular" as the signs had read, weren't bad. It was like stepping into some spooky fairy-tale: whimsical with elements of the unknown tied seamlessly together with pumpkins, and realistic looking cobs, and the night sky above.
It was almost enjoyable.
She tugged self-consciously at the white ruffled crop top that exposed the smooth skin of her midriff, glaring at a group of upperclassmen who leered a little bit too long at the amount of skin her costume revealed.
Lesson learned: Never trust your cousin with picking costumes ever again. Jonas probably picked this humiliating cheap "sexy pirate wench" costume to get her back for the prank she and Desiree pulled on him a few weeks ago.
Uma shivered, poorly attempting to not look so cold and uncomfortable. She didn't want to give any of the creeps who were gathered together, occasionally glancing in her direction, any invitation to start a conversation with her.
Readjusting the basic teal colored mask that Jonas had also provided with her costume. Uma pushed her way towards the stage located towards the back of the quad. Only a few people were there, the first band still setting up.
She wanted to catch Jonas and his roommate's Gonzo's band to waste some time before she met up Audrey who was on the planning committee to show her face before she was allowed to go back to her dorm and have a Netflix binge like she had initially planned before Jonas had begged to watch him perform.
A water bottle that was filled with something that definitely was not water was suddenly placed right in her face.
"You want some?" a guy in what looked very much like a last minute costume of a white bed sheet wrapped around his waist and slung across one of his shoulder and crudely drawn hearts around his nipples. Even with his ill matching feathered mask on, Uma could tell it was Chad, one of the legacy students who had apparently partied so hard most of his first year that he had failed most, if not all of his classes. The only reason why he only got off with academic probation was because his parents were one of the biggest donors to Auradon University.
Privileged momma's boy, Uma wanted to snort.
"No, thanks," she managed not to growl out as she used the back of her hand to move his and the bottle away. It was still pretty early in the festivities and he smelt like he had soaked in alcohol for days.
"Come on, babe. It's the good stuff," Chad slurred blocking her path when she tried to move around him. She could physically feel the way his eyes roamed her body and the exposed skin that her costume allowed. Just being in his presence nearly made Uma want to throw up all over his bedsheet toga.
Trying once again to move around him, Uma let out a growl when the idiot boy dared to grab onto her arm, his grip tight, almost bruising in his intoxicated state.
"Seriously, just come this way with me. It'll be fun," Chad gave his poor attempt at living up to his name and failed at grinning charmingly.
Just before Uma was able to bring her boot clad foot down on Chad's sandaled feet, a polished hook was shoved threateningly in the blonde's face.
"I think ye need to listen to a lass when she says no, laddie," a thick brogue chucked.
Uma followed the hook to where it connected to a hand holding it, up a red leather clad arm, up to intense bright blue eyes framed by a black mask - very reminiscent of Zorro - that only highlighted the heat behind the intense glare that was being directed at Chad.
Uma's heart did not skip a beat at the cheeky wink this stranger sent her before returning his glare back on Chad.
In his drunken state, Chad obviously couldn't comprehend that the hook getting closer and closer to his face was fake and began to cry big fat ugly tears. Her red leather clad stranger rolled his eyes before shoving the other boy away.
"Go on! Away with ye, sharkbait!" Chad did not have to be told twice, disappearing with a whimper through the crowd.
"You didn't have to do that. I had it covered," Uma guardedly looked him over. He wasn't one of the creeps that had been leering at her earlier but it wouldn't be the first time some asshole tried to pull some chivalry crap on her only to reveal his true fuck boy colors.
What was he even supposed to be even way? He looked like a red leather jacket wearing Zorro with a hook and a cheap pirate's hat. Something gave Uma the thought that this was as last minute of a costume idea as hers was.
It did nothing to hinder the fact that he was pretty attractive looking
Pirate Zorro winked at her. (God she hoped she didn't say that last part aloud.)
"I know ye had it handled, lass," he chuckled with a thick accent. "But what kind of dashing swashbuckler would I be if I didn't take an opportunity to scare away a disgusting bilge rat like Chad Charming? Did ye see the way he almost wet his wee little diaper?"
A laugh escaped her lips and pirate Zorro's eyes lit up.
"Ah! This buccaneer is able to make the fearsome pirate queen laugh!" he grinned flirtatiously though it wasn't as off putting as Uma had initially thought it would be. "Praise to the seven seas for this beautiful sight!"
"Laying it on a little thick, bud," Uma rolled her eyes but with an amused smile. "I think this is the opposite of fearsome," she waved at her costume. "And I'm definitely not a queen. Not without a crown."
"Ye don't need to wear a some fake crown to be a queen, darling," he breathed softly with such intensity that Uma felt like she would drown in his bright blue eyes. Her cheeks were not warm because of some lame line from a dude dressed up like Pirate Zorro. Nope. Uh-uh. Not happening.
"What's your name?" she asked grasping for any sort of control in this conversation.
"Hook."
She raised a brow in question. "Hook?" she frowned, mind immediately going to children stories of Neverland and fairies.
"First Mate Hook," the boy just grinned and Uma merely rolled her eyes. Guess he was really playing into the whole masquerade deal.
Uma glanced up at the stage, noting that there were still several acts before Jonas and Gonzo's band went up. She had time to waste, she thought as she brought her attention back to "First Mate Hook".
"A first mate, huh?" she smirked, crossing her arms, calling up all her confidence. "Who's your captain then?"
He grinned down at her, mischief in his eyes. "Well, she's a fearsome pirate queen…"
THEHALLOWEENCRUSH
"I swear that barista purposely got my order wrong. Again!" Audrey huffed as she plopped down in the booth seat across from Uma the next day.
Mal managed to snicker next to Uma as she took a sip of her coffee, despite the fact that Mal was not really a person until she had her second cup of coffee. ("Black like her soul," Uma would always snip only to be kicked under the table by three inch chunky black boot.) "Maybe it's because you always order the most obnoxious drink ever, princess," Mal teased in that somewhat mean but mostly harmless way that all three girls had built their friendship on.
Uma rolled her eyes, tuning out Audrey explaining to Mal how a venti, half-whole milk, one quarter 1%, one quarter non-fat, extra hot, split quad shots, no foam latte, with whip, 2 packets of splenda, 1 sugar in the raw, a touch of vanilla syrup and 3 short sprinkles of cinnamon was not that complicated to make, thank you very much.
Instead, she was staring down at the bracelet strung together with white beads and one red bead, that Hook had picked out for her at one of the booths. Uma had turned it down despite how pretty she thought it was, somewhat relaxed but still weary that this was all an elaborate ploy to get her in bed with him, but Hook was merely a flirt. He didn't crowd into her personal space and never even insinuated that they leave the festivities for other activities which Uma appreciated.
They had watched Jonas and Gonzo's band, Uma sometimes unconsciously singing along to the words of the song that she had heard the two practice for weeks. When she would glance at her hooked companion, her cheeks warmed at the awestruck look that she could see on his face even with his mask.
"Ye have a lovely voice, lass," he had had complimented earnestly to Uma's slight embarrassment.
They then went around the quad, both cackling at some of the lame couple costumes, and playing some of the festival games, taunting and teasing each other as they tried to see who could win the most games, before going to the masquerade ball where Hook helped Uma take some embarrassing pictures of Mal dancing (because reconciled friendship or not, Uma was not going to pass up on an opportunity to blackmail her roommate).
At one point, he had taken her phone from her hand and turned it so that they could take a few selfies. When she asked if he wanted her to send him the pictures he shook his head.
"I don't need a picture to remember your face, darling," he flirted in a way that was slightly different from the playful flirting he had been doing most of their time together. Uma had merely bit her lip, nodding before turning away from his intense eyes.
By the end of the night, when the ball was dying down and everyone else was either heading back to their dorms or to one of the many after-parties, Hook had taken her hand, pressing a light but lingering kiss to the back of her fingers, bright blue eyes never leaving hers before parting with a, "Sleep well, darling" and then taking his leave. And not even returning back to her dorm room to find Mal sprawled on the bed with kissed bruised lips and a hand wandering dangerously close to a brightly blushing Ben's crotch, his neck blotched with love bites, could wipe the small smile that had found its way onto Uma's lips.
It wasn't until she woke up that morning that she noticed that the white bracelet with its single red bead had been slipped on her wrist at some point the night before.
She didn't take it off.
"Hey! Earth to Uma!" Mal's face suddenly registered as very close to hers as she was brought back to the present.
"What?" Uma frowned, hating the inquisitive look on her roommate's face. Mal had a bad habit of sticking her little nose in Uma's business and finding some way of teasing her over any and every thing and...Uma didn't want Mal teasing her over a little crush she had gotten over a masked guy she would probably never meet again, least of all even recognize without his mask.
"Your order was called," Audrey informed not even looking up from the small compact mirror she was examining as she touched up her makeup. "That idiot barista probably got your order wrong too," she murmured as Uma slid out of the booth and walked to the counter.
When she got there, the barista slid her caramel iced coffee (just like she ordered it) in front of her along with a blueberry muffin.
Uma paused before looking at the barista who was already beginning to make the next customer's order.
"Excuse me, but I didn't order the muffin," she said trying to catch the eye of Audrey's least favorite barista.
"Some guy named Hook ordered it earlier," the barista replied, hands never slowing as he continued his work. "Said to give it to his Captain with teal braids. Your the only one with teal braids I've ever seen on this campus," he said before calling out an order for an "Ally".
Uma frowned, but took her drink and the muffin anyway back to her table.
"I didn't know you ordered a muffin," Mal said as she quickly pulled a piece from it for herself as soon as Uma had put it down. Even Audrey took a small piece of it for herself, popping it daintily in her mouth in the way that only Audrey could ever manage to pull off despite Uma's scowl.
"I didn't," Uma slid the muffin protectively closer to her. "Someone else ordered it for me."
Attention captured, Mal and Audrey looked at her confused. "Who?" the asked.
Uma took a piece of muffin for herself and chewed on it, savoring the sweet flavor, wondering if it was just coincidence that he had picked her favorite muffin flavor.
Shrugging nonchalantly, she simply said, "Pirate Zorro," to her friends' confusion, none of the girls seeing the small grin and mischief filled blue eyes of the barista.
Hey everyone! This is just a little something I did based on a Huma Halloween headcannon that I did on Tumblr. I might add a second part. I might not. If it's not up by the weekend after Halloween then there probably won't be a second part. Either way, I hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think!