October 31.
Robbie casually walked down the hall of the dorm building; his scythe in hand, watching out for the goofballs bouncing around with Halloween spirit bursting out of them. He was assaulted with a few shoulder brushes now and then, but he's not complaining about rough-housing because in a few hours he plans on doing much of the same at the party being held at the main room of the dorm.
"Rocky?" He knocked on the door of his old dorm room waiting for his friend to answer.
"Buwaaa haaa haaaa!" Screams a guy or maybe a gal - with the high pitched tone it's hard to tell - before they went running down the hall with skeleton hands waving about slapping anything in site.
"Bunch of freaks in this place," Mutters the grim reaper with a smile. Knocking once again, he called out. "Rocky?"
The door pulled open revealing not Rocky but his brother Colt.
"What do you want?" Asks the zombie version of the blue ninja.
Robbie took in the look. Being a zombie suited the pissy young man: the scars on his face, and the tattered clothing, the pale powder. "Cool costume." Mentions the reaper in a friendly tone.
"Yeah, and yours is real original." Colt replied sarcastically. "Again, what do you want?"
"I wanted to know where's Rocky; I rented a movie and he said we could watch it in here - it is my TV you know."
"Whatever. Rocky's still in class. So until he comes to get you, beat it." He slams the door in the death's face.
"Right." Turning away he heads back to his room.
It's been quite a while now since their time in Connecticut. But being with Rocky still haunts Robbie's memory. He can see the blond smiling at him, he can feel him holding his hand or embracing him, the kissing is the real killer; and considering that Rocky isn't a very sexual person, Robbie had to wonder if kissing like that is natural to him or did one of his girlfriends teach him?
'I wonder if Rocky thinks about me?' He scoffs. 'Yeah right. Rocky is a champion when it comes to sticking with a plan. He probably doesn't think about even one thing that we hold personal. Although... I did see my chain down his shirt that day we went for sushi and he leaned over to get a plate from the conveyor.'
Pushing his door open he dropped his plastic pin sticker to the bed then heads to the closet to get a bit more make-up for his face. He really did think Colt made an awesome zombie; the blue ninja does a good make-up job. He stepped before a small mirror on the moving closet door and used it to apply more gore to his face.
Back in the dorm room shared by the Douglas brothers. Colt is searching the closet for his missing costume piece.
'Where did I put that bald cap?' He wondered while moving boxes filled with this little thing or that.
His fingers brush across rubber; with a smile he yanked the thing out from the box, unfortunately toppling the box over as well.
"Aaa shoot." Bending down to clean up the mess he shoved the contents back into the box. Spotting pictures, he panicked a second. "Wouldn't want these to get messed up." Shoving them back into the envelope he dropped the packet into the box sitting it back on the shelf.
"Alright," Placing the bald cap over his head he grinned at his reflection, laughing to himself at how funny it looks. "Cap in place," opening a small plastic container of make-up paint he swabs some of the gray color onto a small sponge that comes with the kit then applies it on the hairless part of the cap to cover up the flesh color. Once done, Colt looks it over in the mirror by tilting his head forward casting his glance up to check. "Looks alright. Time to party."
Leaving the room he closed the door. The small gust caused by the action caused two unseen photos that slipped from the pack to blow further under the bed where they slid away to hiding.
...
Rocky tied off the sash to his costume in a hurry. He had a late class and promised to meet with Robbie to watch a video with him. However, it seemed as though he was too late for that, since the party has already started downstairs. He's been looking forward to this movie, since it would be the first time he can have alone time with Robbie that will be honestly viewed as nothing but being his friend. It was really hard to move on in September with everything still fresh in his mind, but during October he's started to get the swing of a normal existance again; and having been on several dates with Ellis, he can say that he has now passed the test of the backslide.
"One last thing." He pulls a small box from under his bed taking out the long black wig that is inside. Slipping it over his hair, which he took four minutes tugging back over his head before-hand, he adjusts the wig. Using his fingers, he combs it here and there before grabbing a ribbon to tie it off.
A knock at the door called his attention but instead of opening it he calls out.
"Its unlocked."
The door then opened revealing the visitor to be his girlfriend in her maid's outfit. Giggling she spins, having her dress twirl about her as she does so. The action exposed her well proportioned butt cheeks. "How do I look." She asks in a phony french accent.
Smiling, he says. "You look great."
"Just great?" She cocks a brown brow. "Rocky, you're... you're gorgeous! You may get more attention than me." Walking to his side she gives him a playful shove. "What are you?"
Rocky could have been knocked over by a gust just now for that question. "Can't you tell? I'm a samurai."
"Oh. ...What's this red mark across your stomach?" She points at it before running her finger along the red stained tear in his costume.
"I was cut down in battle."
Snickering, she says. "Now that's a shame." Taking his hand in her's she leads him to the door. "All ready?" Receiving a nod she heads out with him in tow. "Then let's move out."
The room is lit with bat and pumpkin designed lights; on the snacks table there are all sorts of candies and cookies bought from the market earlier, chips, sodas of all sorts of flavors; and some jack-o-lanterns to give the table flare - as if the ghost decorated table clothes and spider webs weren't enough. In the confrence room, the television is set on an all day marathon of the Halloween movie trilogies, should anyone tire of dancing and talking and they just wanna sit down and relax. The costumes were all over the place with some going the traditional route of a witch or pirate, other costumes are movie themed from Batman to the ghostface killer in Scream.
If Rocky could pick out the most original costume, he would say its the girl dressed as a child holding a doll that her head sits atop. The ninja's dual gaze scanned the room for Robbie, hoping his friend wasn't waiting up for him or something at the dorm room; he's seen at least two reapers and neither were the Canadian.
"Uh-oh, Rocky's got that far away look again, Leanne." Ellis says to her best friend.
"Huh?" He asked snapping out of it.
"Every now and then you space out on me, I've been thinking of naming it I see it so much."
A little embarrassed that he's been doing such a thing and not noticing, he shook his head. "Sorry."
"Its alright." Ellis shrugs.
But Rocky couldn't help feel that it bothered her a bit, maybe he was reading her wrong? But her tone lowered a bit when she replied to him.
"Boo!" Shouts Robbie from behind Ellis.
Jumping out of her skin, the girl turned around. "Dammit Robbie, you scared me." She slaps him on the chest.
"You seen Rocky anywhere?"
"Is that the only reason you saught me out? How rude. I think I should be insulted."
"Not even a hello." Adds Leanne.
"I'm sorry. Hello, Ellis and Ellis's friend. Have you seen Rocky?"
Groaning playfully, the girl rolled her eyes. "You've gotta make some more friends, or people will start to wonder about you. He's right here."
Guilty Rocky raised his cup of soda as if to say sorry.
"Jerk, why didn't you say anything if you were standing right there?"
"It was funny." Replies the samurai.
Ellis looked between the two of them a second then shook her head. She must be imagining things there was no way Rocky's mood brightened just because of Robbie, he must have really just thought it was funny that the guy didn't recognize him.
"Your costume kicks ass - Samurai wounded in battle?"
"Cut down, but you were close."
Ellis tugs her friends sleeve. "Leanne, this is Robbie - Robbie this is Leanne."
"Hi." They said in rather dry and simultanious voices.
"We should all dance together." She suggest.
"I could dance." Robbie took Leanne's hand leading her away to the floor.
"You wanna dance?" Ellis asked.
Hesitant, he nods. "But I warn you, I'm much better at slow dances."
Grinning she pulls him against her. "Then we'll slow dance, like we're the only ones in the room. I don't mind."
Rocky froze a moment realizing that Robbie and he did the exact same thing at the wedding.
"Mmm. Tell Jack to take a backseat for the rest of the night, okay?"
"What?"
"I decided to name him Jack since its jacked-up how many times I have to see his face." She laughs.
"Ha ha. I'm sorry, though, I think I've just become the spacey type."
"Its alright." Holding him close she rests her head on his chest swaying lazily. "Just as long as I can have this moment with you."
"Alright." He rests his head on top of Ellis's wishing he could give himself to her, hating himself even more for opening his once closed eyes to watch Robbie as he oddly danced like a goober with Leanne. 'So much for being over it.' Thinks the ninja.
The night went on rather nicely, pleasent chatter shouted over the music a few screams can be heard from the confrence room due to the movie hitting a bone chilling scene. Colt kept an eye on his brother while dancing with Maggie; she's dressed as Glenda the good witch. Rocky seems to be acting normal, he's dancing with his girlfriend - granted its not even at the right pace but its nice to see anyway. Maybe Darren was just being an ass because Rocky doesn't give in to his crap as easily as he does.
'Man, I'm stupid. I should apologize to him tonight before bed.' Thinks the zombie. 'That should cheer him up.'
At that moment Darren, dressed as a werewolf brushed past Colt heading over to Rocky; he has one of his dumb friends with him, though, its hard to tell which one, since he's covered from head to toe.
"Look at this," Darren says to his friend. "if it isn't the butt reaper."
His friend laughs, a husky sound due to the mask over his head.
"Get lost." Robbie says in a kindly tone while continuing to dance with Leanne who incidently stopped when Darren showed up.
"Oh and look, here's his latest victim." He directs this comment to Rocky who stopped swaying with Ellis to survey the scene and make sure Robbie isn't injured by his childhood pest. Seeing the red across his gut he fingers it. "Although, I think you've got the blood in the wrong spot, shouldn't it be in back across your ass." He throws his head back with laughter.
"Will you get lost," Says Robbie in a stern tone. "you're wrecking the mood, you dick."
"Dick? You'd like that wouldn't you, faggot."
"Tch. Not as much as your dad do-..."
His words are cut off by a fist slamming into his mouth knocking him to the floor. Leanne screamed covering her mouth. Rocky stepped in front of Darren wooden sword at his belt drawn.
"Back off, Darren; this sword may be made of wood but I can and will draw blood with it."
Darren was this close to a "yeah right", but his words remained in his throat seeing how dead serious Rocky's glare is.
"Hn. Whatever. Hey, you know what," Darren calls over his retreating shoulder loud enough to be heard over the music. "you might wanna take some lessons Robbie, that way your boyfriend won't have to beg like a bitch telling you how to please him."
Half the room burst into laughter hearing that; the others that didn't get the joke tapped shoulders and turned heads to ask what was said.
Ellis's eyes widen with wonder and she asks. "What's he talking about?"
"Nothing. Darren's just a jerk." Helping his friend up, he turned back to his date. "I'm tired of dancing. Do you wanna see if we can catch the last half of the movie?"
"Uh.. sure."
"Come on." He says with a smile.
It took everything in his power to grab a hold of Ellis's hand and walk away without checking to see if Robbie was alright, beyond his helping him off the floor. Darren was becoming a problem, but what frightens Rocky so much is that he can feel something brewing within himself that badly wants to stop Darren before things get out of hand.
'Ignoring it is the best solution. He'll know he's wrong, and move on to the next dumb thing.' He assures himself.
...
The Douglas brothers are in their shared room slowly removing their costumes. Colt stole glances at his brother who seems to be in his own little world while half-heartidly undoing the tie on his belt.
"Rocky, listen, I'm sorry about giving you grief over this whole thing. It was stupid of me, and I shouldn't have doubted you for a second." He expelled a breath loudly; glad to have the heavy feeling off his chest.
"Its okay, really. I wanna go see if Robbie's alright, though; it's my fault that creep Darren is picking on him."
"It's his own fault, actually, but I know what you mean."
"I'll be back in a little bit." He walked out the door.
Tattered clothing removed, Colt slips into his pajamas; tugging the bald cap from his head he then drops it to the floor then heads into the bathroom to remove the make-up and brush his teeth. He really does feel better now that the air has been cleared. He had to give it to Rocky. He is lying, because if someone had so much as called one of his girlfriends something as stupid as a phony, he would have been on them like white on rice. But Rocky didn't do anything aside from helping the musician up, then he walked his girlfriend away from the situation. Retrieving his cap from the floor something caught his attention. He reached over and slid it out.
'What the...?'
Pulling the thing from under the bed Colt feels another item just a little ways next to it and pulls it out as well. Holding them up he hoped to see them in the window's light from where he sits but seeing that he can't, he walked them over to the window tugging the curtain aside a bit. The moment he did this, the second he saw what the stray photos held, he can taste vomit coming up in his throat. It just couldn't be. There is no way. Rocky and Robbie are dancing - together!
'...There's just... there's just no way. I... he told me that I was crazy - did he lie?' Hands shaking he flips to the next one.
And that was the one that brought it out. Dashing into the bathroom he barely makes it to the toilet before the contents in his stomach spill out into the bowl. Breathing hard, Colt flushed after his two minute puke fest. He feels weak and dizzy... numb.
'How could he lie? How could he... how could Rocky lie to me - to everyone?'
Forgetting that he'd done it he flushed the toilet again before standing on wobbling legs heading back into his room.
'He's gay. Rocky - my brother, is gay... he kissed him... that fucking queer, he kissed him. And yet Rocky didn't pull away - what is wrong with him!' Picking up the pictures he shoved them violently under his pillow. 'The only reason he wouldn't push him away is if he liked it.' Pulse pounding he had to leave because he didn't know what he would be capable of if he stayed when Rocky returned. Maggie has to still be awake.