"Hey TU student body, thanks for tuning in with–"

"Diamond!"

"And Pearl! We here at Tohjo Student Radio wanted to remind everyone that this afternoon at four o'clock begins the annual 'Pillowfort Festival' in the Student Commons on the hill. Our once a year donation event to promote social awareness and community on campus. Dia, why don't you tell the folks about it."

"Absolutely! Students who sign up to participate are given free reign of the Commons to construct an enormous maze of Pillow Pillary with blankets, cushions and of course pillows, provided by student housing! After the event all comfort items will be sanitized and cleaned before being distributed to local shelters and centers. Participants are welcome and encouraged to bring their own items to use for construction that will be donated after the event! So please come and support!"

"Well said Dia! And not a single joke! You must care a lot about this cause!"

"Making light of such an activity is pillow me!"

"Aaaaaand there it is. Remember listeners that's tonight at four in the student commons on the hill! See you there!"

The sun cast indiscernible shadows from the gathering clouds down to pavement below. Green sat on the trunk of her car, absentmindedly kicking her feet against the rear bumper as she waited anxiously. A gentle breeze swept through her hair as she looked up to tuck a strand behind her ear. Red appeared from the door to the residence hall and made his way toward her, raising a hand in greeting before restoring it to his pocket.

"Hey there."

"Hi Red, thanks for meeting with me."

She scooched over on the trunk lid to allow him to jump up and join her.

"How are you?" He asked in genuine concern as he looked over. Her expression was calm but strained as she smiled lightly.

"I'm okay. And I mean that. I just wanted to talk about a few things if you have a moment?"

"Yeah always. What's on your mind?"

Green took a sharp inhale as she steadied herself.

"The other day… when we .. we broke up. You said I didn't consider your feelings. I was hoping you could tell me how I made you feel that way?"

Red rubbed the back of his head before adjusting his cap as he gave her a half smile.

"I didn't mean that you never considered my feelings. You're always thinking of giving people your best. But when you get… when you were asking me all those questions about.. About Yellow and why we were hanging out. It felt like you didn't trust me."

He hesitated as she stared at him intently, taking in each word and processing it. When she remained silent he continued to elaborate.

"I hope I haven't given you any reason to think that… when we were dating.. I would have been unfaithful or cheated on you… The way you came off to me was accusatory and … it felt undeserved."

Green bit her bottom lip and started nodding and she took a breath. Red cracked his knuckles as he looked down toward his feet. The two sat in silence as the wind continued to pick up with the rolling clouds overhead. As another shadow began to pass over them, Green took a gulp and spoke.

"Thank you for telling me that. I think I have some things I need to work on... But I hope you know I do appreciate you being honest with me."

She looked over to him and smiled gently as he returned it. Unspoken the two embraced in a cathartic hug as the sun bled through the clouds again.

"Black come on! We need to head to the hill to register!"

Ruby stood in the hallway with several pillows tucked under his arm. His foot holding the door to his dorm open as he waited on his roommate.

"CALM DOWN I JUST NEED TO FIND MY HAT!"

Black's voice permeated the hallway in the residence hall as people began making their way out and down the elevators to go to the Pillowfort Festival at the commons.

"I told White we'd meet them at three thirty and it's already thirty five past! Hurry up!"

Ruby and White had decided to go to the festival as a group with their roommates after their first production meeting for the theater department the night prior. They'd be taking White's jeep up with their donation bedding and Ruby didn't want to miss their ride considering neither of them had cars and it looked like a storm was coming.

"HERE! I'M HERE!" Black shouted as he burst from the door, comforter tied around his neck like a cape as he had multiple pillows piled in his arms under his chin.

"Perfect. Great. Let's go!"

The two made their way with a group of other students down the elevator to the parking lot of the dorms. Once outside it was easy to see the White jeep with it's back hatch open and bursting with bedding across the tarmac. As the boys approached, White and Sapphire rounded the side of the vehicle.

"Hey guys! This is my roommate Sapphire."

"We've… met." Ruby stated cautiously as Black muffled a 'Hullo Boss' from his stack of pillows.

"I ain't got my gloves on me, so how's about a fresh start." Her snaggletooth smile inviting a proposed truce between the two.

"That's… a great idea. It's lovely to meet you Sapphire." Ruby smiled as she took some of the pillows from under his arms.

They forced the rest of the billowing comfort items into the jeep as Black raced around the to the side.

"SHOTGUN!"

Sapphire grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back to propel herself into the already open door.

"You snooze, you lose!" She laughed as she slammed the door on his surprised expression.

White gave a sympathetic smile as she walked around to the drivers side, letting the two boys take up the backseat.

Platinum was walking back toward the dorms to meet Green before they went to the commons. She pulled her scarf around her neck tighter as a small gust threatened the oncoming storm. As she made her way along the path down past the media center, she saw a trolley cart had tipped and thrown a variety of electrical equipment all across the lawn. Bundles of cables, several pop filters, and various other accessories spewed from milk crates as two boys were crouched on the ground attempting to redistribute the equipment to their original containers.

"Awh Pearl… I think the tripod leg snapped."

The boy who spoke held up a pronged support with one appendage clearly bent.

"Here Dia let me see."

The other boy took it and, with a groaning force, repositioned the leg of the tripod. Platinum's ears perked hearing both of their names. She made her way over and noticed that one of the casting wheels on the trolley had come unscrewed and fallen off causing the accident in the first place.

"Hi. Is everything okay? Can I help at all?"

The two looked up at her in surprise as Diamond fumbled with a coiled cable.

"No that's okay! We've got it under control!" He laughed stiffly as Pearl continued stuffing bungee cords into his milk crate.

"Don't worry Lady, we've got this… Thank you though." He tacked on after seeing Platinum's change in expression.

She was taken aback, but recovered as she pressed further.

"You both host the school's radio show right? TSR. Diamond and Pearl?"

Diamond's face flushed as she said his name and stood enthusiastically.

"That's right! We're Diamond–" He gestured to his friend still kneeling on the ground.

"She gets it Dia." Pearl retorted. "You'll have to excuse us, we're in a hurry."

"What's going on?" Platinum asked Diamond, intently dismissing Pearl's attitude.

"We're doing a remote broadcast from inside the pillowfort festival in the commons!" Diamond said jovially as he resumed his attempt at rescrewing the caster to the trolley.

"What he means is. We still have to set-up and test our equipment so we can hopefully broadcast from inside the event. However we keep getting distracted and now who knows if we'll make it." Pearl aggressively retied a loose mic cable around his arm as he shot a pointed look at his co-host.

"It's a long broadcast. I neeeeed snacks." Diamond replied sheepishly as he grinned at Platinum.

"Well let me help. We can save time if there's more hands working." Platinum suggested. The idea of a remote radio broadcast intrigued her as she watched Diamond struggle with the caster.

"Look lady, unless you have a car large enough to haul all of this without a trolley up the hill to the commons I think we're fine on our own." Pearl hinted as he closed the top of another crate.

Platinum gave a sly smile as she took off toward the dorms.

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

The student center was bustling as people were shuffling about with their various quantities of bedding and pillows. The service desk was a well oiled machine as the R.A.'s alternated between signing people up and directing them to quadrants to start setting up. The hopeful goal was to have one large, continuous maze of fabrics expanding the two floors of the vast building. A plethora of couch cushions, king pillows, and quilted comforters had already begun a weaving path through the main foyer. Students having to crawl through the first hurdles of cushy comfort in order to just get started.

Crystal walked through the double doors to the outside for a quick break. The wind picking up nearly took her hat with it as she leaned against the building and took a sip from her water bottle. She'd been running around all morning in preparation for today and although she was excited, was feeling the stress of pulling it off successfully. Finishing her sip, she leaned against the building and closed her eyes, taking a moment to decompress. Her phone vibrated briefly in her pocket.

"Look to your left."

Crystal's eyes shot to her side as she caught Gold smirking from the side of the building, giving her a frantic 'come here' wave before disappearing. She scowled as she checked her surroundings for secrecy before briskly speed-walking around to the secluded far side of the building. Thick trees and foliage obscured this side of the hill, hiding Gold who stood leaning back against the masonry in shadow. As Crystal rounded the structure, she immediately approached him and jabbed his chest with her index finger, pinning him to the wall.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?"

Her hushed whisper on the verge of a shout as she accused the boy before her.

"I'm allowed to attend school functions! I'm a student after all!"

He held his hands up in defense but couldn't mask his glee at Crystal's reaction.

"No, you're a walking problem for me. This is a HUGE event! I can't handle you on top of it."

Gold got a glint in his eyes at her word choice as he let his hands grip her hips.

"Then how about you just let me handle it."

And he pulled her to him. They both pressed their lips hungrily to each other as Gold maneuvered Crystal against the brickwork behind them. His arms wrapped around her back as she cupped his jaw in her hands. She indulged one more rabid suck of his lower lip before she pushed his face from hers and forced his eyes to meet her gaze.

"You. Will. Not. Make. Trouble."

"Okay."

"Say it."

"I will not make trouble for you."

Crystal blinked at the added words and let her brows furrow as she stared at him hard.

"What do you mean."

"Exactly what I said."

He smiled again and kissed her as the darkening skies echoed the first indications of the oncoming storm.

HERE WE GO GANG! The first big 'event' that I wanted to try with these characters. The stage is set and we are ready! Because this chapter started with the reconciliation between Red and Green, I wanted to separate this bit into two so that the next chapter can be all centralized within the pillowfort festival. Love the PMs I've gotten and as always, thank you so much for reading! -REN