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“A vampire again?” Nathan says with pout as Kotetsu knocks on the door to Antonio’s apartment.
Each year, Antonio hosts a big Halloween party for all the heroes and most (not all, as Nathan’s tone is implying) years, Kotetsu breaks out his tried and true vampire costume.
“Oh, come on. It’s a classic!” he pleads his case, hands rising up and flaring out his cape. If he’s being completely honest, he really just likes it for the cape. He liked the cape on his old suit as well. It’s a good look. They should absolutely make a comeback for daily fashion.
Nathan sighs. “You’re just lucky it looks so good on you, sugar. If not, I’d have cried party foul years ago and forced you home to change.”
“Your charity knows no bounds,” Kotetsu says with a grin as he leans around Nathan’s elaborate costume to press a quick kiss to his cheek. He’s wearing a fake kissing booth stand.
“That’s gonna cost you a quarter, you know,” Nathan says with a laugh as he steps back to let Kotetsu into the apartment.
Inside Antonio is mixing drinks as some sort of zombie, for mad scientist Keith. Karina, a character from that new popular show Kotetseu can never remember the name of; Pao-Lin, a mummy; and Ivan in a yukata with some sort of oni mask, are all gathered around a table playing a board game.
Barnaby is nowhere to be seen, a fact that makes Kotetsu frown.
“Hey there, lover boy,” Antonio greets him as he walks up to the counter that’s serving as the bar tonight. “Sorry your boyfriend isn’t here yet. I thought you’d come together?”
Kotetsu pulls out a stool next to Keith and gives his friend a fanged frown before resting his chin on his hand.
“No, he insisted on his costume being a surprise so I wasn’t allowed to see him,” he pouts.
“Well, I’m sure it will be a good one then, if he wants to surprise you!” Keith assures him with a pat on his shoulder.
Kotetsu grins at him and clinks their glasses.
A few minutes later a knock finally sounds from the door. For some odd reason, Kotetsu’s heart leaps to his throat. It’s not nerves, exactly, but anticipation. Anticipation that only grows when Nathan answers the door and absolutely squeals in delight.
Kotetsu immediately leans back on his stool to see, but Nathan’s costume is blocking the way.
Antonio, caring friend that he is, laughs at his expense.
“Go on, go see him. Your drink will wait.”
Kotetsu sticks his tongue out at him and flares his cape as he leaves his stool.
Finally, Barnaby comes into sight. He’s wearing a black and white diamond patterned waistcoat, a bow tie and a crisp white shirt with black pants. A thick gold chain hangs from his pocket. He looks good, he always looks good … but the outfit is nothing special.
But then Kotetsu allows his eyes to take in Barnaby’s face.
His face is painted with whiskers and a pink nose and …
He’s wearing bunny ears.
Kotetsu makes a promise to himself that he will go to his grave without letting anyone know exactly how much the sight affects him. He’s not sure whether to coo and call Barnaby cute, or somehow find a way to pin him against a wall and ravish him until neither of them can walk straight.
What his absolutely scrambled brain settles on is dropping his jaw open and letting out a strangled little ‘hungh?’ noise.
The three young heroes take a break from their game to compliment his costume and request selfies. Nathan joins in the requests and already has his phone out taking photos.
Barnaby, however, drifts his eyes over to meet Kotetu’s gaze and winks.
Kotetsu is going to die.
He’s only jolted out of his stupor when Antonio steps up behind him and thumps a hand on his shoulder. “If you do anything other than make-out anywhere in this apartment I will leak every single embarrassing photo I have of you to the press,” he whispers into Kotetsu’s ear.
“Y-yeah,” Kotetsu agrees, nodding numbly.
Eventually Barnaby breaks away with the excuse that he wants to check his make-up. He gives Kotetsu another meaningful glance and heads down the hallway to the bathroom. Kotetsu nearly trips on his cape in his haste to follow.
Kotetsu shuts the door behind them and Barnaby gives him a smirk. “If I’m reading your expression correctly, I’m guessing this is a good surprise?”
“Bunny you’re going to be the death of me,” Kotetsu says, crowding him up against the sink.
“Aren’t vampires already dead?” Barnaby teases, pulling Kotetsu in by his belt loops.
Kotetsu smirks. “You’re right and they’re usually hungry too. And you, my sweet little bunny, look like a very willing blood donor.”
A return quip dies on Barnaby’s lips as he leans in for a kiss only to be surprised by Kotetsu diving in to suck on his neck. He lingers there a moment and then a moment more until he knows there’s bound to be a mark, exacerbated by the scrape of fake teeth.
Trailing kisses up Barnaby’s jaw, he eventually makes his way to his lips to kiss him properly and Barnaby is all too eager to meet his desperation.
“The bunny ears really did it for you, huh, old man?” he pants as Kotetsu makes a break for his neck again.
“This never leaves this room, but god yeah, they really do.”
“Mm, good,” Barnaby hums, tugging Kotetsu up by the hair to slip his tongue into his mouth again.
If they’re a little late in rejoining the party and if Barnaby’s make-up is much more messed up than it was when they first excused himself, the others are kind enough not to mention it.