Costumes and Second Chances

Early September — Mike

“Duckies!” yelled his squealing five-year-old. The poor little guy had yet to comprehend the massive changes that were about to happen. To him, grandma and Papa’s house was where he got to watch the ducks with Papa and tussle with their two very patient retrievers. He tried to bolt down to the pond as soon as Mike lowered him from his booster seat. Thankfully, Louise, his older sister, helped corral the boy in the split second it took Mike to grab his hand. At eight, she always acted older than she was. Every year she got older, was like three, and Louise looked more and more like a smaller version of her mother, only with Mike’s blue eyes instead of Deborah’s dark green. Louise certainly had her same headstrong attitude.

Mike and his small family were making what was likely a permeant pilgrimage to his hometown. Deborah’s folks had been a Godsend to getting them where they were, but they were retiring and headed off to tour the country in an RV. Mike had monopolized their time long enough; it wasn’t fair to them or his children’s cousins. Mikey and Louise were not their only grandchildren, only the youngest. Deborah had been a surprise, ten years younger than her brother, even further afield from her two sisters. For the five years that Mike had sleepwalked through his life, they had helped raise his children. He had made damn sure to be present when he was at home, but work and his social life were like a fog-addled mess. How Mike had managed to keep his employment the whole time was primarily due to his stellar record before and a very understanding boss. Mike had moments of clarity where he felt like his old self, but they were fleeting; they had allowed him to stay at least caught up with his projects, barely.

When little Mikey was only three months old, Deborah succumbed to a vicious and sudden cancer. Deb was diagnosed when she was six months pregnant with Mikey; she refused chemo and radiation until after he was born. By then, it was too late; her organs were riddled with tumors. They said it was a miracle that he made it to term. At least Deborah got to meet him before the pain became excruciating. If it weren’t for his kids, Mike would have disappeared into a bottle long ago. They were the only thing that kept him sane as he battled grief. It finally felt like he was shambling out of an extended dark fugue; since the pandemic started, Mike had been working at home. His supervisor had taken notice that his work had improved markedly. When the firm had decided to give the option to work from home permanently, Mike decided to move back home. Mike couldn’t live in the house that Deborah made their home any longer. He would always have the memories and his children.

“Uncle Jason!” Louise yelled out as Mike’s younger brother drove up to the house. Jason had just married Michelle, his long-time girlfriend, six months ago. They lived just around the block from his parents in a duplex. The pair were building their own place at the outskirts of town, but it would be a few months before they could move into it. Michelle was really hoping to have everything set up in time for Christmas.

“How are you two!” Jason bent down to receive a hug from his niece and nephew. He and Michelle had been frequent visitors since Deborah passed. His kids were close with both of them. “Grandma and Papa won’t be back until tomorrow, but Aunt Michelle is baking cookies inside; you two think you can help her out? She might need someone to help taste them.”

“Yeah!” Louise took Mikey’s hand as they sped across the yard, visions of sugary delights likely occluding any other thoughts. Mike smiled; those two had been through so much, but still so happy and well adjusted, mostly. They had their good and bad days like all children, but the good was far more prevalent.

“How was the drive?” Jason said with a smile, likely already knowing the answer.

“It should be a five-hour drive, four when we were younger and didn’t know better. It took eight hours. Kids took it better than last Christmas, so that’s an improvement.” Mike shook his head but was still grinning.

“When’s the moving van get here?”‘

“It’s all in storage for a couple of months. I gotta make sure Louise and Mikey like it here first. I can work from anywhere; if it needs to be back there, it’ll have to do. Louise is going to miss her friends. It’ll have to be in another house though, ours sold in a week.”

“It is a seller’s market. Three months with mom and dad, are they ready for that?”

“It’s all mom has been talking about. Since you two aren’t providing any grandkids the need to get their fill.”

Jason stopped in his tracks for a moment. “About that,” His eyes swiveled as if he was going to get caught passing drugs. “Don’t tell mom and dad yet; we just found out today. They are not going to be the only grands around in nine months.” Jason beamed proudly.

“I thought you two were going to wait until she got her master’s.”

“A. This is her last semester. B. We didn’t think it would happen right away. I was looking forward to more trying for a baby.”

“Congratulations, you are going to love being a dad.”

“Don’t tell mom and dad yet; I know they won’t be back in town until tomorrow.” Jason reiterated. “Michelle wants to tell her parents and ours at the same time. Her folks will be in town in a week.”

At that same time — Ellie

“No, sweetie, mama has got to get this finished before we go to the park. I promise I’ll read that to you tonight. Why don’t you go play with Aunt Cheryl and Cody for a few minutes?” It was hard to say no to her daughter when she entered the room with a book, but she was still on the clock.

“Okay,” Katelynn trundled excitedly off to the front room. It was hard to believe that her little blonde clone was going to be four in a month and a half. Ellie loved Halloween, but her daughter being born on the date had given her more reasons to go all out for the spooky holiday. It was hard to get into the spirit for Katelynn’s first couple of birthdays, but now she had no choice but to be buoyed by the little girl’s enthusiasm. I am so lucky to have such a great daughter. Ellie pushed through a series of spreadsheets, lifting the most critical data to filter into a report for her boss.

Though the pandemic had finally abated, at least in their region, she still got to work from home three days of the week. Between her work schedule, Cheryl working from home four days a week, and coopting Heather, her best friend that professed to not liking children, they managed to care for their children without too much childcare. They only had daycare one or two days out of the week. Heather was fantastic with the three kids, even if she protested nominally. Ellie’s parents or Cheryl’s husband would take care of the three rowdy youngsters a few times a week, giving the three women time to work out or a rare night out on the town.

Ellie sent the completed report to her boss and then contacted him on the firm’s video calling software to let him know she was done with her portion. He didn’t answer, so an email would have to be good enough. She was only working a half-day today, at the insistence of her manager. A significant server issue had put them on the back foot for a report; she worked all day last Saturday to get caught up. Three half-days on a holiday-shortened week did make the time fly by.

After a brief stretch, Ellie closed the bedroom office’s door and quickly changed out of her work clothes. Work from home did not typically mean working from her own cramped apartment. Cheryl and her husband Juan had a lovely spacious home to stretch out in. Grabbing her casual clothes, Ellie quickly changed. She had no planned video meetings today, and her boss couldn’t care less about casual clothing if they weren’t meeting with a vendor. Ellie used business clothing to help differentiate the workday from home life. She tossed her duffle aside, hoping that she could still get in a run and yoga before the end of the day; the kids had the propensity to throw off careful plans.

Stepping out into the living room, she was shocked to not hear the squealing of three children or the chorus of noisy toys they all enjoyed. Heather and Cheryl were in the kitchen, talking in low voices. Conspiring if Ellie wasn’t wrong, and probably about her. “Where are the kids?” Ellie questioned, both of her friends turning with thinly veiled smiles. Definitely plotting something.

“Juan took the older two on a car ride to pick up lunch. Cody is down for a nap.” Cheryl responded.

“Juan off for lunch?”

“They got the afternoon off, got his team finished with their project sooner than he thought they would.”

“That’s good.” She kept a smile on her face as her eyes kept looking at her two closest friends. “What are you two planning?”

“Well…” Cheryl started as her eyes darted toward Heather. “Heather has an idea.” Ellie couldn’t help but smile. Heather was always the group’s personal mastermind, but she rarely proffered up a plan herself. Cheryl and herself liked to put Heather on the spot.

“Ellie, you know we love you.” Is this a surprise intervention, but for what? Ellie couldn’t think of any personal vices that were weighing down on her conscience. “It’s been over four years since Todd. You need to get back out there sometime. How long has it been since you got a night out on the town?” They all knew damn well that a night out on the town meant sex in Heather speak.

“I haven’t really dated since Todd.” She said flatly. Unless she counted a pair of terrible first dates, and when Ellie had almost hooked up at the office Christmas party before the pandemic but got cold feet. Over a year of hiding from an invisible enemy in her apartment had not provided many opportunities.

“No penis for more than four years? How are you not going crazy?” Cheryl looked dismayed.

“I am not my vibe’s secret mistress.” Ellie rolled her eyes. Todd, Katelynn’s father, who supported them, at least fiscally, was supposed to be her fiancé. She still had the ring at the bottom of her jewelry box; perhaps it was a totem to remind her to be cautious when things seemed too good to be true. They were supposed to be married the summer before Katelynn was born. When Ellie found out she was pregnant, Todd absconded. They had even talked about kids, and both seemed to be on the same page. He disappeared in a puff of smoke, and Ellie was dumbfounded, scared, and alone. Her friends helped her through it all.

Juan discovered the real story a little later; Todd had a real family a couple states away, a wife, and three children. Ellie was the mistress; Todd had lied to her the entirety of their relationship; her blood used to boil at the mere mention of his name. Time and a loving daughter tempered that rage; she didn’t want that anger to pollute her life anymore. Todd paid his child support every month thanks to something Heather’s law firm took care of, but that was his only contact in three years was the monthly check. The bastard had never even seen his little girl. The thought of the man not wanting to see the adorable daughter he helped make still caused a rise if she concentrated on it.

“Ellie, it’s time for you to get out there again.” Heather set down her cup of coffee, looking Ellie in the eyes. “Not every guy is a Todd.”

Ellie sighed loudly with a tone of exasperation; these conversations were becoming numerous since the world had started to open up again, at least in their area. “I know, it’s just when do I have the time?”

“You have a great babysitter, then there are your parents and Juan and me. Even Heather has volunteered to watch Kate. You need a few nights out.”

Ellie couldn’t miss a pointed look between her friends. “We have an idea for a night out, even though you shouldn’t wait this long.” Heather shifted uncomfortably like she was hoping that Cheryl would jump in a save her. She took a deep breath before bailing on the conversation. “You know they are bringing back the costume contest at Harvest Fest this year for the first time in a decade.”

Wincing at the thought, Ellie immediately shook her head. “Oh, no! Not going to happen, you two might be able to convince me to take a night out, but I certainly don’t have time for a costume contest.”

“Don’t give us that; we already know you are making Katelynn a costume for Halloween. Don’t let Todd take away something you love. That asshat doesn’t deserve that.” Cheryl gave her a withering gaze; sometimes, Ellie needed a kick in the ass.

“I don’t have the time,” Ellie stated sternly. “I am barely going to get Katelynn’s costume done.” To be honest, working on Katelynn’s little dress had been like a relapse; she could feel the intoxicating pull of a hobby that she had all but abandoned.

“If you are not going to take us up on the free childcare for nights out, use it to do something else you love,” Heather spoke up; her volunteering for childcare was new. No matter how much she protested that she didn’t like kids, she was good with them. Ellie had to hide a smile; Heather’s façade was showing cracks.

“I…” She couldn’t think of a valid excuse; the more she sewed, the more she wanted to get back into it. The specter of Todd still hung like a dark storm cloud over it, though.

“We heard Michelle is competing.” Cheryl looked with a smirk. Ten years ago, the last competition before budget cuts killed the fun, Ellie came in second to a younger woman. Although she thought she should have won, she couldn’t complain about losing to such a prodigious talent.

“Really?”

“It’s just a rumor, but Juan has a pretty good source; he works with her husband.” There was a challenge in Heather’s eyes. “You could finally win.”

Ellie’s love of making costumes had started when she was in middle school, making her younger brother and sister costumes to go trick or treating. Her grandmother taught her how to sew, which skipped a generation; her mother was great at many things but wouldn’t trust herself to sew a button back on a blouse. Ellie had made costumes for several productions in high school, spending much of her time in the theatre department when it wasn’t cheer season. After high school, her time making costumes ebbed and flowed through college. Her senior year, she stumbled into cosplay because of one of her teammates on her senior project. As she started her career, making costumes was a fantastic creative outlet. She loved her job, but it was almost a purely analytical pursuit.

The costume contest was the first time she had gotten the nerve to compete in since high school. She didn’t take the blue ribbon, but being on the podium encouraged her. Ellie started to compete in cosplay competitions at various conventions; that was where she met Todd. He was a vendor at a large con that had kindly helped her out when one of her props broke while in line for the contest’s finals. They managed to make a near-flawless patch in a short time. Ellie won that day, and with her chemistry with the tall, handsome vendor, she thought she would win twice.

Her hobby had been a catalyst in her love life almost as soon as she got started. While other girls on the cheer squad had dated the cliché sports stars at their high school, Ellie had found herself drawn to actors. Though she dated her fair share of guys in high school, she wasn’t one to go all the way, save for a couple of fumbling attempts with a close friend. Her first real love was with a suave actor from across town at a drama convention a few months after Ellie turned eighteen. She fell head over heels for the boy before going to colleges across the state tore the blossoming relationship apart before it started. It had been a fun weeklong tryst with sneaking out of hotel rooms to find time together. Earnest but fumbling attempts at sex improved markedly as the week dwindled. Ellie occasionally wondered what happened to the man and hoped he was happy somewhere.

“If,” Ellie started, “And it’s a big if, I agree to this, Cheryl. You have to enter your family in the family contest on that Sunday. That includes Juan. Heather, you have to compete with me.” Heather blanched visibly; she never liked to be the center of attention. Ellie tossed the challenge out, knowing that getting Juan and Heather on board would be a near impossibility.

“I’ll talk to Juan; I hope you don’t mind store-bought costumes with a little extra pizazz.” Although Cheryl did not have excellent sewing skills, she did have an eye for decoration, which might be a more significant challenge than she imagined. She was pretty shrewd at repurposing things; Ellie kept telling her that was a touchstone of cosplay. “There is no way I could compete whatever you whip up.”

Heather stood tall, determination in her brown eyes. “If it means getting you out of your house for something other than yoga, hell yes!”

Mike — The start of October

Sweat glistened on Mike’s skin as he took a seat on the back porch of his parents’ house. The smell of fresh-cut grass was thankfully more potent than his own perspiration. Taking a long, greedy gulp of lemonade, he couldn’t help the smile plastered on his face. Just one month back home had made his decision; this is where he belonged. Tomorrow, he would be talking to a realtor, hoping to find his family a place of their own. His parents had been very supportive, but they still needed their own space.

Louise was happier than she had been in forever; she met a great group of friends in school. Today she was on a road trip for a mother-daughter excursion. Michelle went along to serve as her surrogate mother; she had been an excellent aunt for far longer than she and Jason had been married. Grandma and Papa had taken Mikey out fishing this morning; his little man was so excited. Mikey was a rough and tumble little boy that loved all things outdoors. Camping and fishing had been Deborah’s thing, but both sets of Mikey’s grandparents had to be the ones to encourage him. Mike would be the first to admit that he wasn’t the outdoor type, despite being a scout when he was younger.

Mike had a morning call with his boss; they were at a conference and needed an engineer to remote in to help them with the more technical aspects of a presentation. That had precluded him from going along with either expedition. Both Michelle and his parents were given strict instructions to take as many pictures as possible. He had been able to get in a run and mow the yard before his father could. The old push mower wasn’t great for his dad’s back, but he still insisted on being the one to take care of the yard. Mike tried to tell him to consider it payment toward rent. His father replied that he was already getting paid in the currency of more time with his grandkids.

“Just hanging around and being lazy today?” Jason appeared around the corner of the house. His parents’ older Golden Retriever had not reacted at all until she saw Jason. They took their younger and more spry lab mix along with them. She then jumped to her feet and barked once before feeling embarrassed and sitting down to whine in excitement; her tail was wagging hard.

Mike leaned down and pat her on the head. “Some guard you are; you’ll let anyone into this backyard. I have worked, mowed, and gone for a long run; it’s not even noon yet. I thought you were going fishing.”

“That was the plan, but one of the server blades crashed at work.”

“Fun way to start your Saturday.”

“Always. We have redundants, but I don’t need to be woken up in the middle of the night when the other decides to die.”

“You should really get that replaced.”

“You think? I have been trying to get them to replace the servers for a year and a half now, but it’s just not in the budget. It’ll be amazing if we don’t wait until it crashes in the middle of a workday and miss out on a ton of potential sales.”

“The joys of IT, huh? Most the C-suite just sees it as money lost, not that the whole business runs on it.” Mike had been an IT tech for a couple years out of college before he became a systems engineer. He now helped build the products his brother relied on.

“Amazing we get a budget at all. Hell, I don’t think I would have been able to get things backed up as well as they are without the insurance company telling our CFO they would cancel their ransomware insurance if they didn’t make the changes I have been insisting on for months. That was a hell of a meeting to sit in on, hard to keep from smiling.” Jason said with a laugh and a shake of his head. “What are you up to the rest of the afternoon?”

“Sipping lemonade, maybe watch State get their yearly ass-kicking.” Mike’s school was good at a lot of things, football was not one of them. Their cross-state rival liked to come in and stomp them every year. State would get their revenge come basketball season.

“Want to hang out and grab a six-pack? Your daughter stole my wife for the day.”

“If I remember correctly, Michelle was the one who suggested it to Louise.”

“She does have a nasty habit of being an awesome aunt.”

He gave his brother a severe fake stare. “Sounds like a damn good plan.” Mike suddenly couldn’t remember the last time he had just hung out with his brother. The pair had been relatively close growing up, despite the nearly four years between them. By the time Jason was old enough to want to just hang out and drink a beer, Deborah was in the picture. Not that the three of them couldn’t kick back together and watch a game, but it wasn’t just the two of them. “You fly, I buy?” Mike reached for his wallet.

“You don’t want to go with me?”

“Nah, I’m a little ripe. I don’t think your new truck needs to smell like some dude funk. It’ll give me a chance to catch a shower. Get me something dark, not just that shit that tastes like chewing on pine needles.”

“I’ll get you into IPAs one day.”

“Just not today. Grab six of whatever you want with my six. We got pro ball tomorrow even if it is too much for today.”

By the time Mike got out of the shower, Jason was already back. He had poured himself the haziest ale Mike had ever seen. It looked to Mike like there was milky river sediment swirling about in the glass. Jason had made sure to stake his claim to their father’s overstuffed leather recliner. Wordlessly Mike picked up Jason’s glass and took a sniff. “Yup, smells like the same stuff they used to clean the gym with back when we were kids.”

“It’s good. Your tar-colored stout is over there. You do know that IPAs are very popular right now.”

“Still tastes like a Christmas tree; this tastes like a real beer. How’s the game?”

“Close, only down 21 — 3 at the end of the first quarter.”

“Holy shit, we scored this year.” Mike laughed and shook his head. “Thanks for picking up the beer, Jace.”

“No problem,” the pair sat and conversed for a few hours, flipping channels away from their team once they had their fill of embarrassment. Fortunately, there was a veritable buffet of closer games.

“We’re moving here permanently. As long as I can find a place that isn’t too far out of my price range.” Mike told his brother. “I have a realtor looking already.”

“It’s a sellers’ market right now,” Jason nodded toward him. “You told the parents yet?”

“I think you have told me that before.” Jason liked to unwittingly repeat stores and phrases to him. “I have discussed it with them, but I made my decision this morning. The kids are just so much happier here.”

“Alright! My boy will have cousins in town.” Michelle had nieces and nephews, but they lived four states away.

“Your boy? Shouldn’t it be too early to tell?”

“Michelle had some blood work done or something.” Mike cringed instinctually when he heard blood tests; a vision of Deborah in the hospital wasting away flashed into his mind. “Oh shit, I am not supposed to tell anyone yet. Michelle wants to have a reveal party even if we both know.”

“I won’t tell anyone until you guys do, but after that, I’m telling Michelle you blabbed.” Mike teased.

“So, how are you doing with all of this, man?” Jason switched subjects abruptly. “I know Mikey and Louise love their new friends, but what about you?”

“I’m good. I have a new gym and my family; I’m finally kicking ass at work again. What else do I need?”

“Have you been out on a date since Deborah?”

Mike knew that Debbie wanted him to find love again after her. She had been quite insistent that he didn’t mope the rest of his life. He had to promise the love of his life that he would live on without her. Have I held up my promise to her? “Phew… It has been a tough five years, Jace.” Mike had to blink back tears. The pain had never really lessened; he had just learned to live with the grief a little better every day.

“I know, Mike. I couldn’t imagine losing Michelle.” Jason looked away, a solemn look in his eyes. “Deb is probably the reason she wanted all the blood tests.”

“Maybe, I’ll think about dating when they graduate high school.” He tried to joke.

“You can’t do that to yourself, Mike.”

Mike sighed and leaned back on the couch. “I don’t know if I’m ready.”

“I don’t think we are ready for much if we wait for the opportune time.” Jason wasn’t allowing him to drop the conversation. “Would you have had Louise if you two had waited until you were ready?”

“No,” he conceded his brother’s point. “I haven’t dated in fifteen years; I’m not sure if I know how to.”

“Did you ever?”

“Hell no, I never had any game. I was damn lucky that Deb decided to chase me.”

“You did pretty well in high school, and college, before Debbie. At least you had a few good-looking girls that liked to hang around you.”

Jason wasn’t wrong; it wasn’t like Deborah was his first and only. There were others before, but it was different. He had employed a mental trick back then that allowed him to get beyond his anxious tendencies back then. Although he was an introvert and somewhat shy in public, he had also been a theatre kid. When he was part of a production, he could pretend to be more like his part in a play. Someone that was far cooler and more confident around women, at least until he got to know them. “It was different back then.”

His mind flashed to one radiant woman. It was the summer after high school; he spent a week at a theatre conference. He and a breathtaking young woman spent the entire week together, sneaking out of their hotel rooms to spend the night on the town. Each evening they would inevitably end up having sex in a new and more exciting location. Going to colleges across the state meant that there was no real future for them, but their brief affair burned like a falling star.

“It wasn’t the stone age, Mike.”

“Might as well have been; it was before smart phones. No, I had the plays I was in to be another person.”

“Couldn’t you just do that now?”

“It’s not the same; I need something tangible. I can’t just pretend to be someone else.”

“No way,” Jason sat forward, a smirk appearing on his face. “I got an idea. It might not work more than once, but at least we could get you some practice.”

“Am I going to like this idea?”

“Probably not, but you would be helping Michelle out for all the free childcare.” His brother couldn’t help the cocky grin that plastered all over his face. “So, you know how Michelle is making Halloween costumes for Louise and Mikey…”

Ellie — Three weeks from Halloween

The cool air from the locker room felt fantastic as they escaped from an hour of hot yoga. Her sports bra and leggings were soaking with sweat. Ellie always hated hot yoga while it was happening, but the sense of accomplishment afterward always lured her back. Combined with it and catching a run every morning, it had her in the best shape of her life. Heather and Cheryl were a few steps ahead of her. As soon as Cheryl heard the door close, off came her sports bra, not even bothered by the other women in the locker room or the fact that their locker alcove was clear down at the end of the row.

“That feels better.” She announced into the space.

“Cheryl, getting a little ahead of yourself?” Ellie said in mock outrage; the giggle gave her away.

“I’m sweating my tits off.” Cheryl turned around with a shrug. She had spent a few summers as a tour guide in college, her ability to walk backward without tripping or running into anyone was a little obnoxious. Looking at Cheryl, she was also constantly reminded why she was not shy about being topless. Her large natural breasts barely sagged even after nursing two babies and being near forty. Half-dollar-sized areolae were a dark splash of contrast on otherwise pale skin. Cheryl was four years older than her two partners in crime and had a fuller figure than the other two. She wasn’t exactly fat, but her tall form was thicker even though she was in fantastic shape.

“So am I,” Heather said with a giggle. She lifted her purple sports bra up over her head. It looked like she was just as impetuous as Cheryl, but they had just arrived in their row of lockers. Heather was tall, one inch taller than Cheryl. Even though Ellie was just an inch under average height, she always felt short beside the pair. Where Cheryl looked like a farm girl, her thickness coming naturally from manual labor as a kid, Heather was svelte, lithe, and elfin. Long, dark, straight hair and her ears that almost looked a little pointy led more credence to her likeness of a creature of fantasy. Heather had small but shapely tits, each dark pink nipple pierced by a silver barbell. While Heather seemed ordinarily quiet and reserved, there was an exception when she was out on the town or hearing her stories about her bedroom with her latest conquest.

Ellie just shook her head silently as she opened her locker without joining the two in partial nudity. “You two.”

“Are far more comfortable,” Cheryl stated as she peeled off her yoga pants, her shoes, and sports bra already stacked on the wooden bench. “How’s the costume making going?” She took off her panties and added them to the pile before finally starting to undo her lock. Cheryl may have been curvier than the other two, but she never lacked body confidence. The thin strip of dark hair over her otherwise waxed womanhood did not match the current blonde layered with auburn atop her scalp in two short put fetching pigtails.

“Pretty good; I got Kate’s whole ensemble done; I’m just waiting to get a few more things that were out of stock for mine. Hopefully, they will get here by next weekend.” Ellie wanted to wait to disrobe until Heather and Cheryl headed toward the shower. It had to be getting pretty obvious that she always played on her phone until they left, then was wrapped in a towel when they came back. Before Katelynn, Ellie had been as confident about her body as the other two; since the pregnancy, she’d been hiding. Perhaps if she could just go topless around them again, that confidence might just start to grow again. Elanor didn’t care if they saw her in a bikini; why should she care about her breasts. She lifted the maroon sports bra over her not quite shoulder-length, wavy blonde mop of hair.

“Whoo, dem titties!” Heather immediately made her question the decision. “I haven’t seen the girls in years!” She went back to untying her tie-dyed high-waisted yoga pants. “They look even better than I remembered.” She said with a smile without looking back up; with a quick shimmy, her tight pants started to roll off her sweaty body, her typical lack of panties hastening her stripping. Heather had a body that made Ellie a little jealous. She had honest to god abs since she took working out very seriously in lockdown. Her hairless quim looked very smooth, and she had the perfect thigh gap.

For a moment, Ellie’s mind flashed back to her one experience with a woman, with Heather. They had both been between boyfriends; after spending a night in, they had a little too much wine. Heather joined Ellie in her bed; though she still remembered the intense orgasms and how her close friend tasted, they both decided it was a one-time thing, and they liked cock better than pussy. Times like now, when she had been without a partner for so long, she felt the pull of that night pulse.

“I don’t know what you are ashamed of, girl; those are still very nice.” Cheryl turned and smiled at her. Ellie looked at the mirror in her locker. Her natural breasts were pretty large and perky, though not nearly as large as Cheryl’s. She felt self-conscious about her pale complexion, but her small light-pink nipples contrasted nicely with the light shade. In her youth, it had been pockmarked with acne, but it finally cleared up without having to hide beneath foundation. Back in her cosplay heyday, she did have to cover up with makeup on her skimpier outfits. “So, are you going with Lady Anna or the thief?” Ellie was relieved that she switched the subjects off her breasts.

“Queen Anna, it wouldn’t make sense to be the thief if Katelynn is going to be the princess.” In the cartoon, Queen Anna and the thief are the same woman, just at different points in her life. The thief appeared in flashbacks when Anna was on her own quest to save the world. A lowly commoner and a thief saved the prince’s life, and he won her heart. Sometimes, the cartoon was a little too intense for Katelynn, but Cheryl’s older daughter had introduced it to her. Now it was her daughter’s favorite. Ellie had to screen episodes before Katelynn watched them, but most made it into her streaming rotation.

“Aww, but the Queen is so reserved. Don’t you remember how Michelle beat you last time?” Heather should have no idea who these characters were but had more than her fair share of exposure from her unofficial nieces.

“She had a better costume?”

“Your costume was as least as nice, nicer, I would say, but she showed some skin.” Cheryl reached over and grasped her shoulders as she said that; it didn’t make Ellie uncomfortable like she thought it would. Perhaps she had been spiraling in her dread of showing her body. Finally, giving in and stripping down had the opposite effect precipitously. “You seemed to get more comfortable when you cosplayed later.”

“Yeah, but that was how I got a Todd.” Ellie smiled a bit. “Besides, the first costume contest is far down on the priority list. Making Katie happy on her birthday is the first.”

“Why couldn’t you do both? The skirt, sword, and shield are the same between the two. You would just need two wigs and two tops.” Heather slipped on a pair of flip-flops and slung a towel over her shoulder. She was always calm and confident without her kit on, a strange inversion of her normal personality.

“You do have plenty of wigs.” Cheryl pointed out as she similarly prepared to shower. Queen Anna had long, straight, silver hair, a symbol of what she gave up to save the world. The thief had luscious, blood-red locks. The thief wore a cloak and a golden metallic bodice armor combination piece that showed off her ample bosom and taut tummy. Ellie was glad that the provocative costume was not shared with her precocious daughter’s character of choice.

“The skirt is a little different too.” Ellie was envisioning how she could make easy changes between the two. Whether she was ready to admit it or not, she was really enjoying all the sewing and creating. She wasn’t worried about her body issues as she too shed her leggings.

“Not that different; you could do a different belt on the queen’s that has the extra decoration hanging down on it.” Cheryl pointed out as she covered herself with a towel.

“That could work, I need to get some more leather or vinyl, but it is a great idea.” Ellie’s mind was in overdrive as she absent-mindedly pushed off her simple cotton panties. For the first time since Todd, she was naked in front of someone other than herself. Her heart accelerated momentarily, but she pushed into worrying about coming creation instead.

“How come I’m the only one of us that gained weight during the quarantine?” Cheryl pouted and pointed to the other two.

“I gained five pounds!” Heather declared with a huff.

“Yeah, but it was all muscle. Damn, Ellie! You look better than before you got knocked up!”

“Thanks,” Ellie still grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her; she still wouldn’t be showing off like Heather anytime soon.

“You’re definitely coming to the bonfire after the contest,” Heather told her. The bonfire was a debaucherous, unofficial after-party for the official, boozy, but sanctioned party that went with the contest. It had survived even after budget cuts, and some religious groups put the kibosh on the Halloween festivities and costume contest. Rebranding it as a harvest festival and getting corporate sponsors had brought it back. “Might need to get those hedges trimmed before then.” She said with a wink.

“Swimsuit season ended a while ago; no one else has been seeing me naked,” Ellie said with a shrug.

“You always used to wax,” Heather said with a wink. Their one night together was where Heather decided to start waxing from Ellie. “I’ll schedule you something with my girl; we are going to get you laid at the bonfire.”

Mike — The Friday before Halloween

It felt weird stripping naked in the bathroom and the convention center. Odder still that Jason was in the bathroom, but he had to keep watch while Mike changed into his costume. He took one last look in the mirror before he put on a new persona. For the first time since Deborah got sick, Mike had clipped his pubic hair close. It made his already substantial cock look even larger, and from what Jason said, women expected some manscaping. It had been fifteen years since he had to actively worry about someone new seeing his crotch. It seemed appropriate since Mike had to shave what little chest hair he had. He pulled on the tiny shorts atop his tight briefs, he was usually a boxer-briefs wearer, but those might escape his costume. Mike had to admit he was a little excited at the prospect of getting out again.

“You look good, man!” Jason smiled as he turned around, and Mike stepped out of the open bathroom stall where he had gone to change into his costume to at least block the head-on view of nuding up in front of his younger brother.

“I feel like I’m wearing a pair of briefs.”

“At least you have the loincloth and some chest armor.”

“That chest armor looks like belts.”

“That’s what Michelle started with, yeah. Don’t forget your axe and battle helm.”

“How’s this supposed to protect the prince?” Mike looked in the mirror; nearly two years of concerted effort had changed flab into muscle. Mike had been into weight training before the kids came around, and Deborah got sick. It was nice to know that he could still mold his tall form into something after near ten years. His blue eyes stared back at him, and he gave a slight nod back; it was time to go out and do something for himself. Powerful legs spoke of his reverence for leg day. His skin was sun-bronzed lightly still this late in the season, coming honestly from running and yard work. His brown hair was no longer sun-bleached but still a little lighter than typical.

“Magic,” Jason replied; Mike gave him an incredulous look. Jason may be younger, but he stood a couple inches taller than Mike’s already tall height. He also had the gift from her father of a couple of shades darker skin tone so that he looked like he had a nice tan except in the dead of winter. “I’m serious; those belts create some sort of magic barrier.”

“I get to wear pants when I play the king, right?”

“And a shirt. Michelle made armor for the king, but this gets to put you on display for the single girls.” Mike knew the source material well. Whether wearing armor or not, the magic provided the same protection. The man wore a more primitive ensemble as a prince, as it was a tradition to constantly remind them of where the kingdom had come from. If the prince and his retinue failed their quest, it would also be where the kingdom quickly fell back. On his coronation, the prince would receive far more regal attire.

“The things I do for my children,” Mike muttered to himself. Louise wanted to play the adoptive princess of the line. Her character had been orphaned by an attack of magical forces and the sacrifice of her mother to close a portal, sealing off the invasion. The princess, along with her adopted sister and a cousin were embarked on their own quest, this time hoping to forestall the reopening of the portal permanently. “How come you two didn’t wear costumes?”

“Michelle didn’t feel like going sexy this year, and we ran out of time.” Jason handed him the battle helmet he had been holding.

“Why aren’t you the one wearing this git-up?” Mike affixed it to his head with a chin strap that he knew would irritate his skin by the end of the night.

“I’m not the one that we are trying to get laid. Plus, Michelle says you look a lot more like the prince.” Jason smirked.

“You don’t think helping Michelle win again is going to get you laid?” Mike smiled back at him.

“I haven’t needed help on that front. Michelle has been insatiable since we got pregnant.”

“That happened with Deb’s first pregnancy. I remember having lots of fun.” Mike took the axe that Jason was proffering and slung it over his shoulder. “No time like the present,” Mike said as he blew out a breath and walked out.

Michelle was seated on a bench across the hallway as they emerged. “Looking good, Mike!” Michelle was a petite, slender African American with a warm complexion and expressive brown eyes. Like Jason, she was wearing street clothes, an elegant pink dress that looked fantastic. Her braided black hair was festooned with black, purple, and orange beads for the occasion. Her infectious smile had overcome Jason’s formerly gruff exterior; he seemed so much happier than before he met his wife. Jason’s effect on her had reinforced her demeanor to new heights. They were perfect for each other.

“You did great work as always.” The trio traveled back to the main ballroom; it was absolutely packed with patrons. Each ticket sold went half to the fundraising; the other half was split to purchase the food and beverages for the party that went along with the contest. Twenty-five percent was split evenly between the winner of the men’s and women’s divisions. The vast majority of the thrumming mass of the community was not active participants. Jason and Michelle blended in far better than he did.

Even with the fraction that had entered the contest, at least half of them looked to be wearing low-effort or store-bought costumes. He scrutinized the better of the regalia; not very many seemed to have gone the more traditional horror or macabre-based decoration. No one else was wearing anything from the same popular cartoon, but he was far from out of place. He fetched a beer from the bar; unfortunately, their selection was either IPAs or light beer that tasted like slightly dirty water. The beer he got tasted of a pleasant grapefruit and not like it was brewed from pinecones. It was almost tasty, not that he would be admitting that to Jason anytime soon.

Mike affected the façade of the brash but warm-hearted prince as he made the rounds talking to people he hadn’t seen since he had moved out to go to college. After the fourth or fifth time of going through his life since college, he scoped out a seat away from everyone. He just needed a few minutes to sip his beer quietly. Even leaning into his borrowed persona, Mike could only take recounting the pain so many times before he was utterly exhausted. Maybe he wasn’t ready for it. Mike started to get up, to apologize to Jason and Michelle, and head home. Before he could leave, he saw the future Queen walk into the room with an entourage of equally stunning women. Maybe I can hang out just a little longer.

Ellie — An hour before the party

Steam from the recent shower still caressed Ellie’s naked skin as she dropped her towel and cleaned off the bathroom mirror. She sang along with her phone as it blared out an optimistic tune, sound filling the small space. Something about working on costumes again had her smiling; Ellie had forgotten how much joy her hobby gave her. She loved creating, how she could change fabric, leather, vinyl, plastic, and foam into something stunning. The memory of Todd and his duplicity had tried to rob her of one of the two things Ellie cherished most in life. The relationship had also created a girl that she held above all others.

There was something else keeping her excellent mood going, other than an overwhelming sense that tonight was going to be special. Heather dragging her in to get her kitty waxed, had reawakened something in her. Ellie felt sexier than she had been since before Todd. Elanor had been incredibly horny since the appointment and a couple days of recovery. If she had been at her own apartment, perhaps Ellie would be sneaking to her room right now to get in one more session with her vibe. Although she had never been one for one-night stands, El could be persuaded to try one this evening.

It had been well over four years since Ellie had fucked anyone. Todd had impregnated her the last time she had sex; it was the only time they had ever coupled without a condom. At the time, she thought they would be married just a few months later. Her pregnancy was the catalyst for everything falling apart, though pregnant or not, something would have happened before the wedding. Ellie wouldn’t trade Katelynn for the world, but the man would be wearing a condom if she hooked up tonight, even if she was on birth control. Katelynn didn’t need a sibling anytime soon.

Ellie hadn’t intended to live a celibate life, she had attempted to date when Katelynn was younger, but two terrible dates and a pandemic derailed any attempts for romance. For one guy, everything seemed to have started out fantastic. He was friendly, charming, and handsome. They had a terrific first date, with a passionate kiss at the end of the night. He never called her again after that; he found out she had a kid and wanted nothing to do with her. The second had the opposite problem; as soon as he found out she had a kid, the asshole assumed she would put out.

Without wrapping in a towel again, Ellie stained her lips a vibrant, blood-red to match the wig for the thief. Green eye shadow would accent her eyes the dark forest green cloak, fastened with a symbol of the kingdom. It would be after Anna had saved the prince and become a protector of the crown in the time frame. The clasp was an impromptu medal for her valor, forged out of one of the prince’s pieces of regalia. Taking a step back from the sink, she admired her naked body. She was now, no question about it, in the best shape of her life. Her alabaster skin was just losing the hot water-caused pink cast. Her breasts were large and perky, her tummy was not displaying abs but was tight and flat. Her labium had a delicate pink tone to them, matching her tiny nipples. There was a sheen on her thighs; Ellie knew that was not all caused by the shower but a simmering desire in her body.

Something possessed her; she needed to get Heather to help her into her corset armor. Ellie should have at least put on a robe or her discarded panties, but she felt like showing off. Poking her head out of the door, she caught Heather’s eyes as she was lounging on her bed across the hall, playing with her phone. “Are they back yet?”

“They just left; why?” Cheryl and Juan took the kids to get some supper before it was time to deliver the trio to Ellie’s parents. They would still be coming back by Heather’s as Katelynn insisted on seeing mommy in her costume before she left.

Ellie did not answer in words but instead threw open the door and walked across the hallway. “I need help getting into my uniform.” Heather’s eyes tracked up and down her body, drinking in her closest friend and one-time lover. Her mind flashed to a vivid memory of Heather’s skillful hands and tongue. Heather had been Ellie’s lone female lover, but she had the feeling that Ellie was far from her first.

“Damn.” Heather stared agog. “You are not just going to the bonfire; you are going to be the star of the show.” Standing to her feet, Heather walked closer to her friend. Ellie could see wanting in her warm eyes; did she want another roll in bed? If Heather were to kiss her, it would take an act of God to prevent her from ripping off her clothes. She craved cock, but she was just so horny. “Wow, give me a turnaround,” Heather commanded boldly.

Without protest, Ellie complied. Heather gave her bottom a sharp slap. “Ouch!” Ellie complained though it had been far more exciting than painful.

“You have great boobs, but that ass is the main attraction.” Heather grabbed one hand and pulled her toward her bedroom, where the rest of Ellie’s costume awaited. “We better get you dressed; we don’t need you to get caught by the kids.”

“Yeah, you’re right. I need help with the corset armor.”

“I remember the plan. It’s nice to see you like this.”

“Naked?” Ellie couldn’t help a giggle and slight blush.

“Yes and no,” Heather picked up the corset piece and strapless bra with a matching red thong. “Don’t get me wrong, you look fantastic, but I am talking about you being comfortable showing skin again.” Ellie took the panties and slowly, almost seductively pulled them on. “Cheryl and I noticed; I was glad to see you in your all together again.”

“Yeah, sorry.” Ellie clasped on the strapless bra.

“No need to apologize; God knows I have had my issues. I feel more anxious when in my clothes, though.” Heather smiled at her, though she looked a little pained to confess.

“I had noticed that.” Ellie grabbed a pair of black thigh-high stockings; they contrasted nicely with her creamy skin. “Todd’s deceit really fucked me up. Getting waxed got me over something, I think.”

“Don’t let anyone else on my secret, but…” Heather trailed off and pulled up her short green and white dress, revealing her gorgeous pussy free of panties. “It lets me stay calm, feeling a little naked.”

“It’ll be our secret,” Ellie said with a smile.

“At least until we get to the bonfire.” Heather let her dress fall then helped her into her tight corset.

“What’s that mean?”

“I can’t tell you, you haven’t been to a bonfire yet.” Heather just smiled.

Even with the skirt in place, there was a latent sexuality to the costume. Ellie put on her long, luscious red wig. The hair color made her light green eyes pop; maybe she would have to try dyeing her mop of wavy curls in the future. She attached the cloak and then the brass roundel to her left arm. Another symbol of her character becoming the protector from the thief. Clasped to her belt were a stiletto on one side and a foam short sword on the opposite. It looked realistic, though she would have liked to weather the dagger further; she ran out of time. The hood to obscure her eyes completed the look, not quite fully reformed, but along a road to redemption.

“Anna!” belted out a small, excited voice a few minutes later. Katelynn was hopping with excitement. “Mama looks just like Anna!” Cheryl was standing behind her, a look of pride on her face.

“You like it, Katie?”

“Yeah, yeah!” She laughed and jumped further before her face suddenly became sullen. “But if you not Queen yet, how can I be princess?” A tear suddenly rolled down her cheek.

Oh, the fun of a little one that skipped her nap today. “It’s okay sweetie, I’ll be the Queen on Sunday for your birthday.”

“That is so far away!” Katelynn yelled out with more tears.

“Two more sleeps, my love, and it will be Halloween and your birthday! Can you be a good girl for Grammy and Pop-pop tonight? Your cousins are going to be there.”

“I wanna go with you!”

Ellie bent down and kissed her on the top of her forehead. “You can’t tonight, sorry, babe. If I don’t go on my quest, I won’t save the world, and I can’t get the princess on Halloween.”

“Aww…” Ellie scooped her daughter into her arms and walked her back down to the car; Juan would drop them off and Ellie’s parents and then meet them at the party. “Love you, mama!”

“I love you always, Katelynn. I will see you tomorrow.” She stood and waved as Juan drove off with the children.

“Ready for this?” Cheryl put a hand on her shoulder. Ellie nodded. “Then let’s go get you laid!”

When they arrived, the shindig was already in full swing. Heather was clad in an elfin archer guise, fitting for her general build. It was a mishmash of store-bought and an ornate bow that Ellie had made for her a past cosplay. It was leagues better than most of the costumes that adorned the party-goers. Cheryl had thrown together a very authentic-looking classic Halloween witch.

Most of the event was people in were not wearing anything festive. Regardless of the official line being a harvest fest and not Halloween, the ballroom was festooned with jack-o-lanterns, all the rigmarole of the kitschy, spooky holiday. There were even cobwebs adorning and outlining a dance floor. Ellie was drawn to one of the least busy bartenders. Sitting in the corner, she saw her prince. The man was tall, with tan skin, like lightly toasted bread. He was indeed showing a lot of it. He was muscular; it looked like his arms could swallow her up in the best way possible.

The costume work was stupendous. Every piece looked out of the cartoon, even if the character had much less screen time as the prince than as a wizened and kindly king. The axe that was buckled to his back was a piece of art. As Ellie checked the prince out, she looked for a ring or a tell-tale light patch of skin on his finger. He had neither, though he did look a little out of sorts. Her mind flashed into a vignette of the pair falling into her bed. Riding what she hoped was a large cock until she got her to fill. Ellie blushed when his eyes found hers, even if they were slightly obscured by a battle helm. His mouth formed into a cocky little grin. She needed to get to know this prince. Heather beat her to it. Was she on the prowl or playing wing-woman?

Mike — that same time.

Mike couldn’t help stare at the vision of the princess stepping boldly in his direction. In the cartoon, her character was somewhere between the thief and the true protector. She still had her dagger attached to her belt but also had Prince Jan’s medallion clasping her cloak and a fallen honor guard’s shield on her left arm. Other than the woman’s height, Anna was taller than the prince in the cartoon; she could have walked out of the screen. A bit closer inspection of her corset turned armor, and Mike was convinced she was also far more stacked than her cartoon inspiration. Her tight body and long legs had his full attention; it was a fight to look her in the eyes instead of continuing to drink in her form. She blushed and smirked when their eyes met.

“Hello there, Prince,” A tall, lithe woman sidled up to the vacant spot beside them. She was dressed as an elf, a woody tiara, and an expertly crafted bow made her seem like an easy competitor for the evening. “Eldrya,” She extended a hand in greeting. This woman was beautiful and elegant, but her height and long straight hair reminded him too much of Deborah. Mike had to fight against a wave of grief coming up unbidden.

You’re the prince, be the prince. Mike decided to play in the fantasy setting and kissed her hand. “Pleased to meet you, madam, I’m…”

“No real names, not tonight, Prince Jan. Care to play along?” The elf woman said seductively.

“Jan will do.” Mike pronounced the J as if it was a Y.

“Fun, I believe Anna desires to greet you. Are you here with anyone?”

“Just my brother and his wife.”

“Excellent, maybe we can all have a good time. Be a good boy and fetch us three merlots.” Eldrya beckoned the woman playing Anna over to them.

Mike pivoted around in his seat and ordered three wine glasses from the bartender with haste. When he turned back, Eldrya had been joined by Protector Anna and a witch. The witch was a curvy, slightly thicker witch with mischief evident on her features. She was as beautiful as the other two; he couldn’t help noticing the large diamond ring on her left hand. He thought the three would easily compose the women’s division’s podium unless the room’s composition changed. “Greetings, I am called Jan, and you are?” He turned to the witch first, leaving the best for last.

“We are using only our character names this evening.” The elf repeated her instructions to the others.

“Esmeralda,” The witch held up her hand to be kissed lightly in greeting.

“Anna,”

“Your costumes are fantastic,” Mike said after kissing Anna’s hand.

“Why, thank you, I am pleased that we are not competing in the same division.” Anna’s voice sounded familiar, but he couldn’t place the origin. “Did you make yours?”

“No, I wish I could take credit for it. My brother’s wife made it. I am just the model.”

“You fill it out well.” Esmeralda complimented him.

“Is she competing?”

“No, she declined this year.” Mike hesitated just a moment. “She’s pregnant and apparently did not want to wear something sexy this year.” He handed out the three glasses of wine and then took a hasty, long sip of his beer. Anxiety wanted him to run, but he steadied himself, leaning into his character’s personality.

“I see we both had similar ideas for the evening.”

“Your armor looks amazing. Did you make it?”

“Yes, I did.” Anna blushed again. “I made everything I am wearing or holding.”

“She made my bow and tiara.” The elfin woman interjected.

“Quite the talent.”

“Thanks.”

The clumped quadrangle fell into conversation, laughter flowed as they discussed topic after topic. He didn’t have to pretend to be the prince for longer than the introduction. Mike noticed that they would refocus their discussion away from things such as family or friends. It seemed they wanted to retain a level of anonymity, Mike played along. Talking to someone other than family and kids felt great. Both the elf and Anna were flirting heavily if Mike wasn’t missing the signals. They must have talked for an hour, slowly nursing drinks as they conversed.

“If you will excuse us, we have a few friends to go meet up with. Hope to catch you on the podium.” Anna smiled with a wave.

“Yeah, I better go check in with my brother and his wife.” Mike watched as the three ladies left. Anna had a fantastic little booty, evident even in the stiff battle skirt. He looked around and spotted Jason and Michelle at a corner booth.

“How’s it going?” Jason smiled.

“Good, I think.”

“She was cute.” Michelle smiled.

“Yeah, and playing Anna from the same show. Was she flirting with you?”

“I think so.”

“You get her number.”

“No.”

“C’mon, Mike, you need to learn to play the game again,” Michelle said with an annoyed smile.

“Should I got find her?”

“No, play it cool, casually run into them again.”

Mike switched between his brother and roaming to greet long-lost friends. He tried to chat with a few more ladies but did not find anything approaching his chemistry with the trio. Each time he needed to break from iterating the same story, he would discover Jason and Michelle in the middle of another conversation. Mike never managed to run into the trio again. Though he did get close to Anna a couple of times, they would catch one another’s vision each time. She would shyly blush and then give him a little wave, turning away before her elvish friend saw them. There was something about the young woman that had his rapt attention. Her friend didn’t seem to want them to get together again. Mike started to feel a little dejected when the announcer came on the microphone.

“Good evening, judges have been out in the crowd. Please come up on the stage if we call your number.” Mike had been given a number that was tucked into one of his armbands. “For the men’s division, Five, sixty-three, and eighty-two, please come to the stage.” Mike held number sixty-three; he looked over to Michelle with a smile. She responded with a shrug, then beamed that infectious smile across the room. He gave her a bow and then rushed to the stage.

“Now for the ladies, forty-two, forty-four, and one-oh-six, please join us.” Mike looked out to see both Anna and her witch friend coming to the stage. “How about we get a round of applause for our winners?” The ballroom erupted in adulation. Everyone on the stage genuinely had a shot at the prize. The other two men’s costumes were more traditional but finely completed. The zombified flesh of Frankenstein’s monster, replete with puckered scars where cadavers were sowed together, was terrific. The costume itself was less spectacular, but that makeup could easily win. The other had an intricate witch hunter garb; only a few pieces looked store-bought and not hand-hewn.

On the women’s side, Esmeralda and Anna looked fantastic. The third woman looked to be an angel, with a set of gossamer and feathered wings. Her shining platinum blonde hair worked well with the look. “It was a close one folks, only three votes separated first from second. forty-two and sixty-three, please step forward to receive your prize.”

Mike smiled from beneath his war helm as he stepped forward; a broad smile was firmly placed on Anna’s beatific face. He accepted an envelope and gave each judge on the stage a fist bump, a relic that survived the pandemic. Mike found himself standing next to Anna at the end of the stage. “Congratulations, I knew you would win when I first saw you.” He stuck out his hand to shake hers. Anna stepped closer to him, eschewing the hand; instead, she pulled him into an embrace and kissed him passionately in front of all the gathered people. “Wow…” Was all he could manage when she broke the embrace, he stared slack-jawed. There was something about those lips; a powerful yet scattered memory told him he had kissed those lips before. The scent of her lingered in his nostrils; he knew this woman sometime before Deborah.

“You are the Prince,” She shrugged and walked away, leaving him stunned on the stage. She didn’t break eye contact with him, a seductive smile on her face.

“Care to join us going to the haunted house and a bonfire?” The elven woman slid up to him and whispered in his ear. “I promise you’ll have fun. Meet us where we ran into you earlier if your game, Jan.” She didn’t wait for a reply as she brushed past him and glided off following Anna.

Mike might have stood agog for several more seconds if Jason did not call out for him at the front of the stage. “Nice win, bro.”

“Here, this prize money belongs to Michelle and not me.” He thrust out the envelope.

“Nah, we’ll split it,” Michelle argued. “You did model it for me; you deserve at least half.”

“We’re headed home. Are you going along, or do you have other plans?”

“I have been asked to go to a haunted house then a bonfire,” Mike said proudly.

“Oh, the infamous bonfire,” Jason said with a blush. “Michelle and I went the last couple of years. You’ll have fun.” He held out a backpack. “You’ll need this. Condoms are in the front pocket if you need them.”

“Don’t worry about the munchkins; Jace and I will take care of them tonight. He’s going to need the practice.”

“Ah, but those two sleep through the night,” Mike said with a smile.

“Try to be yourself some too, don’t let her get to know only the prince; you’re a good guy,” Jason stated with earnest sincerity.

Ellie — A little earlier

Ellie was having a really great time with the prince. He was gorgeous and had a sharp wit to him. She would have liked to spend all evening getting to know him, even if Heather was not allowing them to use their real names. Her friends forced them to move on. Cheryl warned not to go with the first thing that she saw.

She wanted to go talk to him again, at least exchange phone numbers so they could text. Cheryl and Heather insisted on keeping with the mood of the mystery of the evening. As they conversed with other friends and tried to light schmooze the judges, she couldn’t help finding Jan’s eyes. He smiled and returned a wave each time. There were other guys her age at the party, some of them were cute, but none of them filled out a costume like Jan. Most were dullards when it came to a conversation or displayed a prominent ring on their left hands.

There was something about the prince. Ellie felt like she had known him for some time; conversation and laughter had flowed easily. His stormy blue eyes peeking through his exquisitely produced battle helm felt like they were trying to discern her soul.

“You can’t just go after the first one, you see,” Heather told her as they moved between groups of revelers. “Don’t seem too needy, or you might scare him away.”

“But I like that one.” She subtly pointed toward Jan as his back was turned.

“You have seen who he’s been talking to all night.” Cheryl crept beside her, pointing at the darkened booth in the back corner of the ballroom. Michelle, her rival from a decade ago, had her head leaned on a tall man, occasionally stealing a kiss.

“That’s Michelle.” She fiddled with her roundel, ensuring that her small purse was still secured and hidden behind the painted metal of the shield. It gave her something to do with her anxious energy. “She made his costume.”

“Uh-huh”

“That doesn’t matter; Michelle was a great competitor who deserved to win.”

“Good, just checking on you.”

They continued their rounds as an hour ticked by. “I am going to invite him out with us. You two want to go to a haunted house after this?”

“Sure,” Heather said with a knowing grin. “Let me ask for you.”

“Why? I’m a big girl; I can handle rejection.”

“He’s not going to say no. Don’t think I haven’t seen how you two keep waving at each other like lovesick teenagers.” Heather’s eyebrow arched. “Let’s have some fun with this. Can I be your attendant?”

“This a game for you?”

“Always, and I usually win.”

Heather started to move toward the table with Michelle and her beau when the announcement of the top three costumes in both the divisions were called to the stage. Ellie was surprised that Cheryl was chosen instead of Heather. She did make a convincing witch, but her ensemble was mainly repurposed store-bought items. The other winner for the ladies was an angelic figure, complete with platinum blonde hair and a plethora of cleavage.

Ellie’s heart beat faster on stage, not just from the wanting to win, but from the proximity of Prince Jan; a daydream invaded her mind, kissing Jan up on the platform. They would be unable to control themselves. Uncaring for the audience, She would pull off his shorts. A firm push would have him sprawled on the stage, monster cock instantly erect. Ellie’s panties would join him on stage. Finally, she would straddle him, riding until they were both satisfied. Four and a half years without cock was too long.

She almost missed her number being called as a winner; the vivid fantasy had her practically dripping with excitement. She collected her prize envelope and waited at the end of the line of judges. The prince offered a hand of congratulations. Ellie bypassed it; portions of the fantasy were unachievable, but she could collect her kiss. There was just a little difficulty getting around his battle helm, but when their lips met, there was a spark. She had to break the smooch before she was ready, slightly concerned that any more may make her fantasy unavoidable.

“Wow…” Jan stammered out. There was something familiar about that kiss, but she couldn’t quite parse it.

“You are the prince.” Was her only reply as she slunk away, a smile on her face.

Heather delivered her message and then joined the other two at the bar where they had begun the night. Ellie sipped another merlot. “Well, is he coming?”

“He will be later.” Heather’s words dripped with innuendo. “I didn’t let him answer, but he’ll be here. Just give him a minute.”

“You didn’t let him answer?”

“It’s all part of the game, El, and I play it well.”

Sure enough, a couple minutes later, Prince Jan appeared at the bar with a backpack in hand. “Hey, I heard something about a haunted house?” He looked a little uncomfortable, like he was afraid of a sudden revocation of the offer.

“Oh, yes. And a bonfire, if you play nice.” Heather said seductively.

Ellie hopped off her barstool and stood close to Jan, pulling him in for another kiss. The world fell away for a moment as they pulled into an embrace. His muscles felt better than they looked; those strong arms clutched her close. She could feel the hardening of a very large cock beneath his loincloth. Her vagina was similarly excited; she needed to have that penis tonight.

“Unless we need to get you two a room,” Cheryl said as they parted.

“Later,” Ellie said as a promise. Prince Jan was looking at her with those piercing blue eyes with what she thought was awe. “If you’re a good boy.” She added a giggle at the end to leave him guessing. She took his hand and led him out into the night toward the haunted house among the fall-flavored carnival. The night air was warm for late October, but still, there was an enchanting cool bite to the atmosphere. What Ellie had intended to be a way to spur on her prince ended up being their hands clasped with one another as they walked together. Again, she felt a familiarity and comfort with him that seemed beyond a chance to meet with a handsome man at a Halloween party.

There was quite the line at the haunted house. Heather started to get antsy as the line slowed like she wanted to be somewhere else desperately. Conversation flowed between the group; Jan seemed like a ready addition to the pack. Ellie wondered if he would get along with Juan, or more importantly, if he wanted to be in a relationship with a ready-made family. He had to be okay with children if this would be more than a one-night roll in the hay. Perhaps literally if they hung around the fall fest too long. Ellie tried to broach more personal subject matter, but Heather or Cheryl would wrangle the conversation back to something safer every time.

It was hard to miss her and her prince hanging on each other, except when he went and picked up snacks for the four of them or either had to attend to the facilities. When she got a little cold, he pulled a hoody out of his bag; even if it was the rival college to her own, it felt warm, and she was thankful for it. Her cloak looked a little funny, poking through the orange color of the sweatshirt.

The haunted house was excellent; jump scares abounded through the structure. She leaped into the prince’s arms a few times. Ellie thought it was cute that he did the same more than once. The only hang-up was a section that they had to crawl through. If it had been a dark tunnel, it would have been one thing, but it was well lit for safety. Ellie knew her short skirt would be pretty revealing to anyone going behind her. Prince Jan volunteered to go first so that the girls would retain their modesty. Before he could enter the tunnel, Heather swooped in first. Ellie had to follow behind, else she would reveal her lack of undergarments to the good prince.

Once in the tunnel, it was plain to see that Heather’s dress was as short as she feared. The lighting was far brighter than she thought; Heather’s pussy seemed to be spotlighted. Judging from the swollen labium and abundant moisture, Heather was enjoying the thrill. The passage was blessedly narrow, so Jan behind her shouldn’t be able to catch a peek at her friend’s womanhood. Ellie’s red thong, however, was on full display. When the path widened and curved slightly, she paused to let Heather get a little bit of a lead. She looked back at the prince who met her eyes immediately; he was grinning like a fool, leaving her little doubt that he was enjoying the view.

Heather was giggling when they got out of the obstacle. “Enjoy the show?” Heather asked before Jan and Cheryl emerged.

“I think Jan did.” Ellie smiled back.

“You like him?”

“Can’t you tell?”

“Good, you really need a partner at the bonfire to get the whole experience.” Ellie was dreading and anticipating the coming event in equal measure. Cheryl had been dropping hints of what would be entailed.

Jan scrambled out of the tunnel but remained seated, legs in front of him. “Give me a minute,” he said.

“A little crawling tucker you out?” Cheryl teased as she emerged next.

“It’s not that; something else made standing difficult.” His eyes pivoted to Ellie’s

“Well, you better hurry; another group is right behind us.” Heather gave him a Chesire grin.

“Sorry,” He said with a blush, eyes averted from the three as he stood. The loincloth he wore atop tight shorts did little to conceal his enormous erection; he kept his hands blocking his crotch. Ellie grabbed one of his hands and pulled him into a darkening portion of the house, just in time for a blade-less chainsaw to rev up and come through the wall. The small group ran screaming and cackling loudly in equal measure. Jan’s hand never left the grasp of her own, which made her smile more than anything else experienced this evening.

When they got out of the attraction, Cheryl bid them adieu and hopped in a rideshare back to join Juan and pick up her kids. Heather collected them in her SUV; she and Jan sat in the backseat, nestled into his arms. They must have driven fifteen minutes outside of town and down unmarked roads. She didn’t hear a peep of complaint from the prince, seemingly just happy to be around them. A large fire blazed with revelers dancing and cavorting around the conflagration in the middle of a farmer’s field. Ellie thought it looked a little like the pagan rituals that her grandparents would tell her about to spook her in her youth.

Parking amongst a surprisingly packed field and stepping back into the cool bite of the night air was exciting. The expanse was cordoned off with only one entrance. One of the two guards lent credence to the pagan feel, dressed in black robes. The opposite woman was dressed in a simple skirt and jacket, checking IDs. “Is it your first bonfire?”

Heather shook her head. “No, I’ll be paying anyway.” She showed her ID to the woman, who checked it thoroughly before giving her a flashing wristband. He looked up with a curious knowing smile before showing Heather something secretive on her device. Heather just gave her a slight nod.

“What about these two? Is this their first bonfire?”

“It is hers; I don’t know about him.” Heather had taken complete control answering for them.

Ellie shuffled over, pulling her ID from the back of her re-attached roundel.

“It is my first as well,” Jan shuffled through his backpack for his ID and received a flashing accessory as well.

“Has she informed you of the price?” The authoritative voice boomed out.

“Not yet,” Heather stated as she reached back and unzipped her dress. Allowing gravity to disrobe her. In the pale moonlight, her friend stood utterly naked. “You have to be naked when you enter the circle for the first time. Unless you two want to walk home.” In the light of the fire and a couple of lanterns, Ellie could see that Heather had changed her silver barbells to orange and black for the holiday.

Ellie’s heart raced; a month ago, she would have run screaming into the night rather than disrobe. She turned and studied Jan, his battle helmet still in place. “I’m game if you are.” He nodded dumbly, his eyes still on her instead of her beautiful naked friend. “Good, help me with my corset?” He nodded again, this time with a smile. “Can I keep my shield? it has my purse in it.” She got a nod from the man in charge and waited for Jan to untie her. His skilled hands made short work of the garment, and she lifted it off herself. After a loosening of her belt, her skirt fell to the ground. She didn’t pause in her skivvies, keeping the momentum going before she chickened out. Moments later, she stood naked save for her thigh highs and boots. She quickly put the roundel back on and proudly looked back at Jan. She smiled; Ellie liked the way he was looking at her. “Do you keep our clothes?” She said to the workers without moving her gaze.

“Yeah, there’s a number on your wristband. We do clothes checks for you.” The woman who took her ID gave her a wink.

The night air was heated by the raging fire, enveloping her nude form like a warm hug. Jan’s eyes kept roaming up and down, taking her in. Ellie gave him a turnaround like she had for Heather earlier. Her best friend’s eyes sparkling as she gave Ellie a delighted nod. Heather stood taller and more confident since she had shed her cotton carapace, like a brilliant butterfly emerging from a cocoon. Ellie was sure that she would still be here naked with Heather if they had not run into Jan. Perhaps they would end up in one another’s arms.

“I do believe that it is your turn now, prince,” Ellie said as seductively as she could manage.

“Yeah, sorry, you are just so gorgeous.” From the look in his eyes, these weren’t mere words; he believed every letter. He wasn’t just trying to get her in bed; there was something more. That gaze, holding her in awe, seemed so familiar. “Can I keep the backpack?”

“Of course.” The woman who took IDs said her eyes were fixed on the prince, as were Heather’s and now her own. The robed man’s eyes kept bouncing between herself and Heather.

“No time like the present.” Without taking off his helmet, he lifted off the chest piece. Jan had removed his helm in the car, but it had been too dark to get a good look at the man. She watched as he untied the drawstring around his waist. The costume fell to the ground leaving him in only a pair of red briefs. The more she saw his tall form with a long torso and powerful legs, the more Ellie liked. He pushed his briefs down his legs and let them fall. His cock was long, thick, and circumcised; even as it hung limply between his legs, his pubic hair was present but trimmed short. Ellie had no doubt that she would be trying that out before the end of the night. It might be recency bias by she couldn’t remember seeing a more beautiful specimen of a man.

The prince gave his audience a spin; his tight ass was the icing on the cake. Ellie couldn’t help ogling the man; her gaze traveling up and down him was only stopped when he unclasped his helmet. Once off, the dots in her mind finally connected all the familiarity; she was staring at a face she hadn’t seen in half her life. Yes, he was older and looked like he broke his nose at some point in his life, but it was unmistakably him. That first real burst of attraction, when it was something more than pure lust, her first love. “Mike?” She closed the gap between them and pulled him into a hug, nudity forgotten.

“Hey, Ellie.” He smiled as his strong arms pulled her closer. The warmth of his body and the staccato beat of his heart was exhilarating.

“You knew?”

Mike — A little earlier

He only debated for moments at a strange elven woman’s invitation, the anxious part of his mind trying to yell loudly in his head. Be the prince. He told himself and strode purposefully toward the bar at the back of the room. Three lovely women were sipping wine and deep in discussion. All three had their own beauty, but only one had him in her thrall. What are you doing? Questioned the nagging anxiety in his brain. Fortunately, she didn’t give him a chance to panic and flee. Anna rushed into his arms and pulled him into another kiss.

Something in his mind clicked; he knew this passion. Her kissing was more focused and practiced than seventeen years ago, but those soft lips were unmistakable. Mike had been with a handful of women in his life; only two had this kind of pull on him. One got away before something special could really begin; the other, he married. Ellie! All the anxiety drained from him. He was further thrilled when she grabbed his hand and pulled him out into the night. Does she know? He opened his mouth to say something more than once, but one of her friends would change the topic each time.

It felt like going back to the one special week after high school; he couldn’t get enough of being around the beauty. Fingers stayed firmly entwined as they walked and talked. Ellie was funnier and wittier than he remembered, but they had been so young then. He didn’t have to play the character around her; a rapport seemed to coalesce out of a portal to the past. Mike tried tossing subtle hints into their conversation. When Ellie looked a little cold, he thought that his hoody would be a dead giveaway with his college firmly emblazoned on it. Even if she went to a different school, she looked cute in his sweatshirt. He went to get snacks when the line looked like it was going to be a long haul. Again, Mike thought he would give away the game with a favored candy of hers that they had enjoyed together a couple times in their weeklong whirlwind romance. It still seemed to be eluding Ellie. Maybe it just wasn’t as big of a deal for her back then The anxious internal monologue tried to return.

It was finally their turn in the haunted house; if Mike were merely playing the part of Jan, he would not have been spooked by any of the many jump scares in the large building on the fairground. He cast away the character as soon as he realized that this was Ellie. The space had once been a factory before all the manufacturing in town was moved overseas. His father had once assembled products here before he switched into an office job. It made for a sprawling and winding path to follow. Mike thought he might have jumped as many times as Ellie. She did have the cutest scream, always followed by a litany of giggles from her and her friends.

The only section that Ellie did not have a firm grip on his hand was when they got to an area where they would need to crawl through a short tunnel. They could have skipped the obstacle through a chicken exit. It might have preserved a modicum of modesty for the girls in their short skirts. But much like when he was around his brother, the girls were not going to let one another take the easy way around. “I can go first; it means someone will have to stare at my ass.”

“That sounds like a good plan.” Esmeralda nodded in agreement.

“Sorry, Jan, no peeks at my undies yet.” Ellie had a mischievous grin on her countenance.

“Not If I go first!” The elf gave a delighted squeal as she dove into the brightly lit tunnel. Jan caught a quick glimpse of a lot of Eldrya’s ass.

Ellie’s pale skin blushed tomato red. “I better go next.” She jumped ahead of him and slid into the tunnel.

Mike tried to motion for the witch to go next; she wore a far longer dress than the other two. Esmeralda just looked at him with a shrug, “You’re up; only my husband gets to see my panties.”

He relented with a nod, but Mike couldn’t help a wave of excitement at being able to glimpse Ellie’s fantastic butt. Her rump was more prominent than it had been in their youth and somehow all that more mesmerizing. The two creamy cheeks were parted by a thin red thong. The fabric fanned out to conceal her womanhood, but he could see the slit beneath seeming to chew on her panties each time she crawled. He made a silent wish that he would be seeing more of Ellie before the end of the night.

With each move forward, he was thankful that they had left their fake arsenal at the entrance. There was no way that he could have crawled this passage without doing some damage to the axe. He would still need that for the contest and trick or treating on Sunday. When Ellie paused at a corner for a moment and looked back at him, he must have had the dumbest grin ever on his face. Ellie gave him a radiant smile, along with another blush as she rocked her prodigious ass back and forth. He never saw any more than a hint of the fake spiders and serpents that slithered through the tunnel.

Mike couldn’t help his powerful erection as he exited the tunnel. Mike’s efforts to conceal his cock’s state were thwarted by another group at their heels. Ellie and her friends’ eyes were glued to his crotch. Fortunately, there was no time to dwell on the awkwardness as Ellie pulled him through the rest of the attraction, the sound of a revving chainsaw spurring a quickened pace.

When they got out of the haunted house and collected their foam weapons, it was only about a half-hour before the eleven o’clock closing time for the festival. Ellie’s witchy friend called it a night. The elven woman led them like a tour guide to her SUV. The bonfire was infamous in their community, though nobody who attended would ever detail what the party entailed. It almost always involved a smile and sometimes a blush and then saying it was a fun time.

Mike was just curious about what Ellie would think when she remembered him or if she even would. Maybe that week was not nearly as big of a deal as it was for him. Or would she be pissed if he had known all night and not clued him in. All he knew was how good she felt leaned against him as Eldrya drove them out into the countryside.

His promise to Debbie, a mere week before she passed, kept replaying in his mind. She made him promise to live his life and find happiness again. He hadn’t been living up to that solemn oath for the last five years. Maybe nothing would come from a night of fun with Ellie, but something felt right about her nestled in his arms. You see this, Deb, I’m trying. The ride was surprisingly silent; they were just basking in each other’s presence.

They were soon standing in front of a pair of people handling the myriad of people coming into the bonfire. The parking lot was surprisingly packed, but they were the only three at the gate at the moment. They each showed their IDs and got a glowing wristband. There was discussion about the entry price and a couple of knowing nods between the elf and the woman checking IDs. Mike was prepared to get out his wallet and pay for him and Ellie when he discovered the cost that Ellie’s friend seemed too eager to pay.

Eldrya unzipped her dress, and soon, the fabric fell around her in a clump. She was lithe and elegant, with a visible naughty side. There was not a shred of modesty remaining as she struck a bold stance illuminated by both the crackling firelight and a pair of gas lanterns. Her breasts were small but had a fantastic shape and firm look to them. Each nipple was pierced by an orange and black capped barbell. This woman had obviously been planning to be seen nude this evening. She had visible abs and a gorgeous, hairless quim.

He and Ellie both stood stunned for a few heartbeats. When Ellie got an ornery grin on her face, he knew he would be getting naked even before she asked his opinion. Mike thought that he would likely walk through the party earlier in the buff to see Ellie naked one more time.

Although they had sex several times during the magical week, years ago, he had only seen her completely naked once. The hotel rooms they had during that week were shared with three or four other people. Each liaison had to occur in some secluded nook of the publicly accessible portion of the hotel. The first night, they had no condoms, so they masturbated together in an unused conference room. He would never forget the sight of her dress hiked up, panties hanging off one ankle. Mike had his cock fished through the fly of his khaki shorts. The sound of her whimpering as she came and tried to keep quiet replayed in his mind. He ejaculated all over the conference table; Mike remembered the panic of not thinking through leaving a mess behind. Ellie relinquished her panties that he used along with his boxers to mop up the mess and discreetly deposited them in a trash bin outside the lobby.

The next day he felt uneasy as he walked to a pharmacy and picked up a box of condoms. Maybe it was a one-night thing, he thought as he hid them in his backpack. To his relief, he and Ellie were as thick as thieves for the rest of the conference. Every break they got in, they were sneaking kisses, holding hands, and talking about a future. The week was a blur, spending every day in workshops and every evening in each other’s arms. A series of increasingly daring sex acts were carried out in every quiet space they could find. The danger coming from their luck of not being caught running out.

On the final night of the conference, they decided to be extra bold. Earlier in the week, Ellie had discovered that the door to the pool didn’t really lock as it should after pool hours closed. A happy accidental finding as they skulked around in the shadows and explored one another’s bodies. They decided to use that to their advantage. After midnight there was only one really bored worker at the front desk. Security would patrol the hallways of the occupied rooms but were not vigilant about looking into the areas that should be locked. Their week of fun had been recon for one intense night.

They met up shortly after curfew, as always. For a couple of hours, they snuck around the empty area of the hotel, revisiting the sites of their greatest hits. Where Ellie had given him the most fantastic blowjob. The place where they almost got caught as Ellie screamed through her second orgasm as Mike licked her tasty pussy. They dared not indulge, saving up their boiling sexual desire for one more blowout escapade. Just after midnight, they snuck through the hallways; if Ellie’s trick didn’t work, they would just sneak off somewhere else. Maybe they could try the park across from the hotel. There was a brief loud thunk as the door to the pool opened. They scrambled inside and closed the door behind them. They were quiet for a few minutes waiting to be caught. Ellie finally breathed a sigh of relief and turned on the lights to the pool. Sure, there would be light leaking from below the door, but there were no outside windows.

Ellie looked at him with that same magical, ornery grin. Mike breathed a sigh of relief and then gave the beautiful, unique woman a kiss. He shed his shirt, leaving him in his swimsuit. Ellie looked at him quizzically. “A swimsuit, really? I thought we were going all out.” Off came her blouse, then her bra. Soon her skirt and panties joined everything else in a pile on a lounger. Her eyes dared him forward as he wanted to stand and drink in the beautiful creature. Over the past week, he had seen every part in aggregate but naked before him; her presence far outweighed the sum of her features. Ellie had been busy with her razor, molding the fetching wedge that he had been intimately familiar with to a thin if slightly crooked line.

Mike dropped his swim trunks on the same lounger and stood, letting Ellie take him in. She walked over and gave his cock a couple strokes before calling out, “Last one in is a rotten egg!” She ran with a giggle and jumped in the deep end of the pool. There was laughter, splashing, kissing, wrestling, and embracing. It all led to sex in every position they could think of, in the pool, on the lounger, in the sauna when they thought the security guard was going to catch them. He just turned out the light and continued on his rounds, not noticing or not caring about the water splashed around outside the pool. They only stopped when they were both exhausted and out of condoms. Still, they lounged in each other’s arms and promised to keep in contact after they left to return home.

When they finally looked at a watch and discovered it was already near five a.m., they quickly dressed and kissed one last time. Ellie snuck out first. Mike did one last scan of the pool; he pocketed her forgotten panties and went back to his room for a couple hours’ sleep. Neither knowing when they snuck back to their rooms, they wouldn’t see each other again for seventeen years. He kept those panties as a personal keepsake for longer than he would like to admit.

There were calls and emails back and forth through the summer, but he didn’t have a reliable car, and two hours separated them. When college came in the fall, they fell out of touch. He met Deborah just a couple years later. How was Ellie, this wonderful girl, still single? He thought to himself.

He shook his head, trying to stay in this moment and not let her get away again. Ellie shed her cloak and then asked for him to help her out of her corset. His hands trembled slightly with the anticipation permeating the fire-warmed air. Mike was surprised at how quickly he had managed to untie it so she could divest herself of the centerpiece of her costume. He was already enthralled as her skirt hit the ground, leaving her in a red thong and matching strapless bra. Those two were thrown off in a flurry of movement. Standing before him was his first love; the intervening seventeen years had only managed to enhance her beauty. Her pale ivory skin shone like a beacon; she had complained that summer that she never managed to get a tan like the other girls. She only had pale and sunburnt in her selection of colors and much preferred the former to the latter.

When they were both eighteen, they were still growing into their bodies. Her curves had filled out nicely; he hoped that he looked at least as good to her as she did to him. Her breasts were two significant perfect works of art. Tiny light pink nipples contrasted so well with her vanilla skin. His eyes fell down her flat belly, farther down to her now waxed pussy. It looked fantastic, just a little slit with a labia that was the same tone as her tiny nipples. Although Ellie was on the shorter side, she had long, lean legs. Her thigh-highs and combat boots only enhanced the vision of her beauty. Ellie slowly twirled; if her breasts were perfect, he lacked the vocabulary to adequately describe her gloriously plump butt. He stood staring, oblivious to what was being said. Her beauty looked all the more impressive when she attached her small shield to her arm.

“I do believe it’s your turn now, prince.” Ellie’s words pulled him out of his hypnosis.

“Yeah, sorry, you are just so gorgeous.” More beautiful than that night half a life ago. Mike wanted to add but still hadn’t given up who he was, mainly because a small voice of unease questioned whether she would remember him. Or maybe she would be angry because he didn’t tell her. He postponed letting her know for as long as he could, wanting to savor every moment in case everything turned foul.

Mike asked a question, quipped something else, and then began to strip. He managed to get the chest piece off before he took off the helmet. Anything to delay the reveal. Off came his pants and briefs. The only thing keeping his cock from being erect was the strange man staring at them in a robe and anxiety at the coming revelation. He gave them a spin, much as Ellie had. What if she doesn’t recognize me? Mike gulped as he undid the helm and lifted it off.

Ellie’s eyes suddenly flashed in recognition. This is it, how is she going to react. “Mike?” She said agog while closing the distance between them and embracing him.

“Hey, Ellie.”

She looked up at him; those unique light green eyes had tears in them. Please be happy, tears. “You knew?”

“The second time you kissed me.” Ellie pulled him into a kiss, long and zealous like it came immediately after their special night in the pool.

Everyone else in the small scrum looked uncomfortable when it finally broke. Ellie punched him in the arm. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Ouch, your friends kept stopping me.” He eyed the now naked elf, who looked quite bewildered. “I tried to drop hints. I thought you would know when I gave you my sweatshirt, it had the school I graduated from on it. Then, I got you your favorite candy.” He smiled; Ellie hadn’t released him from her hug. “You were the one that didn’t look at my face in the car.”

“I was a little distracted.” Another kiss, this one shorter but no less passionate. She finally released him hopping up and down in excitement. He drank in the view of her boobs and butt quaking on each excited jump. “Heather, do you know who this is?” She leaped over to her friend, pulling her into a hug.

Heather hugged her back. The sight of two beautiful naked women embracing was causing him to rise even with a cloaked man staring at them all. “No, who?” Heather leaned back; how would she know who some random Mike was.

“It’s Mike, the Mike.” Ellie kept looking back at him and then to Heather, like if she didn’t keep looking, Mike would disapparate into a puff of phantasmal smoke.

Heather shook her head no before a light came on in her thinking. “Mike, from the theatre conference?” Ellie nodded her head vigorously, a smile on her face and tears leaking down her cheeks. Heather pushed past Ellie and walked over to him. “The nice guy with the enormous dick that made my best friend cum for the first time?”

“Yup,” Ellie skipped back over to Mike, glomming on his arm again, hand entwined with his. “Good to see it wasn’t just my lack of experience making him seem so big.” She pointed at his half-hard dick.

“The guy I had to let you sneak out to ‘visit’ each night.” Heather put quote fingers around visit; Ellie nodded more. “The reason you returned without panties on two of those nights.” Heather moved closer like she was inspecting him.

“Uh-huh.”

“The reason you reeked of chlorine and got two hours of sleep the last night.” Another enthusiastic nod. “Why your vagina was sore the next day.” Heather continued enumerating.

Ellie nodded again, this time a little more subtly. “Sore and satisfied.” She looked up at him with a smile.

“You know I had to take her out to get her first vibrator the next weekend. You got her addicted to orgasms.” Heather was now speaking directly toward him. “I was jealous of you two back then.” She let the last sentence linger for a minute. “Good for you two. Well, let me show you around this exceptional party.” She turned and motioned for them to follow. “Need anything else from us?”

“No, you are already paid up.” The ID checker waved them on to the waiting party.

“So, how have you been, Ellie?” Mike asked, genuinely curious and wanting to put his mind on anything but walking into a raucous wearing only a backpack and a smile.

Heather turned back toward them, another stern look on her face. “Catch up in the morning; tonight is about the party.”

Ellie — That same time

Her heart kept racing; the magical night just seemed to be getting better. Ellie was half convinced that Heather had cast some sort of spell on her in the locker room three weeks ago. Getting naked then had set dominos in motion that had her walking into a bonfire with a handsome stud on her arm. Now that she had seen Mike’s face, she felt a little foolish for not recognizing his voice or kiss earlier. It all seemed so obvious after the fact.

Heather knew almost everything about the week she had with Mike. She didn’t correct her when Heather assumed that it was Mike’s cock that made Ellie orgasm for the first time. Maybe the visual stimulation helped, but it was the way Mike watched her with intense and curious eyes. Ellie had masturbated most mornings back then but never to a climax. Her handful of sexual encounters with a close male friend before that week had been frenzied. He only made it a few minutes before he grunted and filled his condom. Getting fucked felt good, but she hadn’t understood what all the fuss was about before the night in the conference room.

The next night, Ellie was worried when Mike ejaculated before she could get off. Her beau immediately went down on her and didn’t stop until she orgasmed twice. It wasn’t until the third night before she came on his cock. Each repeat meeting seemed better; they got to know each other’s bodies and what they liked. Their final night together was breathtaking. She had a recurrent fantasy of riding him on a pool lounger. The thrill of being so naughty, the way he was staring up at her and playing with her breasts, his massive cock filling her to the brim all led to an earth-shaking, toe-curling orgasm. It was so intense, she nearly blacked out and passed out on his chest. Every climax since had been chasing that orgasm.