The Office

Oscar and Andy

Summary: A belated Halloween Story. Andy is suppose to meet all of Oscar's friends for the first time and brings out all of Andy's insecurities

The Half Bear and the Try Hard

Harry Potter?

Chuck Bass?

Kurt von Trapp?

A Bumblebee?

Andy Bernard scrolled with a terrible sinking feeling developing in his stomach. He had left it too late; he was never going to find the perfect costume for Louis Beltmen's Annual Halloween Party. With hindsight, he'd realised that he'd been too cocky. He'd just assumed that he'd have nothing to worry about because he knocked the costume thing out of the park every single year. Yet now that he had an actual party to go to, Andy had left it to the week before to organise his outfit becasue he was too loved up to think about anything else. He was definitely screwed.

He took his search back to Google and was again disgusted by the lack of costume shops that had websites in the Scranton area. Was he living in 1998? He took three deep breaths. He couldn't let himself get sarcastic. Sarcasm let to negatively and negatively leads to aggression. Andy opened his eyes as he took his final breath, and stared at the screen again. It's blinking hopeless screen causing him to flick the whole thing off at the wall.

He heard shuffling from his hallway and suddenly his mood lifted. He skipped out of his study to find Oscar struggling with six bags of groceries and strained smile,

"A little help?"

He grunted and Andy took all six bags from his grip.

"No I meant halve…."

But sentence disappeared because Andy already had- into the kitchen.

"That place is a nightmare on a Saturday. Every mother and child grabbing at groceries like they have been hungry for a week. We are just going to have to start shopping after work. I don't care how tired we are, I'm not risking my life in that place again"

Andy cared about Oscar was saying, he really did but he had something more pressing to discuss.

"What are you wearing to Louis Beltman's Annual Halloween Party?"

He suddenly blurted. Oscar looked up from unpacking a bag of carrots, clearly surprised at the change in conversation

"Can you stop referring to it as 'Louis Beltman's Annual Halloween Party? It's just a Halloween party, at Louis''"

"But doesn't he have it every year?"

"Yeah but…I just don't think a bunch of people in costumes, standing around a bbq deserves a title"

"So it's outdoors?"

Andy suddenly panicked. It being outdoors, defiantly put a different spin on the whole costume issues. He now had to consider other factors. Why did everything always get ten times harder?

"Yes, sought of? He has this porch thing"

Andy rubbed his eyes, not wanting to get into linguistics about Louis Beltmen's landscaping. Outside the back door was outside; regardless of how he dressed it up.

"So what are you wearing?"

Andy repeated, hoping his partner would just give him a straight answer

"I'm not sure yet. Something simple. Kevin said I could borrow his dog suit. The head comes off, so that'll be more comfortable"

Over my dead body Andy thought

"What about you?"

Andy swallowed and resumed helping Oscar unpack

"It's a surprise"

He lied, not wanting Oscar to realise the lack of thought he had put into meeting his friends.

"A surprise? But won't I see it when we get ready?"

Andy pretended to be totally casual and focused on the box of cereal in his hand.

"I thought we were just going to meet there? You know, spend the day separate and then finally meet at the party. Like a bride and groom"

Oscar sighed

"It's just a dumb party that happens every year…."

He trailed off and shrugged

"Fine, will just do it your way"

Andy Bernard, you are a strong capable person. You will rock this outfit. Who cares if little thought was put into it? Who cares if that little thought is so evident? Who cares if Oscar cries because you are making it so clear that you don't care about making a good impression on his friends? So what if he breaks up with you? So what if every star falls from the sky? Who cares if you lose the will to live?

Andy checked the numbers of each of the houses as he passed. Louis lived in a cul-de-sac, one of Andy's top fifteen dreams; but it made parking painful. He had been force to park on the next block and walk. He didn't particularly mind but this was his fifth circle of the small street and his new shoes were starting to rub. He reached the street sign again and wondered if he should call Oscar and ask for the address again. He had been sure that Oscar had said seven, but house seven didn't have any balloons all decorations up. He couldn't even hear music playing. He must have just heard it wrong, and was attempting to guess which house had the party raging inside.

He was bouncing on his heels, deciding what to do next, when his phone buzzed.

Where r u?

Oscar had texted and Andy hissed, frustrated. He may as well just try door seven. If it's not them, then they might know where this Annual Halloween party is held. He buzzed the door and waited, praying that someone was even home. He had just pulled out his phone, about to call Oscar when someone (Andy guessed was suppose to be a police officer) answered the door.

He only had to see the officer's expression for a moment too realise there was no way he could go in. He felt sick and his eyes were filling up, he just knew it. There he stood, looking like he had just stepped out of the renaissance staring at a man who without his plastic badge and hat could have been just an ordinary dude.

"Hello?"

The police man asked, clearly unsure if Andy was sane.

"Hey…."

It was one of those fight or flight moments. He could have admitted to who he was and walk in with utter confidence, pretending that it didn't matter that he took a day off work to be prepared for this party. Or he could run away. Very far away and analyse why he was the way he was.

He raised his eyes, to meet the eye line of the officer and sighed. He was going to have to run. Oscar's friends couldn't meet him like this. Andy wanted to be able to socialise with these people with absolute ease. They were all going to take vacations and cooking classes together. Maybe even the occasional every Sunday brunch. He knew if he walked into the party like this, their invites would dwindle. Movement caught his eye and Oscar was standing at the end of the hall with a shocked expression. He was wearing the furry bear suit, its head in his arms. Even though even Oscar's costume was definitely a costume (unlike like this 'policeman' really a plastic badge?) it still had the ease of nonchalance. Andy pulled his cap and feather off and ran.

Oscar opened up and slid into his passenger seat, silently. Andy guessed this was the moment of 'the speech'

One that he had received from all of his past partner and even most of his friends.

You take things to far…its over.

If this is you not trying...I don't even want to know what you making an effort is.

"So…my surprise is you dressed as Da Vinci?"

"There was no surprise…I just hadn't thought of anything yet"

"You lied?"

Oscar noted, finding himself completely confused with the conversation

"Yes I did. Of course I did! I couldn't let you know that I hadn't worked it out yet"

"It wouldn't have mattered! It's just a lame party"

Andy studied Oscar closely

"Do you not have any idea what tonight is?"

"Halloween?"

Andy groaned

"I was supposed to meet all your friends tonight! This was my first impression night!"

Oscar smiled and pushed the bear head into the back seat.

"And dressing up elaborately would make a good impression?"

"Yes! It shows that I put a lot of effort into things that concern you!"

Oscar stared out into the dark and sighed

"This is why I need you in my life, Andy"

Andy, who had his head in is hands whipped up and stared at Oscar

"You have such an enthusiasm that nobody in my life has. Your good for me"

"You don't think I take things to far?"

"Oh of course I do!"

Oscar said with a laugh

"But you actually take them some place…that doesn't really make sense"

"But it does to me! We balance each other out"

Oscar gave Andy a small kiss and rubbed his cheek affectionately.

"Come on; meet me back at mine in like an hour?"

"An hour?"

Andy glances down at his outfit

"You want me to change"

He continued

"I have to go in, explain why I chased a renaissance man out of the house and make up an excuse to leave"

"I love how polite you are"

"But yes, the costume? I'd leave that on"

Short and sweet (hopefully) and I didn't just post it becasue I was too excited, I took the time to re-read it haha