Chapter Text
“This is going to be the best Halloween ever!” Kaz ran around his living room like a psycho, occasionally stopping to hug his mother as he passed. She seemed amused at his antics, used to his hyperactivity, as she ironed on Tecton’s logo to the orange shirt. Costumes for twelve kids was a nightmare, but thrift stores were a god send and the older kids usually helped manage the youngers’ expectations. It may not be a perfect costume, but it would be the best Tecton she could ever make!
“For you maybe.” Oliver sat on the couch with a pout, eyes glaring into the worn carpet and tracking the dwindling beams of light with his eyes. Night was approaching fast, and though his costume was in a bag beside him, he hadn’t moved an inch.
Kaz’s mother gave him a look of confusion as the normally happy go lucky boy pouted.
“Ollie’s sad because his mommy’s a meanie and won’t let him dress up as Skylar Storm.” Kaz explained as he fixed the wings on baby K’s bumblebee costume. The baby squealed in delight, wiggling happily at the attention.
“She’s the best hero!” Oliver jumped up with a yell. “She’s a kid like us and she’s so cool! Mommy won’t even let me dye my hair pink!” He had been begging for weeks, but she hadn’t budged. Oliver had girly tastes for a boy his age and his mother seemed very against it. She had been pushing him to dress up as a cool super, like a villian. She even bought him an expensive handmade Megahertz costume, but he was too crushed to care.
“I know.” Kaz patted his friend’s head understandingly, playing with the fluffy strands. Kaz’s mother huffed out a laugh, those boys.
“Ya know, Megahertz is pretty cool too. Remember issue #45 where he and Tecton battle in that laboratory and he unlocks the ability to hack into technology?” Kaz pulled himself up on the couch to lean into Ollie’s side.
“..and he brought the lab equipment to life to attack Tecton? Yeah, that was pretty cool I guess.” Ollie sighed, pulling his knees up to hug them to his chest.
“Or the limited edition silver express comic line where he reboots and thinks he’s a hero and him and Tecton become friends?”
“Before he remembers and they have a battle where both of them struggle to use the same level of force? Those got discontinued due to lack of interest but personally I think they’re amazing.” Oliver was fully involved now as the two began chatting animatedly about comics and superheroes.
Dios mio, those boys and their heroes! How boys who laughed at the word ‘butt’ could have in-depth conversations about comic lines baffled her.
Eventually Kazimeras stood tall and proud in his costume, bright orange shirt and leggings with Tecton’s insignia emblazoned on the front and blue wellingtons. He looked so happy as he pranced in front of the mirror, uncaring about the diy nature. He was such a perfect boy.
Now she could focus on Ollie. She squatted down next to the young child, who was watching Kaz with a smile.
“Your turn, peanut! Let’s get this fancy costume on!” She smiled, and he gave a small smile back. Oliver was a good boy, so different from any of her children. She’d never met a boy so afraid of his own shadow, but so loyal and kind to her boy. Oliver was a gift to have around.
The costume was a confusing mess to lay out, but both boys helped her with cheerful attitudes, showing her the comic book and where each piece of plastic metal belonged. This thing even lit up! It made her homemade costumes look cheap in comparison, but Kaz looked thrilled and unbothered.
What did Bridget feed this boy? Oliver was a beanpole of a child, with long skinny legs and arms and ribs that stuck out. He was healthy, but he needed to eat far more! Her brain was already planning snacks for when they returned, as she fit the leather jacket on the tiny boy.
“Now for the face metal! You’re gonna be a robot!” Kaz screamed in her ear as he leaned over her shoulder, waving a metallic painted plastic doohickey.
“He’s a cyborg! There’s a difference!” Ollie protested, standing like a tiny statue as she fit the horizontal headband around his face. Soon he looked just like the villian from his picture book, if a lot happier.
“Well, whatever you are, you’re the cutest one I’ve ever seen.” Kaz’s mother poked his little cheek, getting a shy smile in return.
Now they both were appropriately excited, running around the room and chasing each other while making sound effects. She longed for a camera to capture this moment forever.
“Now boys! Get your stuff!” They ran off as she strapped baby K to her chest and wrangled the twins Kyle and Kasey into their toddler leashes. The two were dressed as monsters, and they acted the part!
The boys tore back in to the room, Kaz with his pillowcase and Oliver with his fancy plastic pumpkin. Kaz had even grabbed two for the twins, handing them to her while beaming.
“Are we ready?” She asked as she loaded the stroller and eyed the sparse decorations the teens had set up on the stoop as they stepped outside. “One second boys, watch the little ones.” She ran inside, snatching her husband’s Polaroid camera from the mantle. He’d forgive her surely, this needed to be documented.
“Alright boys!” She yelled to the cold October night as the boys stood on the stoop, smiles mirrored on their faces. “Say Trick or Treat!”
“Trick of Treat!” They yelled in unison as the camera flashed, eyes squeezed closed and candy holders extended.
She pulled the photo free and shook it, helping the boys down so she could get the little ones set up for a photo too.
Oh, she thought as she looked at the dry image of her boy and his best friend, that one’s a keeper.