Kara put down her phone after finalizing the evenings plans with Alice. A slightly melodramatic sigh escaped her lips; she wasn't really feeling up to going out but she knew her friend would certainly lift her spirits. They had been friends for years, they always leaned on each other in situations like this. At this point there was no one she felt closer to. Kara's most recent ex, Brad, had been particularly difficult for her to move on from, so when Alice had asked about her weekend plans she was quick to agree to enjoying the cinema with her. Kara smiled to herself as she thought about her leggy, dark haired friend. Despite her pale skin, she had a sunny disposition about her. There was just something about her friend that made her feel supported and accepted. She knew that she would perk up spending the evening with her, her personality was infectious!

"And if I'm still bummed out this evening, I can still sit my bum down in..." She mutters to herself as she opens her refrigerator door and checks on the two tier "cake" she had assembled earlier in the day. Kara had been harbouring a secret about her sexuality for most of her life: she had a serious kink for humiliating a clown with mess. Her fantasies centred around letting a partner have it, but seeing that she was painfully single and frustrated... she thought she'd try out something else. The second tier had been hollowed out and generously filled with Cool Whip, the edges iced like a more typical cake. The results were... wonky. In Kara's eyes, however, she had achieved a degree of culinary engineering that she was proud of. Carefully closing the fridge door (not overly confident in the stability of her creation), Kara picks up a nearby foam clown nose and plucks off a stubborn piece of lint spoiling the even red look. Inspecting it, she nods to herself in satisfaction before tossing it on the table by her purse. Looking forward to the evening, she wanders off to her closet to decide on a jacket. That theatre is always too cold!

***

Meanwhile, Alice had been busy going through her closet trying to decide what to wear. Looking at herself in the mirror, her eyes narrowed critically before deciding her top revealed too much cleavage. The ship had sailed on a potential romance with her cute, freckly red-headed friend. Alice had dropped that she was bisexual soon after they had met, but had never received any indication of a similar inclination from Kara. It was a shame, Kara was exactly the type of person she looked for: brash, loud and opinionated, but in a good natured way. The type of person who's keen on adventures and trying new things! Alice loved stuff like that, but was typically hesitant on making those first steps... a partner who took the lead put her in a more relaxed state of mind. Though disappointed she didn't see their relationship developing further, she was glad for their friendship. They had fun and just plain got along! Checking the time, she realized she was nearly running late. She takes another glance in the mirror and thinks to herself, "The plunging neckline isn't exactly indecent..."

***

The two friends met up in the concession line with two tickets to the latest romantic comedy. It had come out a while back, starring someone very pretty and a charming, roguish type who would inevitably win her heart. Not exactly high art, but the friends had felt like watching something light and sappy that they wouldn't feel too guilty about whispering through. Kara eventually purchased their customary order, a pair of drinks and a bucket of popcorn to share.

As they find their seats (near the back, empty seats all around them), Alice realizes she left her purse in her car. "Hey, I'll be right back, I left my bag outside. I need my lip balm!"

"Oh, I actually just bought a new one earlier, I haven't even opened it yet. It's in here somewhere--!" Rooting around in her purse, she jostles it slightly trying to find the small round case. Something soft and light falls out and rolls over to Alice.

Alice picks up the red foam clown nose and brushes it off. "Ooh, you got one of those red nose day noses? How do I look, does it go with my outfit?" Smile on her face, Alice slides the nose overtop her own. It takes her a moment to realize something is amiss.

Kara was simultaneously baffled by how her nose had ended up in her purse ("It must have bounced wildly. Did it hit the chair?") and very embarrassed to see her friend actually wearing the thing! Eventually she realized she was staring, and lamely responded. "Not exactly, it clashes a little. Um... here's the lip balm." As she offers the balm, she stiffly grabs the nose off her friend's face, hiding it away in her purse once more.

Struggling to come up with an excuse for why she has a clown nose in her purse, Kara is saved from further embarrassment by Alice. Sensing her distress, she clears her throat and offers, "You know, I had an acting class that did a unit on clowning. This was back when I thought I was destined for a career in theatre... I didn't think much of it at the time, but it turned out surprisingly fun!"

"Um, wow. I never would have thought it of you..." Kara tries to keep it together.

"It was even educational, I learned why clowns don't use whipped cream in their pie gags. Someone ended up taking a pie in the face; it got a big laugh, but the smell... the smell! It followed him around for the rest of the day, he kept washing his face to no relief."

"..." Kara is dumbstruck, she needs a moment to mentally gather herself.

Oblivious, Alice continues on. "I was relieved actually, the gag involved the pie being thrown at me, but I ducked and the poor shmuck behind me got it instead. I had this nagging worry that I was being setup! Admittedly, it would have been pretty funny..."

The lights dimmed and the previews started. As Alice began to munch away happily on her bucket of popcorn, Kara was having a degree of internal conflict. Eventually, a braver part of her won out. She whispered to her friend, "I'd like to try that sometime."

Giggling, Alice whispers back, "What, throw a pie at someone?"

Nodding in the darkness, Kara replies "Yeah, I've always wanted to do that. It's a... little fantasy of mine I suppose."

"The rest of my night's free, just sayin'." Alice said, sounding a lot more casual than she felt. She knew this could be a turning point in their relationship, she just hoped she didn't steer them right into the rocks.

"...Really? Just so we're clear, I consider this a sex thing." Kara felt the need to clarify, pushing past her feelings of mortification whispering such a thing in the theatre.

Alice quirks an amused eyebrow, "Yeah, I kinda got that vibe when you pulled out that clown nose. You reacted like you had been slapped!"

Blinking, Kara tries to recall her reaction. "I think that was mostly shock. I didn't even know I had it in there truthfully, you surprising me like that was too hot. My brain overheated and shut down!"

Alice felt more than a touch of pride at her friend's recollection. While Kara was never too shy about singing her praises, this time it felt more impactful. "Well, I'm game for trying to one-up that reaction. Don't short circuit and forget the whole thing, now, I'd hate to be made a fool of for nothing."

Kara and Alice's friendship had always been mildly flirtatious, but tonight was a particularly bold night. Kara had always known her friend was attractive but she had never seen her in this light before. This was a brand new experience for her. Hesitantly, she shares a look with Alice through the dying light as the previews end and the movie begins. She gestures with her head towards the exit, an unasked question in her eyes. Nodding, Alice stands up and leads her friend out of the cinema, back into the night.

***

Kara struggled with the lock for a moment, she was slightly nervous about what was to come. Alice shot her a reassuring smile as she looked back at her; she was experiencing butterflies of her own! Together they stepped forward into Kara's apartment.

"Here we are, can I get you anything? Coffee, tea... dessert?" Kara says with a wry smile for her companion.

Alice steps inside and looks around. She's been here before, but this evening the place seems a bit different. Without missing a beat, she looks over to her host, "I was hoping to indulge my sweet tooth actually! But I seem to recall some discussion about lending me some clothes in case things get... sticky." She seems to consider the last world carefully, a knowing look on her face.

A light blush begins creeping up Kara's neck and she briefly averts her gaze. "Um, yes! Ahem... I might have been downplaying things slightly before..."

Sheepishly, Kara leads Alice to her bedroom and proceeds towards her walk-in closet, fidgeting nervously. She flips the light switch and gestures inside. For two thirds of the closet it was rather typical fare from Alice's perspective. Dresses, blouses, far too many shoes, but the final third wall... it was like looking at a colour palette come to life! An explosion of rainbow, glittery nonsense! Alice eyebrows rose sharply as she turned and looked back at Kara, who was staring fixedly upwards while twirling a strand of hair around a finger in forced nonchalance. Hands on her hips, Alice lightly teases her friend, "Just a little fantasy, was it? Your closet is straight out of the circus!"

Kara's blush threatens to envelop her whole body at this point. "Right... maybe it's less of a little fantasy, more of an obsession. I should have been more clear, but I was embarrassed! Forgive me?" Kara gives Alice her best puppy dog eyes.

Pulling out a polka dotted dress with bright blue pom poms down the front and a frilly, poofed out skirt, Alice pushes Kara back out of the closet. "Don't ask for forgiveness yet. What if you find the need to say sorry again shortly for some unfortunate mishap, hmm? Now let me try this on, I think it might be my style."

"Oh, before I go, we should talk about what's appropriate here. You're already gorgeous, and I'mgoingtobequiteexcitedwhenthep--!" Kara begins to babble at a rapid pace, trying to push past her growing sense of embarrassment before she's silenced by Alice bringing a finger to her lips.

"Shh! You're over thinking things! Lets just keep it simple, yeah? A couple items, and anywhere you'd like as long as my outfit stays on." Kara nods in vigorous agreement as she continues to metamorphosize into a tomato. She stiffly exits the room to Alice's amused giggle.

A little while later Alice emerged from the bedroom. She completed her look by adding a miniature hat that sat jauntily crooked on her head. Her lips were a deeper red now, her cheekbones heavily blushed with a big red foam nose completing her look. She had a grin on her face as she presented herself. "Sooo, what do you think of my look... oh!"

Alice is momentarily struck speechless by the sight of a fidgety, nervous looking Kara sitting by a very tall cake. Kara blinks and seems to snap out of her own stupor. "Wow, I see you found my makeup! You look incredible. I also managed to find some dessert... maybe I can offer you a slice of cake?"

"That's an impressive cake! Were you saving it for a special occasion?" Alice asks after a brief moment to recover.

"I, uh, actually made it for tonight. My evening plans changed a little... " Kara nervously trailed off.

Gone was Alice's brash and confident friend, this new side of her was tugging at Alice's heartstrings. Gently, she prods Kara to continue. "Oh? Was this for you? I thought your fantasy was to let someone else have it."

"It is! And there was always the possibility of bringing someone home tonight and having a moment of bravery. To be perfectly honest, I was picturing coming home alone and imagining someone else getting it while I..." Kara trails off, losing steam. Alice slowly approaches Kara and kneels down in front of her, lifting her chin to make eye contact with her, gesturing her to continue. "...sat on it. Oh god, it's so embarrassing to say that to you! And you're all dressed up for me... this isn't actually a nightmare where you start making fun of me for being a freak is it?"

Alice reaches forward and gives her friend a hug before pushing her back, a firm hold on her shoulders so she can offer another smile of encouragement. "Hey, I thought the point was for you to laugh at me! If we're going too fast, we can always slow down and talk about it... though it might be difficult to get serious and emotional with all this going on." She gestures to her getup, the silly makeup in stark contrast with patient look of understanding beneath.

The concern touches Kara, her resolve bolsters and her smile returns. "Sorry, I wasn't expecting this to feel so overwhelming. I've never actually worked up the courage to ask someone to go through with this!"

"Oh, you've never brought it up before? What about Brad, I thought you two were pretty serious for a while. How'd he miss the clashing colours in your closet?" Alice wondered, genuinely curious.

"Well, much of that stuff is newer! The older outfits and accessories... they weren't exactly front and center, I had them stowed away. I was meaning to tell him but I kept getting frazzled and in my own head about it. What if he found me less attractive? And eventually things fizzled anyways." Kara explains. Alice lays a comforting hand on her shoulder while she speaks, the look of empathetic understanding upon her face an amusing contrast to her ridiculous painted look. "I've decided recently to embrace my sexuality, or at least try to. It's not going anywhere, I might as well enjoy it, right? Take this cake for example, it would be a shame for it to go to waste!"

Sensing the shift in her friend's tone, Alice reorients back towards the imposing cake on the table. An honest review would describe it as a little sloppily put together. There was a slight lean to it, and the frosting was not exactly evenly applied. "I have to say, I admire your ambition, but your execution could use a little work!"

Sticking her tongue out, Kara takes the shot in good humour. "Baking is not my strong suit! I think it's not bad for a first attempt... although, I think I might have forgot an ingredient. What do you think, does it smell off to you?"

Alice's danger sense prickles in the back of her mind, which she promptly ignores and leans in close to the cake, both hands placed on either side of it. Hinging at the waist, her bum sticking out slightly, she takes an exaggerated whiff and replies, "It's difficult to smell anything, I think the big nose is muting my senses. Oh!"

While Alice's face is dangling inches from the cake, Kara takes the opportunity to move around to the other side of the table. As she brushes past, her hip "accidentally" bumps into Alice's butt, which Alice takes as a cue. Her face softly sinks into the cake, Kara's giggling ringing in her ears. Alice gives her friend a moment to enjoy the display before making a little production of removing herself. Slowly she lifts her face out of the cream, a wet squelch accompanying her extraction. Her mouth has opened in a comic look of faux shock and she flutters her eyes. One manages to open while the other is solidly glued shut by creamy mess. Her foam nose stuck to the cake and left an amusing clean patch in the middle of her face. "You brat! You did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Kara eventually manages to stifle her giggling, totally failing to keep herself together to play along with her friend's little routine. "No, no, that was a total accident! I wasn't expecting your ass to be so far out and for you to topple over so easily. You'd think a clown as bottom heavy as you would be more steady on her feet!"

Scandalized, Alice gestures down at the still somewhat intact cake with a vague impression of her face in it. "How rude! What did my ass ever do to you?! And the worst of it all is that I still didn't get a good idea of what it's missing!"

"Oh, I figured out exactly what's missing... a healthy serving of humiliated stooge!" What's visible of Alice's eyebrows raise in concern as Kara reaches forward with both hands to cup the back of her head. Alice offers a token resistance that is easily overpowered by the grinning Kara. Her face plunges far deeper into the cake this time as Kara smooshes her around the mess, her arms flailing ineffectually. Eventually Kara lets up and allows Alice an opportunity to breathe. Slowly she pulls herself out of the cake, this time totally destroyed in a cakey mess. Her previously lost clown nose has found itself stuck to her cheek, it dangles a moment before dropping to the table with a satisfying splat. "Oh my god! You look ridiculous!" Kara bursts out laughing at the total mess she's made of her friend.

Alice feels her hidden cheeks burning as Kara continues to laugh at her. She makes no move to clear the mess off of her face or move out of her compromising position bent over the table, instead her tongue swipes along her bottom lip and she considers it thoughtfully for a moment. "Hmm... not bad. I like the taste, but maybe next time you can offer me a plate instead of serving it all over me!"

Leaning in, Kara swipes a finger across Alice's cheek and brings it to her mouth. "Mmm, not bad at all! It's a lovely flavour on you. No promises on the plate though, you'll take it how it's served! Luckily for you..." Kara makes her way to her refrigerator as Alice watches over her shoulder, pulling a cream pie out before returning. "Does a pie plate count?" The mess had shifted enough on Alice's face now for her to be able to fully appreciate Kara standing over top of her, a pie balanced on the palm of her hand, her other hand slowly running along the back of her dress before curling into her hair, forcing her head around closer to the pie. A delightful shiver runs up her spine, the fingers in her hair gripping her tightly, no hope of pulling back from the pie held inches from her face. Kara offers in a seductive tone, "Any last words, clown?"

Giving her very best innocent, doe-eyed blink, Alice simply states, "Yes, please." Her world turns white as the pie is roughly pressed against her face and swirled around, eventually resting on top of her head. She's a ruined, cream-covered mess! Kara's grip eventually loosens as Alice finally catches her breath. "Umm... wow! That was... wow! I wasn't expecting it to feel so... hot!"

The atmosphere notably shifts and Kara has a practically involuntary squeal of delight. "Oh my god, that was even better than I imagined! You look amazing right now, I can't believe it!"

Finally standing up, Alice pulls her (minorly) protesting friend into a creamy hug before sauntering off towards the shower. "Believe me, it was my pleasure. We'll have to do this again sometime! Next time you're buying me dinner before serving me dessert." She blows a creamy kiss from across the room before closing the door.

"It's a date!" Kara yells at the door before spinning around and bouncing on the balls of her feet in pure giddiness. Thinking back on the evening, was that their first date? She's going to have to do some planning to top it for the second...