Back to the Halloween fic

Z'neth knelt down slowly so he was eye level with the youngest of the four children of Aaron and smiled warmly at his younger brother, gently fluffing the dirty blond locks with his left hand. "Ready for tonight?" he asked Peak, trying very hard to keep from chuckling at his younger brother's out and out eagerness for tonight.

Peak rapidly nodded, smiling up at his big brother. It was the first time he was going trick or treating since.. since.. Well, since forever, he decided, not wanting to deal with those sad memories tonight. Even better that Z'neth was taking him. It had been forever since Z'neth left the house especially since...

"All right, let's see what costume we can scrounge up for you," he said, standing up slowly, painfully and took his younger brother's hand. If push came to shove, he supposed he could call 'lony and see if she could whip up something ..at the last minute. Again. He winced at the thought - not sure he wanted to drop that on her again. He did that last year and he wasn't sure she was eager to repeat the experience [even if it had been an impressive costume for such a last minute thing].

Peak grinned, walking with his big brother to the closet where they kept stuff. Lots of stuff [he wondered why Zarkan called them packrats?] He let go of his brother's hand and began to paw at the stuff, clearly looking for something.

"Going out this year?" Apex asked as she approached them from the side, tilting her head as she looked at Z'neth. He really hadn't left the house since last year's.. Yeah..

"I've thought about it," Z'neth admitted. "I don't want to have Ilona get stuck taking him again since she's done that three years running." Thank the Creator his girlfriend was extremely patient and willing to do that for him.

Apex nodded, her blue eyes studying her older brother. "Yeah, she may just kick your butt if you suggested that again," she said, a soft chuckle in her voice.

"Yeah, but it's good practice for when the two of you settle down and have kids," Summit said, joining his siblings.

Z'neth reached over and swatted his younger brother. "Knock it off," he groused. Besides, he wasn't sure if he wanted her chained to..

There was a gentle swat to the back of his head as his girlfriend appeared. "Knock it off, would you?" she asked quietly before smiling softly at him. Her left hand rested gently against his cheek before she removed it to go see if Peak needed her help. "Hey, Peak," she said, settling down next to him.

"Lony!" he cried, moving from the box to snuggle. "Z'neth's takin' me trick or treatin'!"

"He is?" she asked. "How awesome is that," she said, glancing over at her boyfriend. It would be the first time he willingly left the house since.. She mentally paused before she forced herself to think it. The first time he willingly left the house since Dread's horrific torture of him. Her amethyst eyes swept her lover's form, taking in all the damage - most of which was still so slow in healing.

more Halloween fic

feeling meh about it
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"You coming too?" Peak asked, looking up Ilona.

"Of course, Peak. I wouldn't miss a chance to come trick or treating with you," she said, affectionately ruffling his hair. She noticed his pout and quirked a brow. "Something wrong, Peak?"

"You're not dressed," he pouted.

Ilona laughed. "I have my costume in my car," she said. "I didn't want to go driving in it." She glanced over at Z'neth and the other siblings. "So, who's going as what so if Peak and I get separated we know who to come back to?"

"Cheshire cat," Summit said. "Which reminds me that I need your help with my costume." He held up his hands when he saw her irritated expression at being roped into last minute costume making. "Relax, it's already made - but part of it is giving me issue." He waved a box so she knew what was the problem.

Z'neth looked at his brother, noting the colors for the hair dye. "You are insane. You know this, right?" How he managed to get that past his father, he'd never know - for that matter, wasn't sure he'd want to know.

Summit just smiled at his brother. "So, what about you? Got any ideas?"

"Maybe he could go as Frankenstein," Apex offered.

"Apex!" Ilona snapped, a warning tone in her voice. If that undid all the therapy that got him to accept his changed appearance, she was going to have strong words with her.

"It's all right," Z'neth said quietly. Still, it did hurt that his younger sister would pick that out for his costume. He clenched his good left hand tightly.

"If you're sure," Ilona said, clearly unhappy but not wanting to push the issue. "So, did you pick out a costume, Apex?" she asked, trying to be polite.

"I was thinking of a vampire," she said, grinning.

"Now, why does that seem familiar?" Summit mused under his breath.

Dram walked by the small group and nodded a greeting. "Don't forget to stop by the park after you finish," he said. "We're almost done setting the park up for the festival afterwards." He grabbed a bottle of water and removed the cap, drinking it slowly.