#qulia

“How do I look?” she asks.

Though Mackenzie had helped braid her hair, she is decidedly unimpressed with Julia's choice of costume, rolling her eyes and sighing.

“Like someone no one will ever guess who she's supposed to be.”

Julia frowns instantly, looking back to her reflection, smoothing out the skirt.

“So what?” she dismisses easily. “We can't all be slutty vampire girl three years in a row.”

Mackenzie huffs, but offers no rebuttal, as both of their attentions shift to the sound of broken glass in the kitchen. They look at each other and don't even have to say anything, both moving toward the door before the shouting starts. At the end of the driveway, Mackenzie goes left while Julia goes right, the street just beginning to fill kids trick or treating.

“Hey!” Mackenzie shouts, causing Julia to turn back. “You look great. Even if you're a giant nerd.”

Julia smiles and waves goodbye, but her sister still has more to offer.

“And make sure that Coldwater kid keeps his hands to himself.”

Julia laughs.

“Quentin is one boy you don't have to worry about.”

Mackenzie just shakes her head.

“That's how they get you,” she replies, then turns and heads off to her party.

Julia walks the three blocks over to Quentin's house, head tilted up toward the trees and imagining she's in a Fillory forest, like she'd done countless times before. Glancing behind her, she's wary of the Watcherwoman, and promptly runs into someone dressed as a bed sheet ghost.

“Sorry,” she mumbles, pulled back into reality.

Quentin answers when she knocks, and her hands cover her mouth instantly at the sight of him. Dress shirt and tie, covered with a sweater vest they'd found in a thrift shop, and a pair of fake glasses from one of those pop up Halloween stores.

“Wow,” he says. “You look-”

“Great?”

He grins.

“I was going to say fantastic.”

His hand reaches for the key, twisting it in his fingers, appreciating the detail even though he was with her when she got it.  

“So do you,” she gives.

There's an awkward pause, when he doesn't move from the door, and she knows he's already second guessing their plans.

“Are we really gonna do this?” he asks.

Julia resists the urge to grab his wrist and pull him past the threshold.

“It's just a school dance, Q. It will be fun. I promise.”

He nods even if she knows he doesn't quite believe her.

“Come along now Martin,” she chides in a bad English accept. “Let's not doddle. Plenty of adventure to be had.”

Quentin smiles bashfully and takes her hand when offered.

-

The gym is covered in black and orange crepe paper streamers, cardboard cutouts of famous movie monsters, and several other ghouls and ghosts. 'I put a spell on you' blasts from the PA speakers and Julia is glad it's not Monster Mash because she hates that song. Most of the kids in their class are there, and quite a few of them say hi to Julia, while promptly ignoring Quentin.

It's only been a few minutes, but she can already tell he wants to go hide in one of the corners, and loops her arm through his before he can escape. They make way toward the refreshment table, take two cups of punch which just tastes like someone poured ginger ale into fruit juice, and answer several questions to who they're dressed up as. Then several more follow up questions, because it seems that no one besides them, has ever read or even heard of the books.

A slow song starts to play, quite a few boys come up to Julia and ask her to dance, but she politely declines them all stating she's here with Quentin. He gives a little half wave with every denial, each boy more shocked than the last, to be turned down in favor of him. Julia does turn to him after the last one, nodding her head toward the dance floor, and is pleasantly surprised when he agrees.

His arms are awkwardly stiff, as he holds her at a distance, to which she can only rolls her as and push closer. Arms encircle his neck, head tilting up because he'd sprouted an inch or two above her over the summer, as he finally seems to relax in her hold.

“See?” she teases. “Not so bad.”

“No,” he agrees with a shake of his head.

The glasses have fallen down the bridge of his nose, and she shifts one of her hands to push them back up, the color flushing into his cheeks fairly noticeable despite the low light. It causes a funny feeling to stir within her stomach, and a rather impulsive thought suddenly itches within her mind.

“Q?” she asks.  

“Yeah?”

“Do you want to kiss me?”

His eyes go wide, realizing she's not joking, as his mouth drops open to stutter a reply that comes out more of a question.

“Y-y-yeah?”

She grins shyly.

“Then why don't you?”

He looks down to her mouth, then quickly back up.

“I didn't know it was an option.”

She laughs, just before pushing up on her toes, pressing their lips together.

“Happy Halloween,” she says, dropping back down.

Quentin gives her the biggest, goofiest grin, and it almost makes her want to kiss him again.