A/N: Okay, this chapter wasn't as long as I wanted it to be, but here is it! Another one will be coming, Thanks guys! It really helps to have the movie at hand too, cause watching it again gave me ideas I didn't have before!

Masquerade

Chapter 3

I head over to Nick's early with Leah and wait for Abby to show up. Once she's finally there, Leah goes into the kitchen and prepares something quick for us to snack on. She likes to say she's not the mom of the group, but she is sometimes.

"You know…it's weird that this is the first time we don't have matching costumes," Leah avoids eye contact with me as she speaks.

"I know, and I'm sorry…but I can't-"

"Si, I know the reason and it's okay. I'm not butt-hurt or something like that…it's just weird. It's also a weird look into the future of what's to come."

"What do you mean?" I ask, picking up a slice of pizza.

"I don't know…it's senior year, and I feel like everything is changing so fast already…like we're all going to be split up next year and it scares me."

"I know what you mean. I'm excited to start college, but I don't want to leave everyone either," I admit.

"At least you're going away! I'm just staying local. I'm basically going to be reminded of you guys everyday of my life, but you'll be miles and miles away."

"Leah, come on- we'll talk everyday, you know that. There is a thing called Skype remember?" I smile, nudging her with my elbow. "Plus, Abby is going to be there with you, so it's not all bad."

"Yeah, but what happens when you get too busy to talk to me?"

"Not gonna happen," I smirk, biting into the pizza- noticing how she avoids the Abby conversation.

"Oh, sure," Leah rolls her eyes playfully, biting into her own slice of pizza.

It's quiet for a moment and then she looks at me.

"Hey, Si?"

"Yeah?" I look to her.

"What did you mean yesterday by me telling you things too?"

"Oh…Um, well…sometimes I think you hide things from me too when you don't have to."

"Like?" she furrows her brows.

"Um, like how you're feeling…or who you have feelings for?" I say, looking to the corner of the counter top.

"Oh," her voice is small, and I can tell she's embarrassed.

"But you don't have to say anything until you're ready, I just want you to know that I'm here for you and whatever it may be- I don't care. I love you." I say, finally looking back at her. She catches my glance and blushes.

"Si, I-"

"Yo, yo! We ready?" Nick interrupts, storming into the kitchen with Abby in tow. Leah's eyes go directly for the two of them and she nods. I watch her carefully and nod when I realize I haven't acknowledged them yet.

"Let's get this party started!" Abby cheers, pulling on her Halle Berry cat woman mask. Nick slides on his Batman mask and we're off. Nick decided he would 'DD' again for us this year, and drove us over to where the party was being held. This time is wasn't at Garrett's, but at Taylor Metternich's.

Leah clung to her sparkling, multicolored gem-cluttered mask that she picked up last minute and rubbed her fingers over the jewels. She didn't want to go full costume, but in order to enter the house you needed to be wearing something that hid your identity. Taylor was a little too stringent on the rules in my opinion, but it's her party and for free alcohol I guess teenagers will do anything.

When we got inside Garrett was standing by the stairs in Taylor's hallway. He looked above everyone in the crowd and when he spotted us he rushed over.

"Finally! What the hell took you guys so long? Spier, I like the Deadpool," Garrett smiled, tugging his Zorro mask down around his neck.

"Thanks," I say, blushing lightly, gripping the mask in my hands. Leah put her mask on, and something about it made her appear more beautiful than usual, but oddly mysterious behind the gems. Garrett couldn't take his eyes off her, but broke away when Nick asked where Bram was.

"Oh, yeah I texted him and he said he was running a little late. He'll be here though. Come on, let's get our drink on!" Garrett suggested, waving us to follow him.

"Good idea," I sighed. I had checked my email before coming here, but I had nothing from Blue all day. It was hurting a little more today than yesterday, but I still had a bit of hope. As I made my way through the crowd I realized there were several Spiderman's here, and every time I saw one I imagined it to be Blue waiting for me. Wishful thinking I guess.

"Do you think he's here?" Leah asked, gripping onto my arm, whispering loudly in my ear over the music.

"I don't know. He's supposed to be Spiderman, but I've seen several already," I explained, looking around. Leah looked around, spotting the Spiderman's I already saw.

"You don't think it's one of them?"

"I don't know." I shrugged, turning my attention to Garrett, the bartender.

"What do you want?"

"Anything to get me fucked up," I said, and Leah looked at me.

"Si, do you think that's the best idea? What if he comes around, and you're drunk?"

"He's not showing, Leah, forget it," I frowned, taking a drink Garrett handed me. I started drinking it, and choking in the process. It was strong, but soon enough I was drinking enough to not notice the taste anymore.

Bram's Point of View:

By time I arrived at the party, mostly everyone was drunk and having what seemed to be the time of their lives. I slipped on my mask and made my way through the crowd. I pushed past several people in similar costumes and gulped. I really hope this isn't going to backfire on me.

I was told to look for Zorro, and once I saw Garrett's hat I move toward him. When I approached I found him along with everyone else from our lunch table…including a rather intoxicated Simon.

"Hey," I said, pulling the mask up. Garrett cheered when I placed my hand on his shoulder and turned to see me.

"What took you so long?" he asked, looking me over. "Damn look at you in that costume. Very uh…formfitting, yeah?" Garrett nudged me with a wink. I blushed, and looked away.

"Stop it." I mumbled, "why is Simon so drunk?"

"He hasn't stopped drinking since he got here. But I've been replacing his drinks with half water, so he's starting to sober up." Garrett explained. "Poor guy is really bummed, that guy never showed himself yet." He explained, and instantly I felt the pang of regret for not getting here sooner.

"Gar, can I talk to you?" I asked, pulling him away from everyone else. He followed, and when we were in an empty hallway, far from everyone else I took a deep breath.

"What's up?" he crossed his arms, waiting for me to talk.

"I have something I've been wanting to tell you, and I can't keep hiding it cause I-"

"Garrett, we're gonna start karaoke, you need to set it up!" Taylor came into the hallway, and took his attention off me.

"Okay, be right there!" he shot back, turning back to me.

"Come on, Greenfeld, spit it out," Garrett teased, tapping my shoulder.

"Ugh… just go do that, and we'll talk later," I sighed, leaving the hallway. Garrett called my name, but I never looked back. I put my mask on, and followed the crowd to the kitchen. I grabbed myself a drink, and kept a close eye on Simon the whole night. When I noticed his energy decreasing I decided to swoop in.

"Hey, Si. You okay?" I asked, walking over to him. Simon turned around to see me without my mask on, and looked me over.

"Bram!" he nearly yelled with a deep slur to his voice. This cheeky smile formed over his face when he finally realized I was standing before him, and for some reason drunk Simon felt comfortable hugging me. I held onto him, but I knew not to read into it.

"Have enough?" I chuckled, pushing back at him. He wobbled back, but kept his balance.

"Plenty, wan' some?" he yelled again, holding out his red cup.

"That's for sure," I said, taking his drink.

"Wait, thas' my cup," he slurred, reaching for it.

"Let's get some air, Si. You need a break," I said, guiding him out to the patio. Once outside, and the crisp air hit him, the drunkenness seemed to over take him. I helped him to a chair on the patio and sat in front of him on the pull out ottoman. Simon rested back against the floral cushion and ran a hand through his hair.

"Leah has my mask," he said lazily, looking behind him.

"It's okay. You don't need it," I laughed. "Everyone can tell you're Deadpool."

"And you're-" Simon said, looking at my bodysuit. "Spiderman?" he tilted his head.

"Uh, yeah…I am," I bit at my lip. Simon began laughing, and I couldn't tell if he had just figured it out or-

"This night keeps getting better- and better," he said, throwing his head back. He scrubbed his hands over his face, and continued to laugh.

"It does?" I said. The feeling of hope was rising in my chest little by little, until Simon picked his head up and tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"Si…are you-"

"Everything reminds me of him…everything, Bram," he cried. "I spent a whole year of my life talking to this guy and for what? For him t-to disappear last minute? I mean…I don't get what's so wrong about me, ya know? So wrong that he doesn't want to meet me."

"Nothing! Nothing is wrong with you, Simon!" I pressed, inching closer to him from the ottoman. I wanted so badly to take his hands into mine, and console him like a boyfriend would- but I couldn't do that. He'd freak out, and probably hate me more. I wanted to wipe away his tears, and make the pain stop-

"He's a fucking coward, and I hate him," he suddenly spat, rubbing his forehead, trying to hold back his tears.

"You know what, he is a coward, but he shouldn't be because you're worth everything and more, Simon." I said, realizing my words were way too personal for me to be saying. I tucked the panic away and decided it was now or never. I placed a hand to his knee, which grabbed his attention immediately, and swallowed hard. "This guy you've been emailing- he's not perfect, and even though he tries to be, and wants to be- he'll never be. He does things that he regrets, but he also does things he knows he'll never regret. He's a coward, but for all the right reasons. He doesn't want to disappoint you, and instead of talking it out- he hides. He doesn't have all the right words like it seems, but he tries extra hard to impress you." I continue on, and Simon's hanging onto every word coming out of my mouth.

"When he's around you, he's nervous and afraid- but when you leave he beats himself up over how quiet he gets. He can't help it when you look the way you do. He can't help the feeling he gets when you smile, or talk everyone's ear off," I chuckle to myself for bringing up his latest email. "And he never wants you to apologize for you being you- because he loves you, and wouldn't want you to change for anything," I finish, staring into his emotion filled, moon-gray eyes.

"H-how do you know all that?" it comes out as nearly a whisper.

"Because the person who has been writing you for a year would know," I smiled shyly, keeping my hand planted on his knee.

"I realize…but how do you know?" he slurred through his soft words.

I sigh, rolling my eyes briefly, "Simon…"

"Wait…you're dressed as Spiderman…and you-" Simon trailed off, and my eyes grew wide. He figured it out. He looked away from me and down at his lap. His eyes searched back and forth as the information was flooding his head. He focused on the hand gripping his knee, and swiftly sat up in his seat. I withdrew my hand urgently, and tucked it away in my lap.

"Y-you're…you're him? Y-you're Blue?"

"Yeah…I'm Blue." I nod, swallowing hard again. I can't read his expression, but he seems taken aback by the whole thing. "I'm sorry for the way I left things, but I'm here and I-"

"Cute Bram Greenfeld is Blue…" he mumbles, and I can't tell if he's trying to get himself to understand or he's finally understood and now he's trying it out. The added 'cute' ignites my ears, and my chest feels like it could burst.

"Are you disappointed that it's me?" I finally ask, realizing there is no better time than any to ask the question.

"Disappointed?" Simon asks, frowning at his own words. He's quiet for a moment before shaking his head. "No…I'm not disappointed at all."

"Really?" I ask. He shakes his head, and sits forward. My heart nearly jumps out of my chest because I think he's leaning in, but really he gets up and unsteadily starts to walk away.

"Si…Simon?" I watch as me makes his way back into the house. He steadiest himself in the doorframe, looks around and then starts inside. I quickly get up, and run after him.

"Simon!" I holler, following the top of his head. When I approach him, he's talking to Leah, and she hands him over his mask. She's wearing a tight frown, and rubs his arm.

"Simon, wait-" I say, grabbing his arm before he's able to walk away. "You said you weren't disappointed!" I strained my words, confused by his actions.

"I'm not disappointed that it's you, Bram…I just need a minute, and I don't really want to talk right now-" he stumbled away, bumping into people as he pushed through the crowd. I stood defeated by my own mistake, and slowly turned my attention to a very confused looking Leah.

"Are you Blue?" she asks, and I give her a frustrated sigh before nodding absentmindedly. I trail away from the crowd and run straight into Taylor.

"Bram! Mask on, what do you think this is," she giggled, grabbing my mask and fixing it onto my head.

"Thanks," I grumble, fixing it to sit right on my face. I walk toward the front door and find my way outside. I figured Simon would have gone somewhere inside the house, but there he was on the front porch. He was leaning his head against the post connected to the porch with his hands resting in his lap. His mask is covering his face, and I know he's trying everything to ignore me.

"Hey…I know you needed a minute, but can I sit here?" I ask, waiting for him to respond. When he didn't I just took a seat anyway and stretched out my legs in front of me.

"I feel like this is so much easier to do with a mask on," I chuckle, feeling the fabric over my face. "Look, I'm really sorry about what I did… I shouldn't have disappeared, or made you feel like it was your fault that I didn't want to meet you…truthfully I was scared that you would be disappointed that it was me…so I got nervous- like usual, and decided to do what I tend to do best- freak out and run away. I'm not always like that though...just around you. I don't know, somehow you manage to shut me up with just a look. I didn't think it could be possible, but it was- still is actually. I get so tongue-tied because you're you. I'm so attracted to you, and I can't even believe you thought that it was because I wasn't." I look at Simon who still isn't saying anything.

"God, I could be functioning normally, and then you walk in the room and everything- including my ability to speak or act normally shuts down. In that very moment I'm more in-tune to you than ever. I know this sounds creepy, but when I go quiet like that…I think it's my way of observing you and trying to learn things about you uninterrupted. I guess what I'm trying to say is-"

"Bram?" he speaks up. I stop and look over at him, but he's unmoving. I furrow my brows, and touch his shoulder.

"Si?" I ask. I hear someone clear their throat behind me, and I look over my shoulder to see Simon standing there with his mask in his hands. I turn back to the Deadpool slumped over beside me and my mouth falls open- which Simon can't see. Thank god he can't see my expression because this has to be the most embarrassing thing to happen to me so far in my whole life. I quickly get up, and ignore the fact that I was pouring my heart out to some unconscious guy.

"Um…well this is embarrassing." I say, and he still looks serious for a moment. His stern expression fades into that of an amused one, and then he's laughing. "Did you happen to hear any of that?" I ask, rubbing a hand over the back of my neck. He looks me up and down, and I remember suddenly that I'm in a skin-tight spandex suit. It takes all of me to hide my vulnerability in front of him, but then I look at him and his suit also hugs all the right places on his body… I become weaker than ever in the presence of Simon Spier. The hottest Deadpool around.

"I…did actually…I was standing there for a while. I saw you walk out, but then you sat down with that guy- so I got curious enough to watch you. I have to say, that was the best thing I ever did," he chuckled, wringing the fabric of his mask in his hands.

"I'm so glad I'm dressed as Spiderman right now…if you could see how hard I'm blushing," I laughed, touching the fabric clinging around my throat.

"So…did you mean everything you said? That I make you nervous?" he twitched, glancing to the side uncomfortably.

"Yes, but in the best ways," I add, drawing his attention back to me.

"…Bram…I have to be honest, but…hold on." Simon stops to put his mask on, and I can hear him take a deep breath. "This makes me feel like we're emailing since I can't see your face," he laughs, and I join him because I agree that it feels easier.

"I feel like it might be easier to get out what I want to say, so…I've had a crush on you since I first saw you. I never thought in a million years that one day I'd be standing here talking to you the way I am because I seriously thought you were straight. But even in my wildest fantasies of you turning out to be gay, I didn't see you liking me back."

"How could I not?" I interrupt. "Simon, I'm kind of really into you…like so into you it hurts."

"Are you sure?"

"So sure." I give an affirmative nod.

"Well in that case…I'm really into you too," he says, and I can hear the smile in his voice- but I want to see it. I step closer to him, and reach up to his face. I get my fingers under the hem of his mask and roll it up just above his nose. He's smiling and I can see a bright crimson blush spread over his cheeks beneath where the mask is still covering. He reaches up to me and mirrors my actions. My mask is resting on the bridge of my nose, and I can't help but smile like an idiot. I bite my lip, and within a seconds time Simon's closer to me and we're inches apart.

"I've been dreaming of this moment…is it okay if I kiss you?" he says, and the alcohol is faded on his breath. He's sober enough from what I can tell, and even though I took a few shots myself I'm sober enough to know I actually want this.

"I feel like I should be hanging upside down from a web, but yeah…this will do-" I say before closing the space between us. My lips connect with his, and it feels like heaven. I'm on cloud 9, and he's touching me tenderly around my waist. I bring my hands up to grab hold of his face and further the kiss.

We pull apart for a moment, and when we do we're both smiling widely.

"Fantasies about me being gay, huh?" I tease, biting my lip. I run my thumb over his cheek, and he blushes again. We go back to kissing, and it's more passionate than our first.

"I found them! Oh wait…No…what?" I heard Garrett's voice, and it breaks me away from Simon. I look up and see Garrett cocking his head in our direction. I never got to tell him, and he probably doesn't think it's me.

"Wrong Spiderman, sorry dudes- get back to it-" Garrett backs off, and looks to be heading back inside.

"Garrett wait!" I call out and he stops. He steps back onto the porch and I remove my mask. Simon takes off his and Leah steps out beside Garrett just as we're both revealed.

"Greenfeld…you're gay?" Nick asks, peering out the door.

"Wait a minute…you're the guy Simon was upset over?" Garrett questions, pointing his finger towards me incriminatingly.

"Y-yeah," I blush, taking Simon's hand. He laces his fingers between mine and he's smiling.

"Holy shit!" Garrett expressed, throwing his hands to his head nearly knocking the hat off his head.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner."

"Hey you probably had your reasons...I'm just so happy that Spier was able to finally find his guy. It being you kind of makes this hella cute." Garrett smiles, walking toward us. "Get in here!" he says, sweeping us up into a hug. We hug him and Abby comes bouncing out of the house. She jumps in on our hug and before we know it we've got the whole gang in a group hug. I don't know what I was so worried about…this is better than I imagined it to be.

A/N: More to come! Hope you enjoyed this one! A lot of Bram- but I'm not complaining. I love to write him.