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“Fuck this,” Golf Ball mutters under her breath, hands running on the fabric of the dress in front of her. “Puffball!” She shrieks. “There is no way in fuck I am wearing this.”
“Aww c’mon. You’d look so good in it!”
“This is for people who could pull it off. I’d just look like a fucking rectangle.”
Puffball slowly walks into the room, bright pink hair gelled into two braids, wearing a pink dress with silver effects that makes her look perfect. Better than Golf Ball could look in a dress of those sorts.
“No, you’re going to look great! Put it on.”
Golf Ball sighs, then starts to walk into her closet. “I know I won’t. Puffball, I’ll just embarrass myself.”
Puffball’s eyes soften. “I don’t know who told you that you look ugly, but you don’t. Plus… Pencil’s gonna be there.”
“All the more reason to not look like a fucking idiot.”
“Firstly, stop cursing so much, secondly, just try it on. We’ll get Fries’ opinion, and then you can change if you want.”
Exhaling slowly through her mouth, she reluctantly nods. “Fine. But if I don’t like it, we’re done.”
“Deal! Tell me if you need help with the zipper,” with that, Puffball skips out of the room.
Golf Ball slowly sheds her hoodie and shorts, staring at herself in the mirror for a moment. God, she can’t help but see all the flaws in her body. Golf Ball really is built like a rectangle, and she has no weight where she should - and fat everywhere she shouldn’t.
But, it was fine. She would put this on, show Puffball why Golf Ball wasn’t like her - she didn’t have the body.
The fabric is suspiciously soft, clinging gently to her body as she slips it on. The skirt slips down her legs, showing a skinny, long skirt, like those prom dresses you’d see.
It clings around her waist, but it still somehow manages to find a figure in her. A shiver blows through her body as she looks at her bare arms, but she decides she can handle this for some time.
Golf Ball then removes the hair tie from her hair, seeing how it practically melts next to the dress. She hates to admit it… but she kind of likes the dress.
“P-Puffball?” she calls. “Could you, uh, zip up the dress.”
“Will d- doooo…” Puffball trails off after seeing the dress. “Holy shit. I told you you’d look good.”
“Really? I don’t… I’m not sure…”
“Hey. I promise you, Pencil will think this is fabulous. You do look fabulous. Just your mask, and you’ll be perfect.”
Golf Ball holds up a finger, a smirk playing on her face. “Now. You already got me to wear your fabric instead of my own. I think I get a say in my mask.”
“Nope!”
“Ahh, well, at least I tried.”
Puffball grabs Golf Ball’s hand, her large skirt touching Golf Ball’s leg. She calls for Fries, then puts Golf Ball in front of him, hands on her shoulders. “Tell me honestly babe, if you were Pencil, would you think she’s hot?”
Golf Ball can feel her cheeks burning. “Well, that’s not an awkward question to ask,” she mutters, glad she researched how to be sarcastic.
“If I was her lesbian ass? Hmm. Yeah, probably.”
“See! I told you, Golf Ball. You look fabulous.”
“Whatever you say. Not like I… care.”
“It’s fine to care a little about how you look.”
“It’s not so much about how I look. It’s about how I’m perceived, not even by most. I guess… I care a little about how Pencil thinks of me.”
Puffball looks at her with soft eyes. “I promise, this won’t change anything about how she thinks of you.”
Golf Ball pushes her hair over her right shoulder, smiling a little. “I know. It’s just… human nature to worry about things like this, is it not?”
“It is. Anyway! Time for masks.”
Following Puffball into her room, Golf Ball says, “I mean, I don’t see why one would make a masquerade party. It’ll be easy for people to recognize me, or you to be fair.”
Puffball raises an eyebrow. “Really? There’s going to be like… the whole cast there! It can’t be that easy.”
“Who else has gray slash pink hair? Masks can only do so much, especially when it’s been three or four seasons with some of those people.”
Grabbing a bag from behind her desk, Puffball grins. “I guess. I dunno, but who ever knows what Pin is thinking? I’m mostly in this for the food. Anyway, heads up!” She turns around and tosses something at Golf Ball.
Golf Ball barely catches it, turning it over to see a white mask with gray feathers and black markings.
“Beautiful, right?” Puffball asks.
“I… can’t object to that.”
Puffball grins, grabbing a white mask with pink feathers. “You have ten minutes, then we go.”
Golf Ball nods, heading back to her room. She brushes out her hair, staring in the mirror. She then straps on the mask, finding it to be a nice fit. She can’t really… recognize herself, but that wasn’t always a bad thing, was it? Hiding behind masks and fancy dresses.
She then glances at her phone, seeing three messages from Pencil, reading
Pencil: hey golfy are u coming down
Pencil: cmon were waiting for you and puffball
Pencil: oh and fries ig lmao
Golf Ball snorts, shaking her head at her girlfriend's antics. She exits her room, seeing Puffball and Fries standing together. Puffball then smiles at her.
“Ready to go? Oh, wait,” Puffball hands her another piece of fabric, “put these on too!”
That piece of fabric turns out to be gloves. Golf Ball slips them on, staring at her hands. What were these? Clearly just another piece of fabric to hide behind.
“Yeah. Let’s go.”
The elevator ride down is silent, or at least it is for Golf Ball. Puffball and Fries are muttering about who-knows-what.
However, when the doors open, Golf Ball sucks in a breath. It’s crowded. Everyone’s standing around, eating and drinking and talking.
But Golf Ball’s looking for one person in particular.
Masks are adorning everyone’s face, but she has a hunch she’ll be able to recognize this person. Fries and Puffball run off, but Golf Ball slowly walks around, refusing everyone’s offers to speak to her.
Then, a flash of brilliant golden hair catches Golf Ball’s eyes. She walks towards it, hoping- no, knowing, it’s her Pencil.
“Pencil?” she whispers, and the figure turns, jumping a little, before settling.
“Golf Ball! Hii!”
The person she was talking to - Match, by the looks of it - walks away, and Golf Ball smiles shyly at Pencil.
“I’ve, uh, missed you,” she mutters.
“That’s ’cause you’ve been cooped up in your lab! I’ve missed you too, Bozo Brain.”
Golf Ball smiles, fully this time. “Wow. I don’t think I knew how much I needed to hear your voice.”
“Wow. You look beautiful.” Pencil says, probably thinking it’s an off handed compliment.
But it’s not off handed to Golf Ball, as she freezes in her tracks. “Wh-what?”
“You’re… beautiful?”
Golf Ball rolls her eyes, trying to play off her surprise. “No, I’m not. No need to lie. Anyway, what’ve you been doing?”
Pencil doesn’t respond to her question though. “Excuse me? You are beautiful, don’t you ever doubt that. You’re probably the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen!”
“Okay, really, no need to lie. I’d understand if you said smartest, but I’m not beautiful. I’ve heard all the shit already.”
“What could ever make you think you aren’t beautiful?” Pencil’s arms rush to Golf Ball’s shoulders, shocking her.
“W-well, I’ve never been called beautiful before. After all, my hair is an ugly dull gray, and I’m not conventionally attractive.”
Pencil snorts, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder. “Trust me, being conventionally attractive is not all that. And your hair is absolutely perfect, I couldn’t think of a prettier color.”
“You really don’t have to-”
“To what? Tell you the truth? Because you are beautiful.”
“Well… thank you.”
Golf Ball’s never been called beautiful. A nerd? Yep. Ugly? Why not? But to have someone call her perfect genuinely? Well, this was new.
“No need to thank me. I should thank you for all you’ve done for me!”
“Okay, Pencil, you really don’t have to-”
“No. You need to know you’re perfect. You’re everything to me. You saved me during my hardest times. I love you Golf Ball, and nothing can change that.”
“Why- I- I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to. Just know you’re everything to me.”
“I… I guess I do.”
Pencil pushes a lock of Golf Ball’s hair behind her face. Golf Ball then gets to see her mask, shaped like a dove, which matches her white dress. It - like everything - looks fucking fabulous on her. But, no matter.
“Can… I kiss you?” Pencil whispers, making Golf Ball flush.
She immediately nods in return, to which Pencil smiles, Then, she groans. “Oh, these stupid masks.”
“Let’s just take them off.”
“Unfortunately, Pin’s a bit of a fuckhead and won’t let us.”
Golf Ball grabs Pencil’s hand. “Then… let’s leave.”
“Leave?” the other girl repeats.
“Leave,” she reaffirms. “C’mon, there’s more than sixty people here.”
“Ah, alright,” Pencil lets Golf Ball lead her outside, to the lobby. There, Golf Ball reaches up and pushes Pencil’s mask up, revealing her beautiful face.
“Shit,” Pencil curses, “I forgot to wear makeup.”
“Hey. It’s fine. You’re perfect either way. Just truer this way.”
Pencil reaches up for her mask, but Golf Ball stops her hand. “Hey. Don’t let this mask cover up who you are. You’re beautiful.”
The other girl rolls her eyes. “I thought I was supposed to be telling you that.”
“It’s a double sided coin.”
A small smile passes through Pencil’s face, before the mask is lifted off Golf Ball’s face. She stares up at Pencil, completely awestruck by the person in front of her. Gosh, how she’s changed from TPOT. And Golf Ball’s here for it. For her, all steps of the way.
“I love you.”
“I love you too,” Golf Ball says back, hoping her voice is filled with the certainty she feels.
“If you love me so, kiss me.”
Golf Ball smiles, then reaches up, pulling the silk of Pencil’s dress down to meet her. The kiss is rushed, messy, beautiful, every fucking thing Golf Ball likes.
She then sits back, letting Pencil stand up. Golf Ball raises an eyebrow, staring into her eyes challengingly. “DId that prove how much I love you?”
“…maybe one more kiss will do?”
“Okay, you can stop acting so fucking desperate now.”
“Sorry, sorry.”
“As you should be.”
Pencil chuckles, leading Golf Ball to chuckle too. Golf Ball smiles at Pencil, and sees that beautiful smile in return.
No mask between them. No hiding. No hate. Just… themselves.
And frankly, it feels beautiful. Like them.