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“Woo-hoo! It’s Halloween! Dwyer, Dwyer, Dwyer, let’s go trick-or-treating!”
“Alright, alright,” Dwyer said with a laugh, rubbing the top of Kana’s unruly head. Dwyer had been folding laundry and tidying some odds and ends when Kana came bouncing into the room twirling in circles and singing merrily about the holiday season.
“I promised I’d take you, right?” Dwyer said with a reassuring grin and Kana bounced around anxiously. “Just let me grab you a jacket.”
“Nooo…,” Kana whined, puffing out a cheek. “It’ll totally ruin the costume.”
“Remind me; what are you dressed as again?” Dwyer asked as he leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed. His eyes scanned his little brother from top to bottom. “You’re…um…”
“Duh, I’m a dragon!” Kana said excitedly, gesturing to his scaly costume and shiny spikes running down his back. Their father had even sewn tiny felt teeth into the hood of costume to complete the ‘terrifying’ ensemble.
“You look more like a lizard,” Dwyer said flatly.
“I’m a dragon!” Kana asserted again. He raised his hands and pointed his fingertips to look like claws. “Raaaaaurgh!”
“Okay, okay, you convinced me,” Dwyer laughed as one of his hands flew to his chest in mock-terror. “Absolutely terrifying. Nobody is safe tonight with you roaming the streets.”
“Right?” Kana agreed, his eyes sparkling now that his older brother has agreed with him. “Now let’s go! I’m going to fill my entire bag with candy!”
“Alright, I’m coming,” Dwyer replied, grabbing his coat from the closet and tucking another smaller one over his arm for Kana. Considering how cold it was outside, it wouldn’t be long before he needed it.
“Mama, Papa, we’re leaving!” Kana cried, practically bouncing his way over to the front door.
Dwyer went to get the door as their mother, dressed as a witch with at least a dozen layers of crinkling petticoats and a tall hat, came bustling down the stairs.
“Wait, wait!” Corrin said as she pulled her phone from a conveniently decorated compartment hidden in her skirt. “Not before I get a picture!”
After a very small photoshoot, Corrin gave the tiny dragon one last kiss that resulted in her wetting her thumb to remove a small smudge of purple lipstick from his cheek. She gave Dwyer a hug as well and patted his back sweetly. It always surprised the teen how affectionate his mother could be.
“Have fun, you two!” Corrin gushed, still admiring how adorable Kana looked in the homemade dragon costume. “Dwyer, are you sure you don’t mind taking him? Your father and I don’t mind.”
“It’s no problem,” the teen responded honestly. “We’ll probably see Midori, Sophie, Shigure, and the others while we’re out too. It’ll be fun, right Kana?”
“Yeah!” the boy said happily, swinging his arms erratically.
“See? If we stay out, we’ll call and let you know.”
It wasn’t long before Jakob tailed his wife down the stairs, dressed as a lab-made monster in tattered rags and faux stitches. Upon seeing Kana, he paused and did his best to hold back a smile at the adorable sight.
He said while smothering a laugh, “Well, well, you’re quite the fearsome dragon, Kana.”
“Yay!” Kana said, beaming at his father’s praise. “Papa, thank you for making my costume for me! It’s really comfy. The one I tried on at the store was too itchy.”
Jakob finally relented and laughed. He bent down and smoothed his younger son’s wild hair playfully, just like Dwyer had done moment before upstairs. It seemed nobody in the family was immune to smoothing down the boy's adorable yet unruly locks.
“Well, I’m glad you like it,” he said sincerely before flashing both boys a more serious gaze. “You two have fun tonight, but don’t forget to use the flashlights. Oh, and don’t have your hood up too often. You don’t want to trip and hurt yourself.”
Dwyer rolled his eyes and patted his father’s shoulder. “We’ll be fine. We’re sticking to our apartment building and buildings where we know people. We won’t leave our block past dark, and if we’re not back in three hours I’ll be sure to alert the entire city’s police force.”
“Keep up with that attitude and I’ll find a lake to toss you in,” Jakob half-teased. “It’s a cold night too, so I don’t recommend it.”
“Well,” Dwyer began smartly with crossed arms. “Even if you did have the guts to do that, and I know you don’t, you’d instantly brandish clean towels and run me a nice hot bath like the secretly doting father you are.”
It was Jakob’s turn to roll his eyes.
“Anyway, you guys have fun at Uncle Xander and Aunt Charlotte’s party,” Dwyer said in a semi-mocking tone.
This time, both Corrin and Jakob groaned slightly.
While Corrin adored her older brother and Jakob found he actually had quite a lot in common with Charlotte, they didn’t throw the best parties.
Well, at least Xander didn’t throw the best parties. Charlotte usually acted as vital life support, but with Siegbert and Xander to look after, she had her hands full. The couple was going to the party to partially enjoy the festivities, but mostly to help Charlotte maintain her sanity.
“We will,” Corrin said, using one hand to wave her two sons goodbye and another to pull her husband close. The act didn’t go unnoticed by Jakob, who gave her a small grin in return.
“You two have fun!” Corrin called after them sweetly.
Jakob waved them farewell as well and made sure Kana got out of the door without tripping on his tail. He also grabbed a scarf from the coatrack and wrapped it about Dwyer’s neck loosely.
It was chilly out, after all.