Ash fixed his wig, and pulled the goggles over his head. He actually didn't look that bad. All he needed now was his DS. He put it in the inside pocket of his fluffy vest, and walked outside. Dawn had pushed him into doing this cosplay thing - he wasn't even into dressing up like this. Oh well.

"Ash, you look awesome!" Dawn had on a blonde wig, and wore a gothic lolita dress. She giggled. "I also invited some other people, so we can have a full cast! Here's a cigarette." She handed him one.

"I don't smoke."

"Your character does!" She giggled, and ran off. Ash followed her.

"So who else did you invite?" Ash shouted.

"You'll see!" They stopped at the entrance to a restaurant. "We're going to get lunch here, then go to the contest. It's gonna rule!" She exclaimed. They sat down on a bench together, when a large figure appeared.

"Whoa, Brock." Ash said. Brock had on a mask, and was using some contraption to create wings.

"Hey. Misty's costume was a little messed up, so she'll be here soon."

Misty? As far as Ash knew, there was only one good girl to dress up as in the anime. Maybe she wasn't dressing up as a girl...

"Hi guys!"

Oh. Now it made sense. Misty had on a short black wig, a white polo, and black slacks. She looked good.

"The other two are coming soon. Then we're waiting on two others." She shrugged.

"Can't you tell me who everyone is that's coming?" Ash complained.

"We paired up for the costumes. I only knew about mine and Brock, Dawn only knows about you and her, et cetera. To make it a surprise or something." Misty laughed.

"Weird."

"Why am I chained to this weirdo?" Cilan complained. He was in a nice suit, and held a black notebook. There was a handcuff connecting him to Max, who had removed his glasses. Max wore a loose white shirt and faded jeans, and hunched over. He had put some gel or something in his hair.

"I can't act out of character. 67%."

"Who are the last two?"

"Secret!" Of course. Dawn had organised the whole thing, she wasn't going to give it away.

"Ash!"

"Oh, it was Tracey." Brock said. "Nice costume."

"Thanks. I had to wear a lot of makeup though." Tracey looked at his toy robot. "But the clothes are comfy."

"Hi."

Gary was the last to arrive. He looked stunning in the tight leather and blonde wig. "Um, how do I look?" He asked.

"Great. Even better when you see Ash's costume. Everyone knows about the yaoi." Dawn flipped her hair.

"Y-yaoi?"

"Hey Gary, you finally got here!" Ash ran over. "You went as Mello? Nice."

"And you went as Matt. What a coincidence!"

It was a total coincidence. Completely a coincidence. There was nothing between them, although Ash couldn't help loving Gary in the leather. Or was it latex? PVC? He couldn't tell.

They got lunch, and went to the site of the cosplay contest.

"So it's not a convention?" Brock asked. As Ryuk, he had to stock up on apples.

"No, just an informal contest." Dawn smiled confidently. "But we're gonna win it for sure!"

"Nice attitude!"

"Ash, wanna go check out some costumes?" Gary invited.

"Sure, why not?" They walked off together. Ash absentmindedly took Gary's hand, and Gary just as absentmindedly took Ash's hand.

"Kawaii!"

"Mello and Matt? Can I get a photo?"

"Love!"

"Fangirls, god." Gary complained. "I wonder how Tracey and Max are doing."

"I pity them."

"Yeah."

"So... do you ever read yaoi?"

"Wh-what? No, of course not!" Gary blushed.

"Come on, it's not like I'm going to judge you. Do you?"

"Well - a little, yeah, but it's not like I'm gay or anything!" He exclaimed. Ash chuckled.

"Okay, okay, lighten up."

They walked together, not talking, and enjoyed the silence. They found a gazebo, and sat together.

"The contest is gonna start soon. Should we go?" Ash asked, after a conversation about how Dawn completely fit Misa-Misa.

"Yeah."

Ash ran out of the gazebo. Gary followed.

"This costume is really impractical for February. It's freezing!" They walked side by side next to a very steep ledge.

"Yeah, and I'm so scared I'm gonna slip in these boots." Ash added.

"Let's get back to Dawn and the others." Gary ran ahead, then fell on the ice. He fell over the ledge, and crashed through thin ice into a river.

"MELLO!" Ash yelled. He ran down to the river, and found Gary. Somehow his wig hadn't come off. He picked him up out of the water, and walked along the river until he could walk back up a non-steep slope to where all the contest - entrants were. Gary was soaking wet.

"Thanks for saving me." He said.

"No problem."

"I'm going to ignore the fact you shouted 'MELLO!' when you went to save me." Gary murmured. Ash was still carrying him. Gary reached up and kissed Ash.

"What-"

"I thought it fit the mood."

"It certainly did." Ash fought his love for the leather/latex/PVC/whatever-clad individual. It was just acting, right? "I-I think I love you."

Gary was busy rubbing his face into Ash's vest. "It's so soft..."

"Mello!"

"Oh. Then I love you too. Honestly, I think Dawn coordinated this so it would happen." He laughed.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Ash muttered.

"But seriously, this is like the softest material ever." Gary continued. "And you keep calling me Mello!"

"Yeah, and you need to stop snogging my vest. People are starting to stare."

"I'll snog your vest as much as I want to."

"We're not even serious yet, I don't think you should."

"We will be soon, so I'll keep snogging it."

"Hey, you're back!"

"Mello, seriously, stop that. I'll give you chocolates."

"Is there any law against snogging vests?"

"Guys?"

"Probably it falls under harassment."

"Well you said that you loved me, and I agreed, so I have the right to snog your vest. If it were someone else I wouldn't snog their vest, so deal with it." Gary growled.

"I'm eating your chocolate, Mello."

"Chocolate? Where?"

"In my mouth."

The two kissed again, and Ash gave Gary the chocolate.

"Ash! Gary!"

"Delicious." Gary licked his lips.

"Matt! Mello!"

"What?" Gary and Ash said together.

"Why are you carrying Gary?"

"I am not carrying anyone named Gary."

"...Mello..." Misty growled.

"He fell in a river, and I'm the seme here."

"Objection-" Matt shoved a piece of chocolate in his uke's mouth.

"Right..."

They started on the contest.

Two years later...

"Ashy-boy!"

"Patience, Mello!" Ash had always hated Gary's nickname for him, but Gary hated Mello just as much. The two were engaged, and had rented an apartment in Viridian.

"So, what are you two gonna do tonight?" Tracey asked.

"Mello's turned out to be a masochist, so something with that."

"Nice. See you, then." Tracey left. Ash went off to his and Gary's room. Just a simple cosplay contest could lead to so much...

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