Rei longed to make her evening productive - perhaps studying or catching up on a favorite book - though with the entire dormitory booming over Halloween, it was beyond wishful thinking. Every hall marked a different party. Even if she holed up in her room, the vibrations through the walls was enough of a distraction, let alone annoyance.

Then there were her roommates, who poked and begged Rei to tag along for an off-campus party. The seniors were fluent in hosting outlandish events along with having the perk of being off-campus.

"It'll be great!" one of them told her.

"Yeah, and who knows," the other chimed in, wiggling her eyebrows, "you might meet a guy who's interested in you!"

Rei huffed and slammed her textbook shut. "I'm not interested in boys."

"Well, then come for just the booze, then?"

She glared at her roommates. "Or getting drunk."

"You're not going to get drunk off of a couple of drinks."

Rising from her seat, Rei prepared to head back to her room. "You guys can have all the fun for me. I plan on staying in."

"Oh, please. Rei! You're going to be miserable in here! No one's going to quiet down in the dormitory until maybe three in the morning. At least if you're with us, it won't be so bad, right?"

Pausing, Rei lowered her gaze. She hated it when they trumped her with logic - their own logic, at that. "I don't have anything to wear," she admitted.

"What, have you never been to a Halloween party before?"

Sure, when I was seven. "And everything out there," Rei added, "is better suited for a stripper."

"Hey now." One of her roommates raised a finger. "Nothing wrong with strippers."

"Regardless," the other went on, "we can find you something that also doesn't scream slutty."

Rei smacked her face. "Yes... like I'd ever want that."

"So... does that mean you'll tag along if we help you find a costume?"

Looking back to her roommates - both of them glowing over the concept - Rei wondered which would produce a behemoth headache: staying in or going out. Upon assessing her predicament, Rei sighed and caved in. While the others squealed, Rei retreated to her room to enjoy some last minute solitude before she was dragged off in search for an elusive costume.

And when the night was still young, Rei showed up on the front porch with her roommates, donning a long, bohemian dress, lined with tiny bells. A bandana laced around her head and large, golden earrings dangled from her lobes. The fortune teller outfit resonated with her on top of being one of the more conservative costumes. Granted, she couldn't do much about the scooped neckline, save for covering up her cleavage with her hair, but it was the least of Rei's worries. Better than a micro skirt, anyways.

The party was indeed a hit, swarming with students. A remix of a popular song blasted from the living room. There was laughter and conversation - how anyone could converse in the noise was beyond Rei - along with drinks and food. Not that the endless bags of chips were appetizing, but they were better than the countless bottles of beer floating about the house. When she was little, Rei recalled Halloween being a thrilling evening, filled with ghosts and skeletons. She saw none of that before her; long gone were the days of spookiness, for what was presented before her was a reason for students to wear close to nothing in hopes to go home with someone else. Preferably someone attractive. None of which were Rei's intentions.

She stuck by her roommates for the most part, too skittish to try and approach a stranger. From a quick scan of the area, she doubted she could have an intelligent conversation with anyone. With the way many of the girls glossed over her costume with disgust lining their lips, Rei wrapped her arms around her form and wished she could vanish.

Maybe I should've stayed in my room after all.

Her roommates claimed they were grabbing more drinks and would be right back. Rei stood by her spot at the end of the stairs, trying to relax her arms back to her sides. Like many of the others, she held a beer bottle in one hand, though barely took two sip of it. Just another way to fit in. What was the point? After ten minutes, Rei figured her roommates were never returning to collect her.

She contemplated walking back to the main campus, though she knew better than to walk in the dark for two miles alone. Sighing, Rei mentally ridiculed herself up over the scenario she was caught up in. If only there was something to either whisk her away or at least distract her until the party was over.

Then a blunt force crashed into her from the side and knocked the beer bottle out of her hand.

The glass shattered through the wall of music filtering through the house. Those in the area perked up, examined the broken bottle, and then cheered over it, as if it was an accomplishment. Rei groaned over the lack of helpful souls in the vicinity.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry!"

The voice tugged at Rei and thus brought her to face not only the origin of the sound, but also the one who collided into her. Rei prepared to give the idiot a piece of her mind for not watching where they were going. Probably another drunkard who-

But she didn't expect to see the woman standing before her.

The blonde was dressed as a pirate - one of the sexy variations, no doubt - complete with striped stockings, knee-high boots, a flowing jacket, and a massive hat with a plume. The collision knocked her hat over, covering her eyes, though when she pushed it back up, she flashed her brilliant blue irises to Rei.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes displaying nothing but genuine concern.

Rei hesitated, then blushed. "I-I'm fine. Yes. Thank you."

The woman placed a hand upon Rei's shoulder. "Are you sure? I totally wasn't paying attention! I swear I'm not that drunk!"

And she wasn't, all things considered. No slurred words or excessive blushing or wobbling. Well, Rei was blushing, but it had nothing to do with alcohol.

"It's okay." Rei contemplated patting the woman's hand, only to blush more over the idea of their skin meeting.

Then the blonde eyed the mess the beer bottle created. "Yeesh! Oh lord, that's not okay! Shit, I'll try to find someone to help me clean that up."

"You don't-"

"Wait right here! I'll be right back!"

This time when those words were said to her, Rei held onto them, hoping the blonde woman meant it. Oh, she didn't want her to vanish just as her roommates had.

What are you thinking? Rei scolded herself. She's just some girl at a college party. She's probably not even interested in you like that. Might have a boyfriend lingering around somewhere.

In less than five minutes, she caught sight of a pirate returning to her with a waste basket and paper towels. "This ought to do the trick!" she exclaimed before tending to the broken glass and spilled alcohol.

Rei joined her in cleaning up, the rest of the party stepping around them. She tried hard to focus on the task at hand and not watch the blonde kneeling on the floor before her. Whenever her eyes wandered back to the woman, Rei caught herself, bit at her lip, and picked up her pace with soaking up puddles of beer.

Once they were done, however, she wasn't keen on parting ways with the woman quite yet. Rei tucked dark hair behind her ear and prepared to ask the woman for her name, only to be ignored as the blonde spotted a familiar face from the other side of the room. She rushed on over and left Rei to watch from afar.

Rei sighed. It was only fitting that their meeting would turn out the way it did.

She never did find her roommates, almost certain they either left the place with guys on their arms or returned to their dormitory without her. A couple people spoke with Rei, but their time together was spent in minutes. And whenever she spotted a fancy pirate captain's outfit - albeit with a short, layered skirt - Rei let her eyes wander to the woman she longed to know more about. But she eyed her caught within a swarm of boys. How was Rei to compete?

And when she had her fill of the festivities, Rei retreated to the front porch for solitude. A few stragglers stayed out there, either enjoying a cigarette or snuggling with a stranger for the usual drunken make-out session. Rei plopped down on the steps and cast her eyes to the night sky. The stars sparkled above and the chilly breeze prompted trees to dance nearby. The cold didn't bother Rei. From her new perch, she watched people come and go, occasionally glancing up into the starry night.

Though she never expected a particular face to grace herself to the likes of the porch.

"Hey you!"

Rei perked up over the familiar voice, then gasped when the blonde crashed next to her. She inched closer to Rei until their bodies touched. With a sigh, the woman removed her pirate's hat and placed it in her lap.

"I was starting to think you left for good!" she mentioned, smiling and staring at Rei. "Good to see you're still around?"

Am I imagining this? "Really?"

She nodded. "Of course! Cute girls like you are hard to find, you know."

Now she truly had to be dreaming. But maybe the other one was drunk. It was a possibility, considering where they were. Still, it was difficult to deny the blonde who was now leaning into her, body warm and soft.

"What's your name?"

Rei fluttered her eyes. "Mine?"

She giggled. "Yes, you!"

"Um... it's Rei."

And she purred. "Rei. I like that. Simple and sweet. Just like you."

Rei hoped her face wasn't the same hue the blonde's scarlet lips were.

"And yours?" Rei asked, ginger as ever.

"I'm Minako! Really glad to meet you."

Minako. Rei also liked that name, though it wasn't simple and sweet; it was elegant, yet seductive.

"Are you new around here?" Minako asked. "I've never seen you before."

"My roommates dragged me here," Rei explained. "I'm a junior, though."

Minako giggled again and Rei decided she would never tire of that sound. "You and me both! Well, the junior part. I live down the street, so I come here often for parties. Roommates didn't drag me, though. They still here?" When Rei shrugged, Minako winked at her. "Don't you worry! I'll take good care of you."

That shouldn't have put thoughts into Rei's mind, but it did.

But Minako's version of taking care of Rei involved exactly what Rei desired the whole evening. The two of them simply talked. Underneath the stars, they discussed their majors, their classes, their clubs, their dreams, and so much more. Rei lost track of time, never once paying attention to the bodies filtering out of the house or the music slowly dying down. All Rei could focus on was the blonde beauty who captivated her since their collision.

They smiled and laughed together. They inched closer to one another, sharing body heat whenever the wind blew by with autumn's chill lingering within it. Rei never wished for the night to end and she was beyond glad she never stayed locked up in her room to study, of all things. If she hadn't joined her ridiculous roommates, she wouldn't have met Minako and listened to her recount her recent volleyball games or music lessons.

Though when Minako yawned and her eyes dared to fall shut, it occurred to Rei how late it was. The house had quiet down significantly since her arrival.

"Is the party over?" Rei asked, looking back to examine the building. Oh, she did hope her roommates hadn't ditched her after all.

"Maybe?" Minako yawned again. "I don't know." She slumped over, resting her head on Rei's shoulder. "I am tired, though." Moaning to herself, she nestled further into Rei. "You're comfy."

Rei fluttered her eyes. "Um... I doubt falling asleep here will be conducive for either of us."

Minako whined. "But my bed is so far away!"

"Only down the street, right?" Minako nodded into her. "Well... that's better than my two mile walk."

"What?!" Minako snapped her eyes open and glanced up at Rei. "You're not walking back!"

"Well... I kind of have no choice if my roommates-"

"Nope! You're coming back with me."

Rei was convinced it was the alcohol which spurred Minako to latch onto her body. She gasped gently and looked down to the blonde clinging onto her.

"Minako, I wouldn't want to intrude."

But she shook her head. "I have enough room in my bed! You'll fit!"

Blushing harder, Rei bit her lip. Not to mention I'll be too distracted to actually fall asleep.

"Come on!" Minako prepared to rise to her feet. "We can head back now and-"

Halfway up, she wobbled and flailed to maintain balance. Rei was there in an instant to catch her. Once they both stabilized, Rei rose gradually with Minako and allowed the other woman to use her body as leverage.

"How about I at least walk you back," Rei offered. "I wouldn't want you falling on your face on the sidewalk."

"And I wouldn't want you sleeping on the floor or something!"

Rei chuckled, wrapping an arm around Minako and helped her down the steps. "Just point me in the direction and-"

"That way!" Minako flailed an arm in one direction.

"Alright. Off we go then. Careful, Minako."

"I am being careful!"

A thought came to Rei's mind and slipped past her lips. "Not sure how careful you're being if you're so eager to have a strange woman share your bed."

But she didn't expected Minako to ease into her and brush silky lips along her ear, let alone whisper decadent words. "You'd be worth the risk."

She blushed down to her toes, her heart pumping out of control. Before Rei could respond, Minako tripped over her feet. Again, Rei caught and helped her. Minako laughed and Rei sighed. Perhaps it was best not to be flirting with the buzzed woman.

They didn't have to walk far. Just as Minako promised, the house she lived in was down the street on a corner. She beamed and squealed upon reaching it and invited Rei inside. It was quiet in comparison, a few girls lingering about in the common space as Minako made a boisterous entrance. Her roommates waved to Rei, none of them questioning why Minako was dragging a woman to her room.

Up a flight of stairs and at the end of the hallway was Minako's bedroom. Fashion magazine cut-outs and music posters covered the walls. The aroma of lilies scented the air. While not as pristine and tidy as Rei's room, Minako's space was cozy and inviting. Rei smiled over the sight.

"Welp, here we are!" Minako exclaimed, flicking up one of the light switches to turn on the string of fairy lights around the wall by her bed. "Oh god, I can't wait to get out of this." Minako threw her hat to her desk and shrugged off her jacket. "I swear, this thing was getting so damn itchy after a while!"

Rei hitched her breath and averted her eyes once Minako tugged on the ties behind her outfit. As much as she wanted to watch, she didn't wish to be rude either, especially not when Minako was intoxicated. Rei wanted to believe she was better than all those boys gawking at her during the party.

A thud and squeak sounded from the bed. "Well? Aren't you going to come over?"

Swallowing hard, Rei peeked up to find Minako lounging back in bed. She wore a simple set of lingerie along with her striped stockings and boots. One could get used to the sight.

Minako beckoned for her. "Come on! There's plenty of room!"

With a sigh, Rei kicked off her shoes and approached the bed. Minako wiggled over to provide space for Rei, smiling when she finally joined.

"See!" Minako winked. "Told you!"

While Minako lied flat on her back, Rei propped up a pillow to recline halfway. "Thank you for letting me crash here."

"Pfff, like that's a problem. I wasn't going to let you have nowhere to go! Besides, I'd be a rather crappy pirate if I wasn't properly pillaging and plundering and all. Who knows, you're... what, a fortune teller? Gypsy? Something like that? You totally foresaw all of this. Nothing bad will happen!" Minako nodded and smirked to herself. "Yup, you just look into the stars and see fate intertwine and stuff!"

Rei couldn't help but giggle over Minako's explanation, just as she couldn't help but gloss over the woman's toned body in the faint lights. "That's a rather far-fetched theory."

"Hey, I'm just stating the facts."

She raised an eyebrow and teased Minako with, "And how much did you have to drink before finding me again?"

But she didn't expect those blue eyes to look up at her and soften with sincerity. "Enough to get the courage to approach you again."

Rei could have sooner foretold any of the events which occurred that night, save for the exact words which slipped out of Minako's lips.

Again, Rei hesitated, swearing her heart leapt into her throat to choke her. By the time she grabbed a thread of coherent thought, Minako yawned and snuggled deeper into her pillow.

"Guh, I'm exhausted," she said. "Just... going to close my eyes for a bit." Minako rolled into Rei. "You'll stay, won't you? Not going to run away come morning?"

"Why would I?"

Minako shrugged. "Don't know. Just... would be nice."

Rei waited for her to continue her train of thought, only to realize Minako had fallen asleep. And the blonde was quite a lovely sight as she rested in peace. Smiling to herself, Rei smoothed a hand over Minako's hair, then leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"Sleep well," she whispered into Minako before leaning further back to join her in some well-deserved sleep.

And when Rei opened her eyes, the sunlight spilled in from the window and spilled over her face. She winced and whimpered, stirring in bed. The scent of lilies welcomed her, the first sign that she wasn't in her own room. Rei cracked her eyes open and examined the strange surroundings.

"Hey you."

The tired voice brought Rei's attention down to what was next to her. She had almost forgotten she met Minako, let alone crashed at the woman's room. But there was Minako, clad in lingerie, stockings, and boots, nuzzling into Rei's side with an arm draped over her waist.

"Sleep well?" she asked Rei.

Must have if it went by in an instant. "Yeah." Rei nodded. "Thanks again."

Minako flashed a weary smile. "Hey, thank you for coming over." She stirred, averting a blushing face - yes, she was blushing - from Rei. "Almost thought it was a dream."

"What was?"

"Bringing you back here and all." She paused. "And meeting you in general."

Rei licked her lips. "I'm glad it wasn't."

Minako tossed her head back to rest upon Rei's shoulder. "Did we like... do anything?"

"Huh?"

"You know..."

Rei's eyes widened. "Uh, no. I mean... no, it's silly. I wouldn't have done anything to you while you were drinking. You don't deserve-"

She didn't notice Minako pushing herself up to seated. She didn't notice the blonde sweeping dark hair out of her face. She didn't notice the warm body straddling her lap. She didn't notice the heavenly face easing into hers.

But she did notice the soft lips closing over hers, eliciting coos from both of them.

"Not drinking now," Minako purred, sinking into Rei's body.

Releasing a breath of air, Rei looped her arms around Minako's hips and nuzzled her nose into hers. "No." She sought out her lips again, closed her eyes, and said, "No, you're not."