“I think it’ll be fine,” Alex nodded. “You have a number four on there, right?”
“Yes, love,” she smiled coolly, “just like the fan club website said.”
He paused. This costume plan pre-dated their relationship. The coat had hung in his closet since summer. “You find this amusing, don’t you?” he chuckled.
Lorelei shrugged. “Only a little. The clothes look good on you. And no, I’m not saying that to make you feel better. At least I don’t have to talk you out of wearing a bow tie or a suit with sneakers like the other versions.”
“Thank you,” he said.
“For what?”
“Helping. Being with me. Everything.”
His lover’s smile turned sinister. She stepped forward, taking him by the collar of his bathrobe and buzzing the clippers under his neck menacingly. “Happy birthday, lover.”
“Okay, let’s get this over with,” he laughed. “I’ll need a shower and you need to get ready and whatever.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll change once we’re there,” Lorelei assured him.
His phone buzzed before they got to the kitchen, where a barstool, towel and scissors awaited. Alex pulled the phone from his pocket to look at the message.
“Costume fail,” it read. “Gonna b l8 if I’m lucky. Date will b here in less than 60. So fucked.”
“What is it?” Lorelei asked, noting the concern on Alex’s face.
“It’s Jason,” he mumbled, hitting the speed dial. “Something’s wrong with his costume, I guess.” He waited. “Jason, what’s up?”
“Holy shit, dude,” Jason answered breathlessly. “There was fucking bleach in the washing machine and I didn’t even know.”
“What?”
“No, seriously. Some other stupid tenant in the building was halfway set to do her wash and then walked out of the laundry room when she heard her kid cryin’ and left the machine loaded with bleach. I didn’t even know ‘til like just now.”
“You were washing your costume just now?” Alex frowned.
“No, like an hour ago! I’ve been freakin’ out trying to think of something since then! Dude, I am so screwed. Amber’s comin’ over in like an hour, and-“
“Jason. Chill. It’s okay.”
“No, it isn’t, Alex!” Jason snapped. “I finally got something real going on with a girl and I’ve fucked up the first real date before it’s even on! What the hell am I gonna do to find a costume now? It’s Halloween and the sun’s down already. The only thing I’m gonna find at a store now is whatever stupid gorilla suit nobody else wanted.”
Alex hardly even heard the last words. His mind raced for a solution. Though generally quite bright, Jason had clearly placed too much pressure on himself to think through his options.
His eyes went to the bedroom. “Jason. Chill. I got this,” he said. “Sit tight. I’m comin’ over. I’ve got a costume for you.”
Lorelei stood beside him, understanding his intent instantly. Her expression softened with a slight shake of her head.
“What, you’ve just got spare costumes layin’ around in your fucking apartment?”
“Well, yeah,” Alex replied. “You know my girlfriends are into some freaky shit. Hope you like wearing leather. I’m on my way.” With that, he cut out the phone and turned his eyes to Lorelei. “I gotta go.”
She nodded. “It’s good that he called when he did, I suppose,” she said, putting the clippers down on the counter.
“Yeah,” Alex agreed. He headed to the bedroom, stopped, turned and grabbed the clippers. “I’ve got an hour,” he declared.
* * *
“This is the girliest shit we have ever done,” frowned Jason. “Ever.”
Alex stood behind him in the cramped kitchen, his brow knit in concentration. He pressed the clippers to Jason’s neck, shaving off more hair and hoping to God that this would turn out looking okay. “I don’t remember us ever doing much girly shit,” he muttered.
“I’m just sayin’. You don’t breathe a word of this to Drew or Wade,” said the skinny, shirtless young man in the cheap Ikea chair.
“Wouldn’t dream of it,” Alex assured him. “Last thing I wanna do is take responsibility for this fucked-up haircut.”
Jason’s eyes went wide. “Oh shit, you-“
“I’m kidding! I’m just kidding. It’s fine.”
“Taking you long enough.”
“Yeah, well, now I understand why people go to school to learn to do this. You could be a little more patient.”
Jason let out a tense breath. “Sorry,” he said. “I’m sorry. I know you dropped everything to come help me out on your birthday. I’m just nervous about Amber.”
“Nah, it’s cool,” Alex said. “Nobody wants to dress up as the Bleached Lantern. Anyway, Rachel and Lorelei get me spun up all the time, too. I know how it is. Anyway, I only got to meet her for like two minutes after I had a flashback. I kinda don’t know a lot yet. How serious have you gotten?”
“I dunno. I’m serious about liking her. Hung out with her almost every day since we met. I mean, she says she doesn’t want to jump into anything serious right now ‘cause she’s still burnt from her last relationship, but then she initiates the make-outs just as much as I do.”
Alex stepped in front of Jason to check his sideburns one more time. “So you’re at the making out stage just a few days in? That sounds like progress.”
“Oh, that’s rich, coming from you,” Jason said. Then he blinked, and his eyes focused on his friend’s. “Dude!”
“What?”
“Seriously girly shit! What, aren’t we supposed to share some ice cream now? Rent a fuckin’ Sandra Bullock movie or something?”
Alex laughed. “Hey, you’re the one with a wardrobe crisis. Anyway, I’m done. We’re good. Brush all that hair off yourself and get dressed.”
Jason nearly shot out of the chair. “Thank you,” he grunted, his gratitude still overwhelmed by his tension. Alex paid it no mind.
His helmet and saddlebags sat on Jason’s living room futon. Alex pulled off his shirt and stuffed it into the empty bag with a sigh, then bent over to remove his shoes. “Hey, you’re gonna give me a ride, right?” he called to Jason. “I mean I don’t want to be a fifth wheel for you two, but I don’t want to have to get to the party and change there.”
“Yeah, it’s no big deal,” Jason said. “At first I thought you were coming over with Lorelei, but it’s cool. You can ride with us. We’ll have room. Long as you don’t mind leaving your bike here.”
“No worries,” Alex said. “I think Lorelei wants to wait on Rachel, anyway.”
“Rachel’s gonna be there? I figured she’d be out saving the city from freaky cultists or some bullshit tonight.”
“She just said she wouldn’t miss my birthday party for the world.”
He was mostly dressed in the pajamas he’d bought on the way over when he heard the knock on the door. “I’ve got it,” he called for Jason’s benefit. Thinking little of his state of dress, Alex reached for the door and threw it open.
He’d never seen green fatigues and black web gear look so good. “Wow,” he blinked. “I. Um. Wow.”
Amber cocked her head. It was encased in a green helmet, complete with dents, scarred paint and black microphone piece. “Hi,” she said. “Hey, you’re Alex, right? We only met in passing the other night. I’m Amber.” She slung her huge black sci-fi machinegun and offered her gloved hand.
“Right. Yeah, I’m Alex. Hi.”
She grinned. He grinned back. Neither realized at first that they were staring.
Then Alex blinked away his reverie. “Wow, that’s an awesome costume. Even the patches look cool. ‘course now you’re gonna have people quoting Aliens at you all night.”
“Yeah. If it gets annoying, I’ll just shoot ‘em.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Alex chuckled. He looked back toward the apartment’s bedroom. “Hey, Jason, your infantry support is here!”
Amber laughed as she slipped inside, coming closer to him than she needed. “I’m sorry, was this supposed to be a sleepover? I totally forgot my pajamas at home.”