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I don't know how we got talked into this. I mean, Kalinka was very persuasive when she started getting teary eyed. But still! This was just, undignified.
Cossack was apparently famous for his Halloween parties, and I guess it was good tbat he was feeling up to holding it this year after what he's hust been through. Hell, what all of them had been through in the last couple months. Kalinka had been teaching Ring and I about the holiday and the traditions that typically go along with it, but as per usual Ring was less than interested and I was left to entertain the young Cossack's lesson. Not that I didn't love spending time with Kalinka, but I liked spending time with Ring too. I hated that he took every opportunity he could to sneek off now.
Either way, it still didn't change the fact that I was currently standing infront of Kalinka's vanity mirror as she attempted to pull a dress on me.
"Kalinka...I really don't see the-"
"Blah blah, 'I don't see the point'!" She mocked back as I lost sign of myself in the mirror for a moment as the skirt part choked around my head. "You sound more and more like Ring everyday!"
"What!? I do not!" I argued back through muffled fabric as I felt Kalinka pull down. "I'm gunna get stuck!"
"Is that a fat joke?"
"What?! No!" I huffed with my arms pinned above my head as I wiggled into the ballgown like dress in defeat. "There, are you happy..."
Oh maker...That's what I looked like right now. I blushed as I caught my reflection again seeing the baggy-ness of the dress around my waist, but the tight fit around my chest peice was painfully obvious. If any of my brothers saw me right now I might actually die of embarrassment.
"It's not long enough! You're butt's gunna hang out!" Kalinka huffed as she immediately started to attempt to pull the dress off again, making me stumble to the side.
"Geez! Don't pull! You almost pulled me right over!" I complained, but she clearly didn't care. "Oww!"
"Sorry, Skull! You're too tall!"
"Okay wait! Wait!" I struggled to get ahold of the dress from her and pulled it off. "There...Why do I even have to dress up, I thought you said-"
"Dressing up if the fun part! You can't just go out normally! Even if you're already creepy!"
"Gee, thanks."
"You know I don't mean it like that!"
I laughed at the blonde as she returned to the bin in her closet of dress up costumes; which she seemed to have a plethora of. I was going to be here all day if she couldn't make up her mind. I loved spending time with my young master, but I was hoping to get some actual relaxation for a few ticks before this whole party thing Cossack was having later. I honestly would prefer to just not go; I knew Cossack's friends still didn't trust Ring and I 100%. They'd probably be happier if we just stayed locked away in our rooms for the evening like I as planning to do before Kalinka roped me into this. If I was going down than Ring sure as hell was going down too. There was no way he'd let me live it down otherwise. He'd probably fit into the dress a lot nicer that I did...
"Here! Put this on!" Kalinka flung a headband at me and I fumbled to catch it.
I examined the fluffy looking animal ears attatched to it before I rolled my eyes.
"You've got to be joking."
"No! Put it on!!" Kalinka whined as I helplessly fixed the headband on.
She was grinning ear to ear though, which was honestly all the reenforcement I needed. As long at she was having a good time I guess I could play along.
"Awwww! Skull you look so cute!"
"I thought you said we were supposed to look scary for this?"
"It doesn't always have to be scary! It just has to be different! Funny costumes are the best, that's what Dad does every year!" She smiled.
"Oh yeah? And what are you planning on going as?" I said as I sat down, crossing my legs and leaning forward as she continued to rifle through her closet.
"I'm going to be a vampire princess!"
"Pardon."
"You know! It's like, a princess, but with vampire teeth and a cape!" She said as she shoved the plastic teeth in her mouth and snapped at me.
Well, she got a good laugh out of me that time. This little tyke was always the highlight of my day, even though most of my days right now were spent woth her reguardless. She always found a way to make me smile; and when I smiled she always smiled back happier than before.
I might not have the best relationship with my brothers, or even with Cossack, but I know I could trust Kalinka with anything. I'd lay down my life to make sure she was safe now, and that nothing else bad ever happened to her.
"Here! Tie this around your waist!" She said as she handed me a belt with a fluffy wolf tail on it as she made quick work tying a red cape around my neck.
"And what exactly am I supposed to be now?"
"Little Red Riding Wolf!" She was practically hysterical as she tied the bow at the from of the cape and pulled the hood up and tucked it under the headband.
"Thanks, I hate it." I tried to keep a straight face as I answered her, but it was pretty funny. Ah least I wasn't in that dress.
I felt my core skip a beat as there was a gently knocking on the bedroom door before...Pharaoh (?) let himself in.
"Ah..." Pharaoh and I made awkward eye contact for a breif moment before a huge grin formed on his face. "Nice. Anyways, Dad wants you two to come down and help decorate."
I was honestly too distracted by Pharaoh's whole outfit being done up to the nines! He looked like a proper mummy now!
"I thought you said we had to actually dress up, not just wear our everyday stuff." I asked Kalinka a bit mockingly as she covered her mouth to laugh.
"Ha! You're just jealous I can rock the skirt-bandage combo." Pharaoh teased back. "But hey, you're only one scythe from the grim reaper! You already have the cape!"
I stuck my nose up at him now as he laughed. At least we could all have a good time tonight. It would be nice to get back together with the family to catch up a bit.
"Okay, we'll be down in a minute. Just let me put my dress on!" Kalinka laughed as she disappeared back to her closet.
"Sure thing, love. Have you seen Ring by any chance?" Pharaoh asked as I stretched and stood up.
"He was here earlier, but he kinda pulled the houdini trick as per usual." I rolled my eyes as Kalinka came hopping out of the closet trying to pull her dress on.
"Ah, gottcha...We can track him down later I guess."
I gently grabbed the edges of Kalinka's dress and helped her pull it on as Pharaoh headed back for the living room.
"Aww wait! I want Pharaoh to do my make-up!"
"Well you better go ask him quick!" I encouraged, seeing my opportunity to escape while I had the chance. "I'll be right down, I'm hust going to go grab Ring, okay?"
"Okay!" And with that she took off down the hall to the livingroom giving me the opportunity to sneak back to the room Ring and I shared.
The door wasn't all the way closed, but that didn't mean there was nobody inside. He lived in a pretty low traffic part of the house anyways, so we rarely needed to close the door for privacy. Reguardless, I still gave a gentle knock before pushing the door open the rest of the way.
Sure enough, Ring was sat cross legged on the floor infront of a full length mirror. What he was actually doing surprised me though.
"Oh! Sorry to interrupt." I said as he looked back at me.
"Pfft! What are you wearing?" Right laughed as I got a good look at his facepaint now.
"What are *you* wearing!" I snorted back as I sat down beside him.
"Ha, well, i figured this whole thing meant a lot to everyone else. So I went out and found some last minute costume stuff." He smiled at himself in the mirror as he drew on the black and white face paint.
"What are you though?"
"Can't you tell? Wait wait!" He said as he got up and pulled a black and white striped shirt on and started making hand gestures.
The look on my face must have matched my cluelessness, because he quickly rolled his eyes and sat down again continuing his make up.
"A mime! So I don't have to talk to anybody."
"Oh... Oh! Ha! Ah, okay, I get it now! I don't think that's how these parties work though." I laughed as he smiled and rolled his eyes playfully.
"Yeah I know. But what are you supposed to be?"
"Well isn't it obvious?" I mocked him as I pulled down the red hood to show off the eared headband better. "Little Red Riding Wolf!"
"You didn't even let me guess! I was going to say that!" Ring swatted at me, pushing me over as I laughed. "That is a pretty good costume though."
"God, wait until you see Pharaoh. He's really gone all out." I exaggerated a bit as I watched Ring finish up the triangles under his eyes. "This really does mean a lot to them."
"Well, hopefully it'll start to mean a lot to us too." Ring said, trying to sound hopeful clearly.
That was a good thought though. If we were going to be part of Cossack's family all of the things that were important to them should be important to us too. Obviously they wouldn't be important for the same reasons, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try and make the most of it while we're here. I'd really love to do more 'family' things with Cossack and Kalinka and my older brothers. This was just one small step to the begin of our family life now. I was really looking forward to it.
Maybe this Halloween won't be so bad after all.