Costumes

“Stop fidgeting, will you?”

“I’m not fidgeting.”

“Ow! What do you call that? Besides, you know… running your elbow straight into my stomach.”

“I’m telling you, I’m not f-fuck!”

And, needless to say, that’s about when Mark gave one last accidental jab too far in a certain, precarious direction and sent him and his brother smack into the floor of their dressing room. They stayed there like that just for a moment, groaning, rubbing their foreheads, trying to find their way out of the mess they’d created. It wasn’t every day a costume turned into a deathtrap, after all. That was costume number five, to be exact; one that would take the two of them to wear it.

Yes, it was a cow suit. Yes, Mark was the head end. Ardnold got… well, the butt end. Yes, it was a brilliant, ingenious idea until they realized that their symmetry wasn’t quite as symmetrical as they thought. Lately, they’d been off. If October hadn’t previously been known as the month for flying emotions, then it soon would be. Ever since Eliza came around, she’d left their hearts and their minds confused; as if they weren’t confused about each other enough. Now there was an intruder in the mix.

Mark shuffled awkwardly on his hands and knees out from the tangled costume. When he reached for his brother to attempt to help him out of his own end, he received a hard, decidedly deserved smack on the face. He flinched before his hand even made contact but the real blow left a sting not on his cheek, but somewhere far deeper inside of him. He deserved it, he believed. Mark let the sting sink in just enough before coming to the conclusion that Ardnold deserved a smack just as much as he did, if that were the case.

As to be expected, Mark’s own palm was sent cutting through the air to leave an equally reddening smack across his brother’s left cheek. Ardnold didn’t flinch, unlike his brother. He expected it. He knew deserved it, too, almost as soon as he had hit Mark. Neither of them wanted to look at the other; their eyes indefinitely fixed to the dressing room floor. Their eyes wandered from one costume they’d tried on to another, trying to find something to occupy their eyes so they wouldn’t have to look up only to have their gazes meet.

Like the true twins they were though, once one of them spoke up, as did the other exactly at the same time. It was hard to decide who had really spoken first, if only by a couple milliseconds, but the question of that always came to mind for the two of them. Who moved first: me or him? Who said it first: me or him? It was always the same and although their sameness was what made them feel secure most of the time, there were the times when they felt absolutely disgusted by it.

“This isn’t about costumes, is it?” Mark asked quietly, gathering some of the clothes into his arms.

“I don’t think so. Unless that’s a metaphor or something to suggest that we’re hiding from ourselves.” Ardnold’s jest would have otherwise been met with at least a small giggle, but neither of them was feeling quite so cheery. Ardnold looked up at Mark. Their eyebrows furrowed and they looked into each other’s eyes; both of them feeling just as absurd as the other. Mark sucked in a breath, and daring to be a little different, set down the things he’d gathered so he could come forward to push the rest of the costume from his brother’s bare shoulders. Gently, he wrapped his arms around his twin’s thin waist and rested his cheek on his shoulder.

He sighed. “Do you think this is all about Eliza… or do you think that it’s because of her that something’s just… happened between us?” Ardnold shrugged slightly, trying not to disturb Mark’s position on his shoulders. He pondered it a little, gave it some time run around in his head, and then told his brother that he supposed that he would have to pick the latter. It was a better choice, or at least the easier of the two to choose. He didn’t want to altogether deny the possibility that he liked Eliza, but he wasn’t altogether sure that he liked her that way anyway. So of course something had happened because of her; of course there was something different. One way or another, it would always relate to their intruder.

“You know I love you best of all, though, right?” Ardnold promised, pressing a kiss to the side of Mark’s forehead. He giggled softly and rubbed his cheek against Ardnold’s shoulder, purring sensuously when he met the crook of his neck. Ardnold didn’t have to think or worry about the love that his brother gave him. Mark was there for him whenever he needed him; always there to faithfully give him a kiss or two right when he needed it most.

Ardnold fell back into the piles of costumes scattered on the floor, bringing Mark down with him. He closed his eyes, feeling entirely worn-out. They’d stayed up quite late to look through their things for something they could wear the next day to the Music Club’s latest and, as Thomas had so subtly put it, “Most extravagant and fantastic Halloween party of Hilltower High School history!” The previous year had been so much easier when they had the contest; they ditched Thomas and his silly Music Club plans so they could plan an extreme (and scary!) game of hide-and-seek with Eliza and the rest of the school. Ardnold liked things simple. That way, they wouldn’t have to be rummaging through old clothes so late at night.

The least Thomas could have done for them was give them some sort of advanced warning. Warnings and whatnot didn’t seem to work well for Thomas, though. But at least there was one good thing about him – his interest in Eliza. It made both of the twins a little sad inside, undoubtedly, but his affection for her was becoming a good distraction for her. Because of that, the twins were finding it easier to find a good footing with each other again.

Speaking of footing, the way Mark was keeping himself on Ardnold was starting to make his lower half numb.

“Think you could move off me a little? You’re making my legs numb,” he said, grabbing his twin at the waist.

The cold of his hands startled Mark and he let out a little yelp, hauling up away from him, planting his palms down firmly on his brother’s chest. “God! Why’re your hands so cold…? Hey, and I thought you didn’t like it when I fidget.”

“I don’t. You just turned into a rock all of a sudden.”

Annoyed by his brother’s attitude, Mark tackled him, pinning him to the floor. With Ardnold secured, he leaned in and captured his lips, massaging them gently with his own. Play quickly turned into passion, though, as Ardnold’s curious tongue begged for entrance to Mark’s mouth. With hands grabbing and bodies so close together, things quickly heated up. Ardnold hungrily explored his brother’s body and mouth, amused when his tongue felt the fake fangs Mark had tried on for their possible Dracula costumes earlier.

“Why do you still have those things in?” he asked curiously, a grin gracing his lips.

Mark returned his grin mischievously, sliding his tongue over both fangs. “All the better to bite you with.” He dipped his head and ran the fangs lightly over the sensitive skin of Ardnold’s neck, forcing a sigh from his lips. He nibbled and sucked at his neck; the fangs not sharp enough to pierce his skin but hard enough to make him feel it. All the while, Ardnold couldn’t help himself from smiling, though, as he kept imagining how humorous it would look if Mark wore the cow costume with fangs; evil cow? Nice, sexy, sweet evil cow…

Ardnold grabbed his brother’s hips and flipped their positions so he was on top. Their lips met urgently and Ardnold ran his fingers teasingly down Mark’s sides. His stomach was the most sensitive part on his body, Ardnold had come to believe. Even the smallest touches he would place on his belly would cause him to gasp and whimper. He squirmed, grabbing onto his twin’s shoulders, closing his eyes tightly as he traveled lower, licking and kissing his way down his stomach. When he reached his shorts, Mark had no mind to contest what his brother wanted to do.

His thumbs hooked inside the waistband of Mark’s boxers and, after looking up at him once to be sure, tugged them down in one, swift motion. He licked his lips, eyeing him from head to toe, taking in every inch of his delicate, gorgeous body. “H-Ardnold,” Mark sighed, his twin’s name slipping naturally from his tongue. Ardnold simply continued to kiss and lick at his stomach, playfully teasing his nipples until they were bright pink. Mark’s fists clenched and unclenched weakly in their mess of clothes, half of him afraid that he might ruin something, half of him not caring one single bit. Once his brother wrapped a hand firmly around his cock though, he had no choice but to grip onto something to keep himself from crying out.

“H-Ardnold!” It seemed like Ardnold’s name was the only thing he could say well enough in his pleasure-clouded mind; the only thing he could think about. It wasn’t like he had never done anything of that sort with his brother before. It was rather quite the contrary; they often slept together. In their own way, it was sort of like their way of bonding. By getting closer to each other physically, somehow they began to feel closer on the inside as well. All Mark wanted was his brother; to feel his brother. He didn’t want to admit it to himself but… Eliza had made him jealous.

Ardnold obeyed his pleas, trailing two fingers lightly down his belly until they reached their destination. He pressed his thumb to Mark’s sensitive head, stroking it thoroughly, making Mark’s breath catch in his throat. He knew every inch of Mark’s body like he knew his own; maybe even more so on account of them being so alike. Typically, the same things that drove him crazy also drove Mark to the edge and kept him crying out for more. He lowered his head and breathed on it – just a little. Instantly, Mark threw his head back and clutched at the clothes beneath him, digging his fingers into them until his knuckles turned white.

Carefully, Ardnold slipped his hands underneath his brother’s back, rubbing his palms over the slight curve of his buttocks. Confident that Mark was thoroughly distracted, he took his cock into his mouth in one fell swoop. Mark was ready to shoot straight up in surprise but, knowing for certain already how his brother would react, Ardnold was ready with a calming palm on his stomach. Mark appeared to already be in a rather blissful place; pleasing him any further seemed like it was almost sending him into pain rather than pleasure. It was like torture; teasing him, giving him a little then going all the way to please him extensively. He thrashed and twisted weakly, uselessly, until he found himself too tired to argue it and allowed himself to be brought further and further into the gloriously blissful place Ardnold was taking him to.

He finally came to a resting; placing a hand atop Ardnold’s head to gently stroke his hair while he sucked and licked at him below. What he wouldn’t have given to force himself over the edge… No, Ardnold was bent on teasing him; bobbing his head slowly and agonizingly so that he was only given a glimpse of sweet release with every stroke of his tongue against his shaft.

He opened his eyes only temporarily to be blinded by the bare bulb above them in the cramped space they lied in. He winced and clamped his eyes shut, finding it much harder to keep himself from gripping Ardnold’s hair; he knew he had to loosen up and not force him. Ardnold’s hands inched up and continued stroking his stomach, fingers sliding into the dip of his belly. They eventually found the base of his cock, stroking him evenly in time with his tongue; his thumb spreading precum and saliva along his length.

Mark’s breath caught in his throat and he shuddered, feeling ecstasy finally building to an unbelievable height. All at once, like a massive wave, it came crashing down on him, filling him with pleasant warmth all over until he collapsed, completely spent. Ardnold released him from his mouth, a thin line of saliva drawn from the head of his brother’s cock to his lips. Mark watched him in fascination, breathing a shivering sigh. One final lick was laid to him, just for good measure.

Thoroughly pleased with himself, Ardnold flopped down beside him, folding his arms behind his head. “You sure look happy now. You aren’t fidgeting either.” The only reason he wasn’t fidgeting was because he’d left him so exhausted. Mark wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing it by telling him, though. He would keep that to himself for the time being. All he wanted to do was… sleep.

He hadn’t realized that his eyes closed until they snapped open. “What are we going to wear?”

“I think we look pretty good as nudists.”

“Vampire nudists. Wait, shut up. Don’t bring me in on that.” He rolled over and slapped Ardnold on the arm, glaring at him through half-lidded eyes.

“Don’t tell me you’re ashamed to be a vampire nudist.”

Mark grinned. “You idiot.”