Makeup Curse part 10 (Re Write) (Patreon)

So, I needed to rewrite this part. Some story elements have changed.

Makeup Curse Part 10

Sighing, Becca looks down at her feet. She feels the anxiety building up inside herself as Ross continues to glare in her direction.

Ross steps towards her with purpose. He’s got a bone to pick.

“Who gave you the makeup Becca?” He questions bluntly.

“Okaaay!” she replies, huffing in defeat, knowing he’s not going to drop it. “I didn’t think any of it was true. Please, you’ve gotta believe me on that!”

“You knew this could happen if we used it on me…didn’t you!?”

“I didn’t know it would do all of this!” she responds innocently, opening out her arms. “If someone told you a simple box of makeup could do all this to me!—would you believe them!?”

Ross coughs and chokes on the stale air inside the old dusty factory. “We should go talk about this outside. This place gives me the creeps.”

Nodding, Becca walks beside him in silence. She almost taste the tension in the air.

Exiting, Becca leans against the side of the building and lets out a long breath. “I honestly thought we’d be able to fix your face. I never thought this place would be so run down.”

Ross clenches his teeth and stomps his foot as he scowls at Becca looking so casual. “So you DID know the makeup was cursed!”

“Don’t raise your voice at me Ross,” Becca replies with indignation. “I didn’t think any of it would actually happen.”

Scowling at her, Ross huffs and looks down at himself. “Tell me..,” he says, rolling his eyes. “Tell me the whole truth.”

Becca begins to anxiously play with her fingers. She glances quickly at her boyfriend, looking cute in the dress she’s just brought him.

“I honestly don’t remember much,” Becca eventually replies. “When I was twelve, my grandmother took me to that shop we visited. The details are hazy! ”

“You’ve had it for that long!?” Ross childishly replies. “And you waited to use it on me!?”

“That’s unfair, Ross,” Becca groans.  “Yes, I remember getting the makeup. It was such a surreal experience! After, I just chucked it into a cupboard and forgot about it!”

“Answer me this Becca,” Ross questions firmly, furrowing his brow as he stares daggers in her direction. “Did they tell you it wouldn’t come off if you put it on someone!?”

“Let me finish already,” Becca replies in frustration, standing up straight to tower over him.

Flinching a little, Ross steps back and impishly folds his arms. His face goes bright red and he looks away. “Well….. go on then!”

“My grandmother took me to the shop,” Becca continues explaining, leaning back against the factory wall. “When we entered, I wanted to buy makeup—being a young girl, that is what I wanted. Then, as we arrived, the owner—a really strange little man, told us to come into the back room.”

“Okay…..?” Ross says curiously.

“He then showed me a small jagged shiny and colorful stone,” Becca says, touching the skin on the back of her hand. “I remember it was soft to the touch. I also remember being a little bit scared of it. Like it was something….erm…unnatural.”

Listening intently, Ross begins to rub his arm with the biting cold air making his hairs stand up on end. He sighs. “I don’t understand Becca. What has that got to do with the makeup box?”

Becca looks down at her body and holds out the palms of her hands. “I didn’t want that thing they were offering to me, but they pleaded for me to take it. My grandmother told me it was rightfully mine and It was time I took possession of it.”

Ross sighs again impatiently, flicking hair from his eyes. “I’m lost.”

Becca looks up to the darkening sky. “I don’t understand it either Ross. I still don’t know to this day what that stone was about and why I needed to take it.”

“So, did you take it?” Ross questions, rubbing his arms again for warmth. “Does it have something to do with the makeup?”

“No, I didn’t take it!” Becca quickly, shivering at the idea. “I wanted makeup, not some weird old creepy stone.”

“What's any of that got to do with it then?” Ross criticizes.

“I’m trying to tell you everything I know Ross!” Becca complains back. “Look, once I’d said no, my grandmother and the strange little man told me to wait alone. Minutes later my grandmother came out from the backroom with the makeup we used in her hands”

Ross opens his mouth to ask more questions but is interrupted by a strangely squeaky voice from behind them.

“You two are talking very loudly,” the voice says, making them both jump in surprise.

Ross backs away as the person talking comes into view from behind a pile of abandoned boxes.

Standing unsteady before them is a withered, small man. His clothes are tatty and his face is grubby. Although it frightened them both at first, they can see he’s harmless from the gentle smile on his face. He steps closer but stops as he starts uncontrollably coughing.

“Been a long time…,” he croaks, looking in Becca’s direction. “I don’t take kindly to you describing me as a ‘strange little man’, Rebecca.”

Ross’s face drops as the unfamiliar man knows his girlfriend’s name. Before he can even comment, Becca steps confidently toward him without fear.

“Are you….?” Becca begins to ask but gets interrupted by the strange man.

“The man who ran that shop in your town….,” he says boldly. “Yes. The name’s Elm Eden.”

So you own this factory!?” Ross asks, stepping out from Becca’s shadow to confront the old man.

Elm stares curiously at Ross and then gives Becca an obvious wink. “You’re current girlfriend?”

Ross frowns before staring annoyed in Becca’s direction. He still feels a bit sensitive about being referred to as her girlfriend.

“Well kinda…,” Becca chuckles, putting her arm over Ross’s shoulders. “We’ve actually been looking for some help. Help with a product this company manufactured”

Elm notices that Ross is shivering and he chuckles. “Your girlfriend looks cold. You’re not looking after her!”

Elm then points over at the other vehicle in the car park. “Let me light a fire by my van and we can talk more and she can warm up.”

Elm then turns slowly and starts walking in that direction. He struggles to move at any pace, causing Becca and Ross to share a glace of concern for him. Seeing Ross shivering, Becca nods for Ross to follow.

“Do you remember me, Becca?” Elms asks breathlessly, struggling to walk and talk.

Taking tiny steps behind him, Becca shakes her head. “No…sorry.”

“Wait a minute!” Ross interrupts instantly. “How does he know that’s you, Becca? Why is he asking if you remember him—almost like he recognizes you? You’ve only been a man for like day—how can he know it's you!?”

The man grumbles and sighs. “Oh. That’s interesting,” he comments, resuming his labored walk back to the van.

“Interesting!” Ross scoffs as Becca continues to follow behind the old man. “Interesting….! You guys need to start explaining this to me!”

“Calm down Miss,” Elm chuckles, reaching out to the side of his van for support. “The Prince might not be in his hidden form anymore, but I’d recognize him anywhere.”

Becca rushes towards Elm and stands in front of him. She looks as white as a ghost and almost haunted by his words.

“Prince!? She barks, upset. “My grandmother used to call me that. She never told me why—even when I begged her to stop.”

Elm grumbles a little as he awkwardly pushes past Becca’s large male frame. Ambling over to a small fire pit on the ground, he fumbles out some matches from his pockets. Striking one, he inelegantly sits on the floor and lights the fire.

As the bright glow and warmth of the fire grows, Ross rushes over. He holds his hands over the fire as Elm looks up at him with a soft smile.

“You’re rather pretty,” Elm remarks, watching Ross warm up. “You must be very special for the prince to have chosen you.”

“Thanks,” Ross replies sarcastically. “Right now I don’t feel special. I feel lost.”

Allowing her large frame to sit on a nearby discarded box, Becca shuffles forward to sit nearer the fire. Warming her hands, she looks at Elm with interest.

“Prince?” she asks, confused by it. “Why did my grandmother call me that? Why are you calling me that?”

Gasping, Elm coughs again and painfully splutters. Rocking back and forward, he eventually controls his breathing and wipes tears from his eyes.

“Argh,” he complains, clearing his throat. “She never told you? Did you never learn about our people—your people?”

Becca looks at Ross bemused. Ross looks back just as confused. “No…,” Becca answers curiously. “My parents stopped me from seeing her shortly after she brought me to your store.”

Elm coughs again. “I see.”

Poking at the fire with a small stick, Elm glances quickly at Becca and looks away instantly.

“I do have a question for you,” he admits, pointing up at her head. “You’re your proper gender, but where are your cat ears and tail? You’re not in your hybrid state.”

Ross scoffs at Elm’s insane question. “Cat ears!? Tail!? Becca this old fart has gone mad! Let's just ask him about the makeup and go already!”

“Old fart!” Elm coughs but then chuckles.

“I have to agree with Ross,” Becca says, leaning towards the fire. “Why on earth would the makeup curse cause me to have cat ears…. or a tail for that matter?”

Elm shifts on the floor and raises a curious eyebrow in Ross’s direction. “Ross…?” he questions. “Odd name for a human girl.”

Frustrated, Ross folds his arms and looks away in embarrassment. “I’m not a girl,” he sneers quietly. “I’m a guy.”

“That is interesting!” Elm says, his eyes wide staring in Ross’s direction. “I still maintain you make a very pretty young lady.”

Becca points at Ross’s face. “I put the make on him, Elm. The make-up from your shop and now it won’t come off.”

“Even more interesting,” Elm ponders, looking puzzled. “I’d forgotten we’d made the stone piece take the shape of a makeup box.

Elm looks into the fire for a moment as he relives times gone past. Beginning to frown, he looks up at Becca “Please tell me you still have it!”

“We still have the makeup, yeah,” Becca questions slightly confused. “But what do you mean taken the shape of a makeup box?”

“Thank heavens,” Elm sighs in relief. “It was lovely seeing you again, but you shouldn’t remain here for too long. Letting IT get the remaining pieces wouldn’t be good for our people.”

Seriously lost and confused, Both Ross and Becca frown at him.

Wanting to ask more questions, Elm stops them both by waving them away with his hands.

Getting to his feet with an extreme look of worried, he points at their car. “You must not waste time. Go now please.”

Getting to her feet, Becca looks at the growing anger on Ross’s face. She knows she can’t just leave it like that. It's all well and good for her being confused with family matters from the past, but she feels a little guilty about using makeup on Ross.

“We can’t go yet,” Becca states in desperation, pointing at Ross. “I’m not sure why you seem so worried, but we need your help right now.”

“Worried!?” Elm scoffs, gesturing for them to leave. “I’m not worried…..I’m terrified! Just look around at this ghost town. It’s what remains from the last time it came this way. I lost everything! My wife—my son!

Animated, Elm struggles to breathe and splutters and wheezes. “You must leave!”

“Please,” Ross pleads, putting his hands together. “The makeup won’t come off my face! I can’t live with this stuff on my face indefinitely.”

Shocked, Elm glances at Ross for a moment then back at Becca. “You didn’t….?” Elm asks angrily.

Becca rubs the back of her neck and looks away nervously.

“I remember telling you specifically!” Elm Grumbles, shaking his head at Becca as he wheezes and coughs. “I told you never to show or use that makeup on anyone—except for yourself!”

Becca clenches her teeth and looks at Ross’s scared-looking face. “I’m sorry!” Becca cries in pure despair. “I thought you were making it up to frighten me!”

“That explains your failed transformation. You’ve used it on Ross and it’s therefore only been able to half complete its job with your transformation. It needed to be on YOU Becca.” Elm gripes. “You aren’t going to be able to pass through to our world now. You're going to have to find another stone piece to return your makeup box back to its original stone form.

“WHAT DOES THAT MEAN!” Ross screams, breathing heavily as his chest rises and falls rapidly. “I don’t understand any of this! Just tell me—are you able to remove the makeup from my face!?”

Turning to face Ross slowly, Elm’s eyes are wide. He wags his finger dismissively at his outburst.

“You need to calm down, Miss,” Elm demands. “I can’t help. I don’t have the other stone pieces anymore. They’ve been spread out after our failed experiments, to keep them safe.”

Frustrated, Ross bites his lips to stop himself from screaming. As tears well up behind his eyes, he petulantly looks away. Then, swearing under his breath, Ross angrily walks away.

“Elm…” Becca says desperately, stepping close to him. “Is the makeup box one of these stone pieces you keep talking about!? Was that how you and my grandmother tricked me into taking it all those years ago!?”

Rubbing his face in frustration, Elm replies with a whisper “Yes, we transformed it into a makeup box so you’d take it. Look, get another stone piece from the orb and I can fix the damage you’ve caused to your girlfriend.”

“We just need to find another stone piece and we can fix this?” Becca asks with quiet confidence.

Elm reaches for Becca’s arm and pulls her down to be closer to him.

“You need to tell him the truth,” Elm whispers. “Your immaturity may have caused that young boy some real mental scaring. Why you’d ever use that makeup on a boy is beyond me!”

Becca goes bright red and plays dumb. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Don’t lie to me,” Elm replies, with a sharp tone. “You know you were supposed to use it on your own face. Once it was on your skin, it was supposed to enact your body transformation into your true self. The makeup would have then disappeared from your skin as you transformed, but because it’s on him, he’s been left scared by it. What word did you use….hmmm….. you’ve cursed him.”

“I know!” Becca replies, hanging her head in shame as her face goes white as a sheet. “I-I-I…. thought it would transform him too!”

Elm lets go of her arm and steps away. He’s tuts several times, disappointed by Becca’a actions.

After a moment of letting her wallow in self-pity, he reaches into his pocket he pulls out a small tatty polaroid. He holds it to his face for a moment then reluctantly passes it to Becca.

“Take this and get going!” he barks, shoving the picture into her hands. “It’s the only lead I have for you.”

Becca looks at the worn photo and see’s a young, dark-haired woman with emerald green eyes. In the picture, the woman is holding a newborn boy and another very young boy stands beside her.

“Who is this?” Becca asks, looking closer. “I don’t recognize her.”

“She lives in the next city over,” Elm answers, wiping saliva from his mouth as he coughs. “She is the commander of the Royal Guard. Look closely….. she has a stone piece around her neck.

Elm’s face drops in sorrow as the pain resurfaces. “But you must be careful,” he says sullenly. “Green lusts for its missing pieces. Green is the reason our people are scattered. It’s the reason our society collapsed.”

“Green?” Becca asks bemused. “A color?”

“Prince,” Elm scolds. “Don’t be so dense. Green is the name of the individual who caused our people's downfall. Green searches for the missing pieces of the Orb. For what reason, however, I don’t know. Please just understand, Green will kill to get hold of that Makeup box!”

“Kill?” Becca replies, stunned. “Is that really what happened to this town!?”

“Yes, Prince,” Elm answers with a single cough. “You understand the gravity of the situation you find yourself in. Look…. tell your friend the truth. They deserve to know what you’ve done for goodness sake.”

Horrified, Becca looks at Ross who’s standing alone meters away from the fire. The fear of having to explain everything to him sends a shiver down her spine

“Go,” Elm splutters impatiently. “Find that other stone piece and bring it to me. Then I can then help you with the problems you’ve caused that poor boy.”

Looking into Elm's eyes, Becca then nods in agreement. Stuffing the picture into her pocket, she points at their car. “Ross, we need to go,” she shouts commandingly

Flapping his hands by his side, Ross starts reluctantly walking towards the car, but childishly ignores Becca as he passes her. Getting into the passenger side of the car, Becca looks back at Elm struggling to get into his van.

“You never explained why you call me prince!?” Becca shouts, gaining Elm’s attention.

Glaring in Becca’s direction for a moment, Elm swiftly slams his van door closed, leaving Becca confused.

“Fine…,” Becca grunts, walking back over to the car. “Be like that then you creepy old man.”

Getting closer to the car, Becca’s confusion is replaced with a feeling of intense guilt. Becca's heart rate races as she stuffs herself into the driver's seat of the car. Having to slide the seat back, she looks at Ross who doesn’t acknowledge her at all.

“I’m sorry,” Becca says softly. “I know that’s not exactly what you wanted to hear.”

“What did he mean…tell me the truth!?” Ross asks, sniffing having clearly been crying. “You think I didn’t hear you talking.”

“You heard that huh?”

“Just tell me, Becca. I’ve had enough of all of this!”

“I-I….just. It's hard for me to explain.”

“Stop it, Becca! Just tell me!” Ross sobs. “You may think I’m enjoying prancing around in dresses, pretending to be your girlfriend, but this is not me! You know it's not me! I told you earlier I only agreed to experiment with you because I’m……. in love with you.”

“Ross…I-I….”

“Spit it out!” Ross interrupts, turning to face Becca with blood-red watery eyes, “Tell me why I must be cursed to have my face look feminine for the rest of my life!”

“OKAY!” Becca groans, rubbing her stressfully at her tired eyes. “I knew, alright! I knew what the makeup could do and I wanted it……. to switch your gender!”

Becca stares straight out of the car window as she dares not look at Ross. “I wanted you to be a girl,” Becca continues softly, lowering her head in shame.

“You wanted me to be a…. GIRL!? F’ing hell Becca, that’s crazy. Why!?”

“You won’t understand,” she replies, shaking her head.

“Tell me,” Ross whines, jabbing Becca in the side.

“Alright!” Becca gripes, rubbing her side. “If you must know, I’ve hated my body for years. Hated being a girl. Hated everything about it. Do you know how that feels!? Do you know how it feels to be treated like something you are not? Do you know how it feels to be so out of place and out of touch with your physical shell that it makes you feel sick!”

Ross’s mouth drops and he goes silent.

“Do you know how it feels to have everyone around you expect you to be this pretty little girl when all you want to do is play fight and play sports? Do you how it feels to be forced to experience your first time as the wrong gender? Having to deal with being on the wrong side of every life experience!?”

Like a tidal wave of emotions, Becca breaks down and begins to cry. She feels the dysphoria filling her every breath.

“Becca…,” Ross says gently, seeing the despair plastered across her face “D-do you feel more comfortable as a….. m-man?

Furiously slapping her palm onto the car steering wheel, Becca howls. “I am a man, Ross. I’ve always been a man trapped in a woman's body. Trapped inside my skin, destined to be forever uncomfortable with my appearance! So of course—yes, I’m happier this way!”

“Becca….,” Ross repeats, almost speechless. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Becca stares intently at Ross as tears stream down her face.

“Oh yeah…cos it’s so easy to bring that up in conversation. Hey, boyfriend…do you mind being a girl for me now because I’m more comfortable pretending to be the man..” she sarcastically rants. “You’d have thought I was crazy and had left me years ago!”

“Settle down Becca,” Ross squeaks, shuffling back as far as he can “You're scaring me.”

“Sorry!” Becca whines in anguish. “Sorry for everything. Sorry for even being alive!”

“I-is that the whole truth?” Ross asks calmly.

Becca squints quickly at Ross before putting her head in her hands. “I really thought that with you being so submissive to me—you have gender issues too. I really thought you’d be happier being a girl. That’s why I did it! That’s why I put the makeup on you.”

Sobbing, Becca sniffs loudly and furiously shakes her head. “How was I to know the makeup would only transform me and just get stuck on you!?”

“D-do you find me attractive dressed like this?” Ross asks after a long silence.

“I-I…I do find you sexy right now… yeah.”

Ross shifts uncomfortably in his seat before crossing his legs.

“Have you ever been attracted to me normally—boy me…before all this?”

“Of course! My love for you is more than skin-deep! I love who you are and how you make me feel.”

“Do you honestly love me—or is that a lie?”

“I do love you, Ross.” She answers with honest desperation. “Please believe me! When we are together, my dysphoria fades into the background. These last few days—as shocking as they have been, I’ve never felt closer to you!”

Ross fiddles with his hands, before looking out the window. Becca is left anxious waiting for his response. She leans forwards and is about to touch him on the shoulder before he turns to face her.

“I don’t get it,” he says, rubbing his forehead. “At the hotel, you seemed so mad about your body changing. Like you really didn’t wanna be a guy at all! So now you're telling me that is actually what you wanted!?”

“Oh yeah.” Becca shamefully mumbles. “Sorry about that. It’s just non of it was going how I planned. You were supposed to change too…but It was only me switching genders. I was a little angry.”

“You don’t know how mad I am with you right now!” Ross replies, touching the long hairs of his blonde wig. “I don’t hate what's happening to us and I agree we’ve been closer, but why didn’t you just tell me how you felt!?”

“So you kinda like this?”Becca smiles in hope, then awkwardly points at her own body.

Giving Becca a quick glance, Ross goes red. “Oh god….I guess I should be honest too. Don’t judge me, but I’ve…kinda been enjoying your confidence. I didn’t want to say it at the time, but back in that changing room when you held me….you made me feel….excited.”

“Yeah….?” Becca replies delightfully surprised

Ross shyly looks away.

“I am really sorry Ross. I’ve been so selfish,” Becca says. “I wanted to talk to you about all this, but I thought you’d think I’d gone crazy.”

Ross doesn’t say anything in reply. He just looks out the window and then down at his bare legs. Pulling down his dress, he lets out a long sigh. “They say it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. I suppose that’s very true. I probably would have been too scared of what others thought if you’d told me about your idea to swap genders.”

Tucking hair behind one ear, Ross looks up lovingly in Becca’s direction. Becca looks at his face and feels the weight of guilt lift from her shoulders.

“Can you forgive me…?” Becca asks.

Ross doesn’t answer, he turns away in thought.

“We can’t stay here though,” Ross says eventually, looking out the window. “The old man wants us to leave. On that—what was with that guy? He referred to me as a human girl—does he think he’s from outer space or something!?"

Ross wonders for a moment as he fidgets in his seat. “So what happens now?” Ross asks.

Becca rubs her face anxiously. “We go find this other piece Elm was talking about. He says he can use that to remove the makeup.”

Ross itches his face and uncrosses his legs. Pulling down his dress once more he lets out a long exasperated breath. “I meant with us,” he responds impatiently.

Becca feels her mouth go dry. She’s already seen this coming a hundred times. He’s going to break up with her. He’s not going to forgive her.

Tapping the steering wheel with one finger, she dares not say a word.

Worried by her own silence, she glances at Ross as he fiddles with the thin material of his dress.

Taking a chance, she reaches a single hand across to his side of the car. She lightly runs her fingers through his soft hair. Reacting to her touch by turning to look at her, Becca slides her hand down his rosy cheek and tenderly takes hold of his chin.

Ross just stares in Becca’s direction. His expectant eyes wait for her response to his question. Becca doesn’t say a single word as gazes back into his eyes and leans toward him.

As their faces get close, neither of them looks away.

Becca fears the rejection of earlier that day, but she needs to know if there is a single small spark of a chance it might work between them!

Their faces now only inches apart, Becca stops, expecting Ross to move away.

Not reacting as he did earlier, Ross’s heart starts beating like crazy as he feels Becca’s breath on his face. His eyes dart between both of Becca’s eyes as she inches slowly closer to him.

Becca closes her eyes in hope.

Ross closes his eyes in wonder.

Seconds later, Becca’s supple lips affectionately touch Ross’s gloss-covered lips. She passionately kisses him once and only once before pulling away. Her nerves are completely shot to pieces as she waits for his response.

Her eyes still closed, she feels and savors Ross’s breath against her face. She’s happy he didn’t flinch away but terrified he won’t kiss back.

Moments pass, but Becca resists opening her eyes. That’s when she feels a small delicate hand touch her bristle-covered face. A soft, but lust-filled kiss from Ross quickly follows.

Opening her eyes wide in shock, Ross kisses her once again with his eyes shut.

As she kisses back a few times, Ross eventually stops and opens his eyes. As he sees Becca lovingly gazing at him from close range, he smiles.

Becca smirks then smiles. “We will fix this I promise. For now, will you be my girlfriend?”

Bashfully looking away in thought, Ross looks back up and kisses her passionately once again.

“Yes,” he whispers between kisses. “I’m happy to have you as my first boyfriend.”

As their lips touch for a final time, Becca’s smile grows wide across her face. Holding her hand against his warm cheek she giggles.

The two of them chuckle as the tension between them slips away. Then touching their foreheads together, they share a moment neither of them ever thought was possible.

“Shall we go then, boyfriend?” Ross playfully laughs, touching Becca’s face.

“Yes, my beautiful girlfriend.” She replies, running a searching hand up Ross’s bare leg. “I’ve got an excellent idea and it involves you, me, and an empty room!”

Blushing Ross looks away for a second before turning back to face Becca. “I do still want to remove this makeup y’know.”

“I know something else I want to remove from you,” Becca replies with a cheeky grin, pointing at his dress.

“Let’s just get going before I think about this all too much!” Ross remarks, giving Becca a single soft kiss.”

“So much for it being a curse!” Becca giggles, passionately kissing back. Don’t you kinda feel like this is meant to be?”

The End