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“Oh my gosh, can we take a picture with you? Your costume is so cool!”
Sakura’s face warmed and he turned to find a younger kid and his friends, all dressed up in costumes themselves. He found himself unable to say no; the excitement in their eyes forcing him to nod.
“Yes!” He cheered, digging his phone out of his pocket.
“Ooh, ooh! We should have all the nice ones on the left and the scary ones on the right!” A girl in a butterfly costume cheered.
Soon all the kids had taken their places, sitting under his angel wing and monster wing respectively. Finally the picture was taken and they waved goodbye as they all ran towards the hay ride.
He awkwardly waved back, sighing to himself before continuing to walk the glowing jack-o-lanturns and halloween lights Furin had set up for the Spooktacular. The grade captains were tasked with going around the fairgrounds to make sure no one running the stalls and games needed help or to take a piss, but he hadn’t even made a full round yet because people kept asking for pictures!
His face flushed at the reminder of his appearance, but it was partially his own fault for not having a clear costume idea when Tsubaki had asked him. He only knew he didn’t want to look stupid and wanted to have full movement. The horn and feathered crest in his hair, wings, tail and the halved black and white vest jacket had caught him by surprise.
When he’d nervously put it all on, Tsubaki was super excited but he was unsure what to make of it himself. When he returned to his class they all just about lost their minds over it. Nirei was particularly awed, pointing out the blue and gold accents that matched the colors of his eyes. They all said it was awesome and cool, and Sakura’s insides felt fluttery and his neck burned at the memory.
It wasn’t long before the sun retreated behind the tree line and Sakura pulled an envelope from his pocket. Earlier that day Anzai and Kurita had casually gone around to everyone and had them write a harmless trick they thought they could play on someone down on a card. He thought it was part of a carnival game and didn’t question it, nor did the rest of his class. But when the school day ended, the pair declared their game of Trick or Treat. Whatever trick you drew, you had to play on someone else, and if you failed you had to treat those who were successful by taking part in a punishment.
They were of course met with some eager and others more than reluctant, for which they presented an ultimatum: if you were too chicken to play because you wrote a difficult task, you could draw and have a trick played on you right then, right now. When faced with guaranteed punishment or going along with it, those punks had everyone, even Sugishita, drawing out of that stupid plastic bowl. For Sakura and Nirei in particular, it was the mischievous glint in Suo’s eye that had them taking cards in hope of dodging whatever he had written down.
Sakura glared down at the one he’d picked. It was closed with a cartoon sticker of a spider. He rolled his eyes and pulled out the card. On it written in neat handwriting: tickle a senpai
“Wh-! Huh?!” he gasped, his face turning pink as he hurriedly stuffed the card back into his pocket and continued walking.
That’s what someone wrote?!
The task itself wasn’t hard, sure, but he knew there was no way he was going to be able to do it without any of them retaliating. He also wouldn’t be able to get away with just saying that he did. Part of the game was that you had to have someone else from the school, wether by accident or on purpose, witness the trick for it to count.
Sakura fidgeted, face perpetually dusted pink as he looked around and weighed his options. It would be way too weird to go after someone he hadn’t talked to yet, not to mention he had no clue how they would react. But everyone he knew would turn around and get revenge immediately! He pressed his fist to his forehead in thought.
If retaliation was guarenteed, was there anyone he could actually get away from?
Tsubaki made freedom of movement absolutely certain for the costume he made for Sakura, but not everyone had crafted their costume with said priority in mind. That fact gave Sakura a better chance of escape, but the lack of assurance and the thought of being caught and tickled in front of so many people made him blush further.
All the people walking around also made for bad conditions for escape, unless…his gaze lifted upward and landed on the metal awning above the school doors. He’d been up there earlier to help set out pumpkins and lights. Someone would definitely see him if he jumped up there, securing a witness.
This could work. Now to hope I find someone this shit will work on.
Sakura continued his rounds, pausing for several more embarrassing photo ops as the night went on. He kept his eyes up, dreading and hoping for a chance to get this stupid game over with.
Suddenly an opportunity came into view and he was immediately dreading again. Enomoto and Kaji had been making rounds too, but right now their backs were turned to him. Enomoto was dressed up like a classic, suit-wearing spy and Kaji was wearing a black hooded cape and held what had to be a prop scythe. He just had to get one of them, but what if they both retaliated? But if another chance didn’t come? He only had until the event was over…
Sakura swallowed and casually wandered toward them before crouching into a sneaking position. He was barely one stall away when Enomoto looked up. Sakura flinched, hurriedly putting a finger to his lips and pleading with his eyes towards Kaji. His heart pounded in his chest as Enomoto looked between them.
He flashed a grin and Sakura braced himself to run, but instead of warning Kaji, Enomoto took the corner of his black cape and pulled it over his head.
Sakura’s eyes widened and he rushed forward.
“Will you cut the shit?!” Kaji shouted, ripping the fabric off his head just in time to be tackled to ground. “What the fuHAAH! WHAHA! NOhohoho! DOHOHON’T!”
Weight settled on his back and he kicked and flailed uselessly as fingers wiggled into and scratched his upper ribs.
“NAHAhahat HERE!” Kaji cried, a wide smile and deep blush on his face as people turned towards him. “ENOMOHohoto YOU AHAhasshole!”
“Oh I am, am I?” Enomoto smirked, crouching down next to him.
Kaji’s eyes widened as he whipped his head to the side to see behind him.
“SAHAHAKURAHAH!?” Kaji yelled, his efforts renewing only to squeak loudly as fingers drilled into his underarms.
Sakura took off in a dead sprint and Kaji scrambled to his feet just in time to see Sakura’s demon tail disappear around a stall.
“I’m going to KIHILL you!” Kaji roared, grabbing his scythe and tearing off after him.
A nervous smile found a way onto Sakura’s face as feet thudded behind him. Many fair goers looked up in surprise, laughing and moving aside as the angel-demon ran from death.
The front of the school finally came into sight and Sakura did a final burst forward. He put a foot on a window sill and the other pushed another window’s edge. Both hands shoved off the wall, and he pulled himself up amongst the lights and pumpkins.
Loud applause erupted from below him, and Sakura turned in surprise to see a crowd gathered both of classmates and fairgoers all clapping and cheering for him. Bright red bloomed across his face and he turned away to hide it only to receive whistles at the reveal of his wings and tail. The warmth reached down his neck and with nowhere else to go hide, he crouched behind one of the decorative pumpkins in embarrassment.
Kaji rounded the corner, face screwed up in rage as he glared up at Sakura. He saw him get up there, but without his usual sneakers he knew he couldn’t follow.
“Get the fuck down here!” Kaji hissed.
Though he knew he’d be in even deeper shit, Sakura couldn’t help the smile that grew on his face as he shook his head no.
Kaji bristled in anger and Enomoto burst out laughing from behind him. He whirled on Enomoto to find Kusumi standing next to him, decked out in his bat costume with his phone out and recording.
“Hey!” Kaji shouted. “Don’t film this shit! Delete that!”
Instead Kusumi stuck his tongue out at him.
Kaji grabbed at the phone, only for Kusumi to hold it out of his reach.
Kaji looked about ready to explode as he turned and gave Sakura one of the strongest vengeance-promising death glares he’d ever seen—until Kusumi threw his wings out at Kaji, making him jump in fright.
Sakura snickered as Kusumi took off into the crowd with Kaji hot on his heels.
Enomoto chuckled, looking up at Sakura and giving him a short wave. Sakura nodded in return with a smile. He’d have to thank him later; assuming he survived whatever Kaji was going to do to him.