~Oh Senpai~
~Chapter 4: Masquerade ~

She held her arms around the male's neck. She was dressed as a princess from one of her animes and he was dressed as a knight. A perfect pairing for such a perfect event. He was holding his hands on her waist and smiling at her lovingly. She felt so perfect being able to be with someone who showed her he cared even a bit. She was enjoying herself to the fullest. They were dancing to a slow song. His smile looked so perfect. With the masks they were unable to see each other's faces but their lips were still free. At one point he leaned close as he was about to kiss her.

~3 days earlier~

"Come on! Why don't you want to go?" Latula asked looking at Damara. With Meulin deaf, she was the one who spoke for her and tried helping her as much as she could. They were still working on getting Damara and Kankri together. It wasn't going as good as they wanted with Rufioh meddling in all the time. But maybe this masquerade could be perfect to get them together. Everyone would be under masks. It was a night where you could make out with the person you wanted to but again, the night where you could end up kissing the person you hate the most, a perfect place to get Damara and Kankri ship to finally set sail.

"Because I don't see a reason why. I am not really a person for that. I would rather stay home and relax." She said looking at her friends who were stubborn about her going to the Halloween Masquerade Party. How could they not take "no" for an answer. "But Kankri will be there. And Rufioh as well." Latula was stubborn as Meulin just sat there smiling, unable to hear them at all. She was deaf after all.

It took them quite some time before finally succeeding in her agreeing to go dressed as a princess from some anime she liked. Meulin knew how everyone from their group of friends and people they knew was going to go. How? Nobody knew. She knew what Kankri was going so she made sure Damara would go as the perfect pair for him. And they could just get somewhere in the back and Latula can tell Rufioh that Damara didn't come. She was overly-excited just thinking of Damara and Kankri getting together. They were just perfect for each other.

The Halloween party was happening three days from now. Both Latula and Meulin noticed that Damara was slowly thinking less and less about Kankri and more and more about Rufioh. She was really falling in love with him and by his actions it seemed like he loved her just as much. The chance of Damara and Kankri getting together had dropped really low over the past month. Damara and Rufioh were together all the time, laughing together, smiling, cuddling and kissing. Latula was worried about Meulin who was going crazy over it and also about Mituna who was allowed to come back to school but had to wear a helmet because his brain had a big injury from the fall and he had to protect it.

Damara was hoping that everything would work out fine. She had her boyfriend and her friends. But, two days before the party, Rufioh approached her and said "Damara, 1 th1nk we should break up. 1 found someone else and you are just not the type of g1rl for me. 1 am sorry". She just stood looking at him. What did he just say? He is… breaking up with her? She felt her heart breaking into a million pieces as she just stood there. She was speechless but after a bit she decided to speak. "Oh… I see… Okay" she said as he gave her an awkward smile before waving goodbye and leaving. She headed towards the bathroom as she felt tears gathering in her eyes. Once she was in the bathroom, tears rolled down her cheeks as she felt like screaming out but she didn't. She let out silent sobs before wiping the tears away and heading out of the bathroom. She really hoped she wouldn't run into anyone she knew or anyone who would remember her right now. She was way too depressed to see anyone.

But luck just wasn't on her side that day. While walking to class with her head down, she bumped in to someone. She was too lazy to look who it was she bumped into and she really didn't want that someone to see her crying so she just looked at what he was wearing. She caught a glimpse of a familiar red sweater before she automatically looked at the face of the male and mumbled "Gomenasai". Kankri looked at her and was about to hold his speech like he did before but then noticed the sadness in her eyes as he frowned a bit. He was worried about her. "What happened t9 y9u, Damara? If there is anything wr9ng, y9u can tell me and I can try t9 help y9u, I kn9w I can 6e 69ring and all 6ut please if y9u ever need anything, 6e free t9 talk t9 me and I will try t9 help y9u…" he started and was about to continue but she put her hand over his mouth and just shook her head. "Please not now… I am not in the mood for it" she said before just leaving him to stand there. The look in her eyes made him want to hug her and kiss her and tell her about his feelings for her but he knew he couldn't do that. He just watched her go away and disappear into the bunch of people that was going to the class before he himself went to his next class as well.

The two didn't see each other till the end of the school day when Damara was sitting alone on the bleachers, the same ones under which she and Kankri kissed. She was deep in thoughts, trying not to cry again. When he was done with his student council duties, Kankri walked to the bleachers just to check if there was someone there and he saw Damara. He smiled a bit before seeing how she looked. He frowned before approaching her and silently sitting next to her. She didn't even flinch a bit. After a bit, he took a deep breath before trying to be as short as he could. "Damara, if y9u need t9 9pen up, I am here, I w9n't tease y9u 9r anything, I am just g9ing t9 listen. I can 6e y9ur sh9ulder t9 cry 9n s9 please, d9n't 6e s9 sad, if that guy is the pr96lem, d9n't w9rry, he isn't w9rthy 9f y9ur l9ve, y9u deserve s9me9ne wh9 will treat y9u with l9ve and care. S9me9ne wh9 will make y9u feel like a princess every day" he said as she just leaned against him while he talked. His voice was really soothing and she just wanted to relax a bit. "You talk too much… But thanks I guess…" she said before sitting up straight again. "I better get going; I need to get a costume ready since my friend asked me to go to the Halloween Masquerade Party" she said as she pecked his cheek softly before heading towards the bus stop to go home. Kankri stayed on the bleachers a bit as he put his hand over his cheek where she kissed him as he blushed. Now he was sure he will be going to the party. After a bit he headed home as well. He needed to prepare a costume for the party. He has decided what he was going to dress up as.

The day before the party pretty much went fast for everyone. All they talked at school was he party and who was going with who, who was going to be what and similar. Meulin and Latula had agreed with Mituna and Kurloz, well mostly Kurloz, that to the party they will go together with Damara and that they should come with Kankri and then they can part away. The two girls had pulled these two guys into their plan on bringing Damara and Kankri together. Kurloz, even though he still had a crush on Kankri, agreed to help Meulin since she looked so cute while asking him that he just couldn't say no. They were going to get Kankri and Damara accidentally run into each other and get them to dance to a slow song.

~Party Time~

Once the day of the party came, everybody was so excited that even the principal allowed the school to end quicker. All of the students practically ran home to get ready for the masquerade. When Damara came home, her sister was already there waiting to help her get into her cosplay and get ready. Once they were almost finished, Aradia's phone rand and she picked up to see who it was. It was her boyfriend, Sollux, inviting her to go to the masquerade with him and she looked at Damara who just nodded so she agreed. Damara fixed her cosplay before going to help Aradia with her own. They dressed her up as a maid and added up some scary features. They looked nothing alike dressed like that.

Sollux got dressed as a vampire. He looked at himself in the mirror and nodded loving how he looked before heading over to Aradia and Damara's place to pick up Aradia for the party. Damara opened the door for him and smirked slightly before calling her sister. "I'll be right there" came a response as Damara let the male in, leaning her back against the wall. "I am Damara, her sister. If you even try hurting her, I will find you and kill you" she said with sort of a smile. She loved her little sister more than she sometimes showed. Sollux gulped and nodded. "II would never hurt her. II love her wiith all of my heart." He said before Aradia got down the stairs and smiled at Sollux innocently. "What d0 y0u think s0llux?" she asked as she turned for 360 degrees so that he sees all of it. The dress was nicely covering her pudgy tummy and made her look sexy. Sollux was unable to get his eyes off of her. "You look amazing AA" he said before taking her hand and then looking at Damara. "When do II need two bring her back?" he asked as Damara thought a bit. "Well, the party is ending around midnight, at 12:30 am she needs to be home." She said meaning she gave them have around 15 minutes after the party to hang out some more. After that Sollux headed to their high school while holding Aradia's hand.

It wasn't long after that that a car pulled in front of her house and Latula honked at her. "Com3 on g1rl! W3 h4v3 4 p4rty to g3t to!" she said and laughed a bit as Meulin just waved at her. Damara smiled as she headed out after telling mom when she will be back and then got in on the back seat. Latula was on the driver's seat in her dragon costume while on the passenger seat was Meulin in her kitty costume. But not a cat but more like a sexy outfit with kitty ears and tail. She dressed that way just for Kurloz. Latula and Meulin had worked over the plan of action before coming here to get Damara. Latula drove towards the high school at normal speed. The party had already started but a part of the plan was for them to be a little late.

When they got into the gym where the party was, a reflector fell onto Damara as she looked around not sure what was happening. Her friends suddenly just disappeared from her side as a song started playing:

"Who's that girl, who's that girl?

When you see her, say a prayer and kiss your heart goodbye
she's trouble, in a word get closer to the fire
Run faster, her laughter burns you up inside
you're spinning round and round
you can't get up, you try but you can't"

She blushed a bit as the whole room practically turned to see who it was. She noticed Latula as she walked over to her. Even though her outfit was more something for a cosplay con, with the way she did her make up, and the choice of cosplay she had, she was both beautiful and scary at the same time. "Did you have something to do with this?" she asked Latula who just chuckled, standing in her dragon costume next to Mituna who was dressed like a robot making some robot sounds and laughing at him. "Sort of y34h! 1sn't 1t r4d?" she asked before patting her shoulder a bit and then pecking Mituna's cheek. Mituna looked at her before smiling and wrapping arms around her happily. Damara just shook her head before scanning the room to make sure her sister is okay. She noticed her with the male who picked her up earlier and smiled a bit to herself seeing that she was happy.

She decided to take a stroll around the gymnasium and get herself some drink. Maybe even talk to someone while she's there. She got herself some coke and drunk it slowly while leaning against the wall and watching all the students dance and chat with each other. She sighed softly as she missed Rufioh and all the times they cuddled and kissed. She could feel tears gathering in her eyes again as she just shook away that thought. She came here to have fun. She shouldn't think about that idiot who broke her heart.

"You are here to dance and relax. Since you are in a costume, no one will know if it's you or your brother so just relax and have fun" Kurloz signed to Kankri as they entered the party. Kankri let out a soft groan. "9kay, 9kay, I get it" Kankri said, first time short and understanding. He looked around the party as he wondered who to approach and start talking with but the moment he turned to ask his friend, the male in a skeleton costume was gone without a trail. He had gone to his female friend who was dressed as a cat with a smile. He signed a comment to her and she blushed deeply, embarrassed to hear such a thing but still kissed his cheek. Kankri sighed as he stood there in the knight outfit. What was he supposed to do now? He wasn't sure who is who here. He would bug his younger brother, but sadly he didn't come saying he had important business to attend to. Which he knew meant that he wanted to watch the concert of his favorite pop star on the internet.

Even though the school was against it at first, they agreed that there will be a few strip poles in the room if someone would like to try to dance around them. At first people thought they were going to be wasted just like that but then the DJs played a sexy song and the reflectors went on one of the strip poles, everyone going there to see what was going on. Damara stood by it and licked her lips as many people came to watch her. She closed her eyes as she started dancing around it, with such a body she had, she was able to do mostly anything.

"This is not the way into my heart, into my head
into my brain, into none of the above
this is just my way of unleashing the feelings deep inside of me
this spark of black that I seem to love"

Her body movements were flawless and in the beat of the music that was playing. She moved her hands from her chest up to her head before sliding them all the way down. All the guys were watching with their jaw dropping low.

"We can get a little crazy just for fun, just for fun
Don't even try to hold it back
Just let go
Tie me up and take me over till you're done
Till I'm done
You've got me fiendin' and I'm ready to blow"

She would trace her body with her hands more; sometimes even lick her finger a few times. Latula and Meulin watched her as well, not believing she actually did that as well. Moving her hips invitingly as she rubbed against the pole sometimes a little bit too much.

"Push up to my body, sink your teeth into my flesh
get undressed, ta-taste the flesh
Bite into me harder, sink your teeth into my flesh
Pass the test, ta-taste the flesh"

Not long from when "the party" started, Damara was joined by a sexy girl dressed like a vampire. They exchanged looks before doing the dancing together and bringing boys' fantasies come to life. With how the song went, the vampire traced her fangs along Damara's neck a few times to make it look even hotter. They were both having fun with that. The vampire girl did to the female almost everything that was sang in the song. All the guys forgot about their dates and watched the two females as most of the girls looked away not believing what they were seeing there.

Even the DJs were watching them but once the song ended, Damara went in for just a handshake but the other girl had a better idea, she pulled Damara to her and kissed her on the lips. The kiss lasted for a bit before the vampire girl broke it and whispered to Damara. "The name's Porrim~ Call me up when you feel like repeating this" she said before moving away, leaving Damara a bit pulled back by what happened but she still let out a chuckle before heading to get herself another drink.

While moving through the crowd someone grabbed her ass and she automatically turned and slapped him across the face before continuing to the drinks. She wasn't going to let anyone treat her like that. It was just having fun. Somewhere in the crowd she heard someone say "I wonder who she is. I wouldn't mind finding out myself." And she rolled her eyes. Guys were such jerks sometimes. She got herself a drink before getting back to her spot and saw a guy in a knight costume there already. She approached him and greeted him before sipping a bit of her drink as he gave her a smile and greeted her back. "I really liked y9ur perf9rmance up there. W9uld y9u like a regular dance with me? If it isn't t99 much t9 ask, I d9n't want t9 6e rude 9r anything, y9u can decline if y9u want I am just 9ffering it here n9 need t9 say yes, I am fine with a n9 as well" He asked, a bit longer than he should have. She smiled a bit before blushing hearing registering his voice after he had talked for so long and she just gave a nod. "Sure, I wouldn't mind dancing with you, lovely knight" she said with a light smile. He grinned, "I am glad that y9u gave me the chance t9 let me dance with y9u. Y9u are definitely n9t g9ing t9 regret y9ur decisi9n." He held her hand, "9h, and y9u l99k really l9vely as that princess. Y9ur perf9rmance was really s9mething" He lightly blushed at that. She nodded as she put her cup down on the table and went with him to the dance floor.

They danced a bit to the fast song but then, one of the DJ's said "Okay everyone, we are going to slow it down a bit. So, grab yourself a partner and let see those romantic movements" and a slow song started. Damara blushed a bit as she looked at Kankri not sure what to do now. Should they just continue dancing or what? On her luck, he decided what to do. He put a hand on her waist, and held the other one, while he started to slowly dance with her. He spun her around with a light smile on her face. She put her one hand on his shoulder while holding his other one, blushing a bit. He was really good at slow dancing like that. She felt like she was dreaming. She wasn't even noticing other students any more. To her it was just her and Kankri, dancing to this slow song so romantically. He smiled, slightly blushing if he should kiss her. It seemed like the right moment too, but was worried that it might trigger her. "W9uld y9u mind if I kissed you? I mean it is c9mpletely fine if y9u say n9. It is fine. I just th9ught that it was the right moment t9 d9 s9. And I actually really d9 like kissing you. And I mean, why w9uldn't the knight kiss his 6eautiful princess?" he continued to ramble on. She blinked a bit, her face turning bright red before she just nodded lightly. Of course she would like to kiss him. She wanted another kiss ever since they kissed under the bleachers. That wonderful kiss was something that helped her stay strong after her breakup. He leaned in to land a kiss on her lips as he was already able to imagine the taste they will have. He really wanted to taste them again.

~Let's see what Karkat is doing~

Karkat sat in his room by the computer with opened video of a certain pop star he loved so much. He watched the concert with a light smile on his face. He was practically in love with him. But whenever someone would ask him he'd say it isn't true. Like hell he was going to accept that he was in love with a super star that clearly stated in every interview that he was not a homosexual. Karkat wasn't in love with the male's body, nor his messy hair, nor his buck teeth. He was mostly in love with the male's beautiful sky-blue eyes and the way his songs made Karkat feel special and like he was singing exactly to him.

Karkat sometimes even imagined that he would meet John, the superstar, in public and confessing to him. In half of those times John would turn him down and yet in the other half he would accept it and they would date… But those were only Karkat's imaginations.

~Okay, back to the important stuff~

Instead of the softness of her lips, his lips met with her palm as she looked at him with a light frown. "I am sorry… I am not ready for this yet…" she said, she was really suffering from the break up as she just headed out of the party. Meulin and Latula watched her run away as they frowned. Kurloz was next to Meulin as he just hugged her knowing it must have hurt her to see her friend make such a face and her favorite ship breaking. He really wanted to help her somehow but for now he knew that this was as much as he could do for her.

Latula came to Meulin as she looked at Kurloz and whispered to him what to sign to Meulin which he did before Latula and Meulin left together to go check on Damara. They were worried about her and they really wanted to make sure she isn't crying. They arrived at her house soon and found her in her pajamas with messy hair and tears in her eyes. Both of them hugged her and they just stood like there for a bit before Damara let them in to tell them, Latula mostly, about what happened. Latula frowned when she heard Rufioh broke up with Damara. She hated him so much now. Once she heard about Damara kissing Kankri kissing under the bleachers and then this, she was both happy and sad. Damara explained how she just doesn't think she is ready for another relationship after just finishing this one. "So, do you th1nk you w1ll 3v3r b3 r34dy to w3lcom3 K4nkr1 4s your boyfr13nd?" she asked. Damara just looked at her before tears started rolling down her cheeks. She wasn't sure. This all hurt too much. She just wanted to cry out everything now. Meulin and Latula hugged her and le her cry all night like that until she calmed down and they put her in the bed.

~Author's note~

I have nothing much to say except thank you for reviewing and reaading. I hope you like this chaper as well. I will try to update the fanfic once a month since School wil be tough this month.