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Getting home from his part-time as a barista, Jeremy noticed how empty the apartment was. Placing his keys and bags on a hook on the wall, he looked around. No one. Odd… Normally his roommate would be sprawled out on their shared couch in the living room. Usually watching some soap opera or drama, commenting on each character and their motives. He would occasionally catch him up on the show, granted Jeremy wasn't very into it as he was. Maybe he left?.
"Michael! I'm home!" He lightly called out, hoping the downstairs neighbors wouldn't be too disturbed.
Unlike him, his roommate had no job currently. It was just a few classes in the morning and early afternoon and back to their apartment. Michael usually stayed at their apartment if he wasn't in classes. And he was usually in the living room to do so. Not seeing him there was unusual. Any time that he was not at the apartment, either hanging out with other friends or visiting his family, he would leave him a text and if he didn't then he would have left a note somewhere in the kitchen.
In the kitchen, everything was as it was when he left for classes and work. No notes left on the chocolate brown counters. Not anything of a note among the polaroids hung on the side or front of the fridge. Then he is home. Maybe he's just in his room, it wouldn't be crazy. And either way why would I be so worried on what he's doing.
They had been friends since they were young, meeting in school and playing together. He stuck with the brunette even through the awkward middle stage when he'd wear that stupid Foxy mask everywhere, even deciding to don the Bonnie mask with him. They stuck with each other through thick and thin, even during college. Of course I'd frantically look through the house for him, we're close.
But what if something is seriously wrong? I mean we're close, practically the bestest of friends and a friend should check on another friend. Walking into the living room and surveying everything he decided to check his room. Walking down the hallway to Michael's room and the closed door to it.
He knocked on the door, twice. A strange and rapid shuffling sound could be heard from the room. Ah so he is home. That's good, I was a bit worried. That's normal. A few thuds followed behind the door. Nevermind what the hell is happening in there. Hoping not to walk in on his friend jerking himself off, he braced for impact and opened the door.
"Michael?"
There crouched his roommate, staring in horror, mouth agape and eyes wide as he stood at the open door. He was just outside of the closet. Was he hiding in there? A few band posters and some books were knocked off of the wall and his nightstand. I guess that was what those thuds were. The room was in slight disarray as the brunette must have been in a panic. His closet doors were half-folded in, various clothing items and hangers flung across the floor.
Michael himself looked, strange, to say the least. Stranger than he had ever let himself be near anyone. Wearing a frilly black and white lace maid uniform, one straight out of a Gothic Lolita magazine, poofed out with a white petticoat underneath. Weirder were the accessories and makeup added to his look. He was wearing high heels and white garters, makeup that accentuated his long lashes and bright eyes. He was also wearing fox ears and a fox tail that swooshed around.
It wasn't like his friend didn't like foxes, they were his favorite animal. In fact he wore that stupid mask in middle school. He just didn't think he'd still be wearing fox accessories into his twenties. Maybe the whole fox thing wasn't super crazy, he just didn't think his friend would be a furry. Or... into cross dressing? Do I just walk away?
"I- uhh..." Giving up on trying to take off his costume, standing there awkwardly. "Hey, Jeremy."
"Is this your new hobby or..." Trailing off as he looked at how feminine his usually masculine roommate was.
"Just try and forget about this, okay?" Sitting down on his bed, ruffling his own brunette hair.
"No, no, I'm not judging you c'mon Mikey. I've seen you wear... well... weird things before. You can't forget the entire year that you would wear the Foxy mask. Hell I wore a Bonnie mask to match." And you honestly look good in this. He thought.
"But I'm a grown man in a frilly dress and fox ears, that is way weirder than my middle school furry days," He refuted.
"Yeah I know it is super weird but I like you, you're my close friend and you don't have to hide things from me." Even if it's something I didn't think Mike would ever do in a million years. Even if he is kind of cute like this. I mean he was uber masculine, maybe a little homophobic in our teen years. His inner mind chimed in. "But I am very curious on how this whole thing came to be."
"Do you want the short answer or the long story?"
"I have time for the long story," He replied, sitting down next to him on the bed. Seriously I'm very curious.
Before Michael were rows and rows of different halloween costumes. From cowboys to fairies to even strange food related costumes. For the past few years he was some version of a fox or pirate or even just dressing up as Foxy himself. But for some reason he eyes were gravitating towards the more feminine section. Why?
It wasn't like Michael was gay, right? He was just admiring the busty models on the packaging. Totally. That is exactly what he was doing. One costume showed a princess, a frilly pink dress that reached the models toes and a princess hat and wand attached. One costume was some type of sexy cat dress, ears and tail attached. A few were nurse costumes, tight fitted latex reaching the models thighs.
One particular costume struck out to him. It was of a character of a show that he would occasionally sit behind the couch and secretly watch with his sister, Lizzie. It was of the main character, a magical rainbow fox-girl, wearing those frilly dresses and fighting to save the day from villains. There it sat, the magical girl costume, and it was calling to him.
Looking around for any potential witnesses, and happily realizing no one was in the aisle and the security cameras were looking away, Michael quickly stuffed the costume in his backpack. Walking out of the store and waving goodbye to the clerk like nothing happened.
"I'm home!" He yelled as his mom appeared from downstairs. She was on the nightshift at the hospital she worked at, meaning she had the day to be at the house.
"I heard you went costume shopping, did you get any new costumes?"
"Uh, I looked but I decided on the same old." Then what was in his backpack?
"Oh, okay, that's great sweetie!" Kissing him on the cheek as he went upstairs to his room.
Closing and locking his door. Looking around to make sure no sneaky younger sibling was hiding in his room. Plopping his backpack down onto his bed, he let out a sigh of relief. No one was suspicious of him, right? The clerk let him go and who knows if they even check closely with their inventory.
He opened the backpack, inspecting the plastic pink bag. The model on the cover looked up at him. The model was almost beckoning him to try it on. Staring at the back, just staring for a few moments. Finally, he ripped open the bag.
Getting the dress and accessories out he looked closely. A light pink bodice attached to pastel rainbow layered tulle, frilly sleeves and a heart wand to match. Next to it, a fox ear headband and tail. An uber girly costume, one that even girls his age would be made fun of for wearing. Picking it up and staring at it with him in the mirror, something was pulling him to wear it.
Undressing and putting it on quickly before he becomes to embarrased in himself. From wearing something so frilly and colorful and also being so worked up about it. Pulling it up over himself and staring at himself in the mirror again, actually wearing the outfit. He looked... cute. Suddenly a noise came from outside his door, a stomping sound, and he rushed to take it off and quickly throw it into a blue box in his closet.
"Mikey! Dinner is ready!" His sister, Elizabeth, called out to him from his door.
"So... do you want to be a girl?" Jeremy held a hand on his roommate.
"No," He quickly replied. "I'm fine as a guy, I just like dressing up feminine. And like a fox." The brunette looked down, embarrassment from the deep red blush on his face.
"Well, I like you in more feminine clothes actually. I think you look good in them."
"Really?" Michael laughed out in disbelief. "You're not just saying that to make fun of me?"
"No I'm genuinely serious here!" Reaching over to twirl his friend's hair with his pointer finger. "You actually look really, really cute. Dare I say hot. You pull this off well."
"I look hot?" Raising an eyebrow. "Wow I didn't think you'd swing that way!" Punching him lightly with his fist.
"I mean..." Is this the way I come out to my roommate? I mean I already caught him in a maid dress so really theres worse ways to come out. "Yeah, yeah I like dudes."
"Me too, honestly." Twiddling his thumbs together and looking deep into the others eyes. Michael bit his lip, unsure possibly?
Awkwardly sitting together as his legs swung back and forth on the bed. What do I say after this? Want to date? Really? I mean we both like men but would we like each other? Would this make us awkward with each other if he rejects me? Almost staring at his made-up roommate he decided on what to do. Here goes nothing.
"I'm completely serious, you're really beautiful." Ruffling up Michael's skirt.
"Stop trying to sugar me up!" The brunette snorted out.
"I'm being honest here, I like you. I love you, almost" Please don’t ruin our friendship…
"I, I love you too."