A/N: This was originally posted as part of a Halloween collection called Halloween: Tricks and Treats Collection which can be found on woundedhearts page, link in my profile. If you like any part of this you should go and read the whole collection, where stories much better than this are. And while you're at it, read the rest of the stuff woundedhearts has got up, it's all gold.
It's All About the Costumes
By: SilverTurtle
They were going to win that costume contest. There were no two ways about it. With three weeks to prepare, their costumes would be perfect…if they could decide what those costumes would be.
"London, I am not dressing as Gabrielle!" Maddie raised her voice to be heard in the unusually loud lobby of the Tipton Hotel.
London pouted, "Why not, Maddie? She's the smart one, you're the smart one. It's perfect!"
Maddie shot London a blistering look and hissed, "She's also the short one and the skimpily dressed one. You're short, you be Gabrielle. I want to be Xena! At least Xena carries weapons."
"But Xena is a brunette, I'm a brunette." London flipped her hair over her shoulder, "It makes the most sense this way."
"I am not dressing as Gabrielle, and that is final. There is no way I'm wearing a mini-skirt and halter top in October. No chance."
London tried once more, she really wanted to see Maddie in that outfit, "But Maddie-"
"No, London. We'll just have to think of something else." The matter was closed as Maddie turned away to help a customer at the candy counter. London pouted some more and left the lobby.
Cody, having heard the whole thing, sat down to think.
The elevator doors opened to disgorge London and Maddie into the lobby, dressed in uniform and on their way to school.
Cody listened to their conversation as they passed him by.
"Okay," London started, "what about Wonder Woman? She's strong and heroic, a paragon of girl-power."
Maddie nodded, liking that idea, "Then who would I be?"
London looked at her and said in her very best 'duh' voice, "You'd be Wonder Woman."
Confused, Maddie asked, "Then who would you be?"
"Hawk-girl?" London didn't really like the idea of being Hawk-girl. Her costume was ugly, the wings would be heavy, and she didn't want to have to carry that weapon around all night. She wanted a costume that would show her off to her best advantage, she really wanted Maddie to notice her.
"Mmm," Maddie was shaking her head, "no. Wings would be bulky and hard to make. Besides, you remember that episode of Justice League we watched where she totally betrayed the Earth? You don't want to be her."
London had totally forgotten that episode. She remembered it vaguely, she'd spent that afternoon staring at Maddie's legs, wishing she could slide those knee socks off and run her hands over smooth skin. She shook herself out of the fantasy and back into the conversation, "Well, I could always be Princess Audrey to your Wonder Woman." She'd always thought there was more to that relationship than appeared on screen, they'd totally pinged her gaydar.
Maddie laughed, "I don't think that would work. She's too obscure a character. Everyone would think you were trying to be a long haired Marilyn Monroe."
As they passed out of the lobby and into the chilly streets of Boston, Cody once more sat back to think.
Maddie and London moved quickly from the streets into the Tipton lobby, shaking water from their hair. It had started to rain and neither had brought an umbrella.
Maddie went straight to the candy counter, affixing her nametag to her shirt and dumping her backpack behind the counter where it wouldn't be seen. London followed her.
"Well, what about the pink and yellow Power Rangers? The Mighty Morphin' ones?" London didn't like the idea of full helmet masks, but could totally get behind the skin tight body suits.
"That's actually a pretty good idea, London."
Zack popped up in front of the counter, "I could be your Tommy, baby." The sheer amount of sleaze in his voice made Maddie shudder.
London glared down at the hormonal young teen, having sudden images in her head of tearing him limb from limb with the saber tooth tiger Megazord.
"You know, London," Maddie's voice pulled her from her violent imaginings. Maddie was eying Zack with a mixture of disgust and concern, "the Power Rangers aren't really complete without the full set and some zords. We should think of something else." The pleading look she shot London dissipated some of the sudden dislike she had for the bolder Martin brother.
"Yeah. Especially since we can't enter anymore people."
They both eyed Zack as he slunk away from the candy counter, no doubt planning some prank on a hapless guest.
Cody, sitting on one of the lobby couches, had heard everything. He got up and went to his room.
London and Maddie were walking down a hallway to London's suite still arguing about what their costumes would be when Cody stopped them.
"Hey, London, Maddie."
"Hey, Cody." The girls chorused with genuine smiles on their faces.
"What's up?" Maddie asked.
"Well," the nervous boy started, "I've heard you two discussing possible costume choices for a contest and I thought these might help."
The girls looked at what he held and smiled with a little confusion. London said, "Your comic books, Cody?"
The boy nodded. "Yup. See, there are a lot of super powered women in these. All of them in easy to copy costumes. I figured there are a wide enough variety of people in these that you two would be able to pick a pair that worked for you both."
"That's really sweet, Cody," Maddie said, "Thank you."
London, already flipping through a comic, looked up and thanked him too. "These'll be really helpful. Thanks Cody!"
Cody was surprised when both girls kissed his cheeks and liberated the comics from his grasp. They had disappeared into London's suite before he'd regained his senses. He was smiling hugely for the rest of the day.
Two weeks later it was Halloween day, the day of the costume contest. London and Maddie hadn't told anyone what their costumes would be. They had hidden their costumes in their bags as they'd gone to school, planning to dress there since the contest and judging weren't until the end of the school day.
Cody couldn't wait to see what they'd chosen, they'd promised to wear their costumes home. Looking out the windows of the Tipton lobby Cody saw dozens of people running around in costume, not all of them children. He too was dressed in a costume; his entire school had worn costumes to school that day. Cody had gone as a mad scientist, complete with rubber gloves, wild hair, a scorched lab coat, and a button that said 'Ask me about my Bunsen Burner'.
His attention was pulled away from the windows by Arwin, dressed as Frankenstein's monster, creating and averting some minor disaster by the check in desk.
Suddenly voices behind him cheered, "We won the contest!"
Cody whirled around and saw Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy bouncing around the lobby. They were good costumes.
'Poison Ivy' caught sight of him and grabbed him around the shoulders in a hug squealing, "We won, Cody, we won! All thanks to you and your comic books! Thank you!" As he was swung about in her arms he knew this was Maddie, which made 'Harley' London. He laughed; he'd have never expected them to choose villains.
Suddenly London got in on the hug, too. Even though he was starting to feel a little stifled he wasn't going to complain. Who would? He had rather good imitations of Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn trapping him between them, no man in his right mind would try to escape that. They released him still laughing.
Cody took a closer look at their costumes.
Maddie had used a temporary dye to color her hair a particularly vibrant shade of red; almost an exact match for Ivy. She wore the classic Ivy costume, stylized leaves covering from chest to crotch, leafy elbow gloves, green tights and knee high leaf boots. A modification had been made, there were vines hanging from her arms and curving around her back like a shawl. He watched as she flung one out and caught London, the end of the vine snapping closed around the heiress' wrist. When he asked, Maddie told him she had put those plastic snap bracelets in the ends of each of the vines as she towed London towards them both laughing.
London's costume was just as amazing as Maddie's. She had a complete replica of Harley's red and black cat suit. Her face was painted white, lips red, and a black domino mask covered her eyes. Her hair was hidden by the jester's hood Harley always wore. It all fit London like a second skin. It was no wonder these two had won, they were gorgeous and accurate.
"You two look great! Harley and Ivy were perfect choices!" He enthused.
"Thanks Cody," London smiled at him.
They all wandered over to in front of the candy counter to talk more.
Maddie said, "Those comic books were really helpful Cody. There were so many choices!"
"Why'd you pick Harley and Ivy?" He didn't think they would have chosen to be villains; Maddie is usually all about the heroes.
"Actually, London picked them."
They turned to London, the question clear in their eyes.
London didn't have an answer she was willing to share with them. She picked them because she liked all the subtext in their relationship; she thought it was a lot like her and Maddie's relationship. There was no way those two were just 'best gal pals'. It didn't hurt that their costumes were smoking hot sexy.
Luckily she was saved from answering by Santa popping up behind the candy counter and dangling mistletoe from a pole above her and Maddie's heads.
"Surprise ladies! Tradition demands a kiss."
Maddie instantly knew that voice, "Zack! I really don't think that's app-"
She didn't get the chance to finish. London had grabbed her, turning Maddie's head and dragging her down into a kiss. London made a noise that turned Maddie's knees to jelly and prompted her to kiss back enthusiastically.
Cody, wide-eyed, stuttered something and disappeared into the lounge.
Zack stood slack-jawed, his fake Santa beard slipping off one ear and his belly pillow sliding out from underneath his large coat.
London pulled back and whispered, "Yay me."
Maddie looked into London's eyes, seeing all the things London couldn't say, and dove in for another kiss.
They heard Zack howl, "BEST HALLOWEEN EVER!!"
Pamela Isley, a.k.a. Poison Ivy, sat up in her bed with a gasp. "How strange," she whispered.
"What'sa matta Red?" A sleepy voice slurred to Ivy's left.
Ivy looked over at her companion and lover, admiring the vast expanses of smooth exposed skin and the drowsy smile. "Nothing Harley." She smiled down at her girl, "Just an odd dream. Everything's perfect."
Harley reached out and pulled Ivy down beside her and said, "I know a way to make everything even better, Red."
Harley kissed her as she pulled the covers over both of their heads, giggling.
A/N: I love Halloween. Please review.