I'm not waiting half a year to update for once! Achievement. So here in MI it's been feeling like Autumn already. Leaves are starting to change and I've been wearing sweaters for like a week. So it put me in a Halloween mood. I was also playing around with titles and I want to stick with the one word thing and Fog is the only thing that fit the story. Lastly, I spent too much time trying to decide on dorky costume ideas. What was just ironic enough for Dave to wear? Bacon and eggs? PB&J? I couldn't decide so I went for the way over used cliché…forgive me.

Fog

Well, not fog exactly. Vapor. From a smoke machine. Or was it actually called a fog machine? Rose had insisted there be a smoke machine at the Halloween party and for some reason she allowed Terezi to operate it. The one person who couldn't see and as a result didn't mind the room filling up with vapor. It felt heavy and wet much like fog, which gave the effect of a spooky Halloween setting, but it did little for Dave who had lost his date moments before. They had been standing together at the bar waiting for their drinks when he'd disappeared into the thick fog beyond the bar. Dave left the shots they ordered behind in favor of finding his companion.

Calling out to him would do no good as the music thumped loudly in his ears. Normally he wouldn't mind it, he might even be the cause of it, but right now it would be helpful if he could hear the other boy's voice in the crowd. He could vaguely make out the shapes of others standing around talking or thrashing around while dancing. He couldn't actually see them unless he was right up beside them so he approached group after group in hopes of finding a bucktoothed grin.

John had been wearing a prince costume with a crown that was just slightly too big for his head. His cape, a royal blue that should stand out even in the dark and vapor filled room, was so long he kept tripping over it so he took to carrying it bundled up in his arms while moving. Surely he wouldn't be dancing with it on. There was no reason for John to leave Dave standing alone at the bar, he would have said something if he was headed to the bathroom, right? He still checked anyway. A line had formed outside the women's bathroom and he could vaguely make out Rose's cat ears somewhere near the middle.

"Rose, have you seen John around here?" He asked as he approached.

"What's wrong sir knight? Did you lose your liege?" She grinned, crossing her arms over her chest.

"As a matter of fact, I did. Lord knows what trouble he can get himself into here. Have you seen him or not?"

"Sorry, haven't seen him. Have you checked by the bar?"

"That's where I lost him."

"Maybe he's with Terezi, pleading with her to ease up on the smoke."

"That's probably exactly where he is. Good judgement with that job assignment by the way."

"She's the only one who offered."

"You couldn't have gotten one with a timer?"

"Shouldn't you be looking for your prince? Or would you like to wait outside the bathroom to continue this discussion." She asked as she stepped to the front of the line.

"We are most definitely picking up this conversation later. After I find my date."

With that Dave leaves her and heads to the part of the room where the fog is the thickest. The source of it all. Terezi is sitting on the floor behind the machine, one hand sliding over the pages of a book on her lap, the other repeatedly tapping the button on top of the machine that releases the vapor.

"Hey Rezi, has John been by?" Dave squats down next to her and blocks her hand from pushing the button again.

"Not that I know of. Are you guys playing hide and seek?" She tilts her head up and smiles in that way that makes him feel like she's making fun of him.

"Not exactly. There's so much freaking vapor in here I can barely see two feet in front of me."

"Wow that must be awful, Dave."

"Look, can you cool it with the vapor for a while? Let the room clear out for a bit."

"What fun would that be?" She smacks him hand away from the machine and repeatedly taps the button spewing a thick cloud out into the room.

"Thanks Terezi, you've been a huge help."

"Glad to hear it." She says, going back to her rhythmic button pushing.

As he's standing to leave he catches a glimpse of blue moving through the fog and immediately runs after it, cautious of others hiding in the vapor. He can barely make out the blue blur not far ahead of him and he doesn't even know if it's him. It could just as easily be Vriska, who was sporting a similarly colored blue pirate's coat. He'd rather not have a run in with her right now. Still, he's pretty desperate to find his partner so he doesn't hesitate to reach his hand out to them when he's close enough.

He clutches the velvety blue material and tugs at it, causing the wearer to stop and stumble back a bit. Dave's hand finds their shoulder to steady them, all the while praying this isn't Vriska he's holding on to. For the first time of the night, luck appears to be on his side as it's not Vriska's death glare that turns to face him, but the pleased smile of a previously lost prince.

"There you are, I've been looking everywhere for you." John says, pulling his cape from Dave's fingers and settling it behind him.

"You've been looking for me? You're the one who disappeared."

"I did not. I turned away for one second to talk to Karkat and when I turned back our drinks were there but you weren't."

"Well you could have told me to you were stepping away. It's not like I can see you in this mess." Dave waves a hand in front of his face in a futile attempt to clear some of the fog from between them.

"Ok, whatever. We're both at fault. I'm too tired to fight. I'd rather go back for our shots, say goodbye and go home to our warm, fog free bed." He grins, placing his hands on Dave's chest and closing the remaining distance between them.

"Anything you want, your majesty."

John chuckles and laces their fingers together as he drags the other back toward the bar. After throwing back their previously abandon shots, the two decide to skip saying long goodbyes in favor of using the cover of fog to escape unseen. Later that night they would receive several texts and a few phone calls wondering where they'd disappeared to and if Dave had ever found John. But neither would hear the chimes from either phone as they tangled together under sheets and got lost in the fog.

Wtf is that closing line I was just so desperate for an ending that I said fuck it so just…just go easy on me, ok? At least be happy that I'm updating now instead of half a year from now…while ignoring all the other things I'm supposed to be updating. Besides, I'm known for the shitty/corny ending lines so did you really expect anything less from me? Can you tell I have no idea how you operate a fog machine? Another short one but I actually have an idea for G already so, maybe another short wait and maybe something better and fluffier? Maybe they'll actually be together for more than ten seconds at the very end and the sex won't just be implied? I may have to go back to writing primarily for John. He's just easier for me. I adore him too much (and I just typoed that as hime so…that just goes to show how highly I think of him). My internet is shit right now so I'm going to attempt to upload this on all sites but no promises it will work.