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Simon had never truly understood the appeal of Halloween. Children running amuck, screaming with delight over little plastic skeletons that proper moms bought from stores overpriced. The teenagers that just wandered around the neighborhood dressed as things that really made no sense at all. And those adults that found any excuse to drink in excess while they pretended to have those fake cobwebs all over their bushes calling it decorations for the holiday season.
He did what he had to do, which was tolerate it, but just barely.
Which is why as he stood in the kitchen with arms crossed over his chest, staring down at the orange and black bags you have just carried inside. “…No.” You look up at him with innocence in your eyes, “No, what?”
“No to whatever the hell is in those bags.”
A small but cute smile tugged at your lips, “I haven’t even shown you what it is yet.”
“Doll you forget I know that smile.” He huffed out while his arms crossed over his chest, “You don’t always know what it means.” He rolled his eyes at you, “I do.”
“It could just be decorations…”
With a stone cold face he looked towards the bags, and then back at you. “It’s not.”
“It could also be candy.” You offered.
“It’s not.”
“Or pumpkins!”
With a shake of his head, and narrowing eyes he just looked at you. “Doll, just tell me what's in the bags.” Your face tore into a huge smile, “It’s costumes!” You shrieked, Simon just sighed heavily that it nearly seemed as if he had done it for show. “It’s not happenin’ doll.”
You take a chance two days later, Simon had been sitting on the couch for the most of the day cleaning his guns, and now his entire collection of watches. While on the TV plays old horror movies that play quietly in the background of the house.
You try to be sly about sliding onto the cushion next to him. “So…” You draw out, “No, doll.” He says simply not even looking up from his watch in his hands. “I didn’t even ask anything yet.” With just a single brow up he looks over at you, “You were about to though.” “I was thinking about it.” He smirks, “That’s dangerous, doll.”
You laugh at him, “I just thought that it could be cute for us.” He puts the watch down finally. “We?” Simon asks with raised brows. You hum, “No.” The words are so clear and yet you can sense something behind them. “You don’t even know what I have planned.” He picks the watch back up, no longer entertaining the conversation. “I don’t care, doll.”
“You haven’t worn a costume since you were a kid, have you Si?” He looks over at you again, this time looking genuinely offended by the thought, “I barely even wore them then.” You lean back into the cushions of the couch. “What were you, Si?” Your question goes unanswered for a few moments, before Simon finally answers. “A ghost.”
You blink at him rapidly, “Are you serious?” You ask with a huge grin on your face. “My mum just cut the holes out of a white sheet.” You grab his bicep, “That’s adorable!” You shriek, Simon rolls his eyes, “No doll, it was just practical.” You argue with him for a moment, “It was adorable I bet.” He just shakes his head at you. “It really wasn’t, Doll.”
You lean into his shoulder with your hands still wrapped around his bicep. “The thought of tiny Simon dressed up as a ghost is the absolute cutest thing I think I’ve ever imagined.” You watch as Simon's ears turn the prettiest, and faintest shade of pink right at the tips.
“You’ve got the image all wrong in your head, doll.” He mutters.
The third attempt that you make comes after dinner. Together you are craving large pumpkins together on the porch, there are fake candles that are flickering around the steps while that chilly October air curls between the trees and you watch as the leaves fall down to the ground.
Simon isn’t much of an artist, so his pumpkin is just permanently annoyed with everything and everyone. Yours on the other hand looks like it belongs in one of those holiday, fall editions of the magazines you get in the mail during the holidays.
Regardless you admire both, because Simon sat down with you and did something you know the man would rather not be doing.
“I like yours, Si.” You say softly, taking a sip of your tea.
“Don’t kid me doll, it looks angry.” He grunts out all while another chuck of the pumpkins slides out of the mouth.
“It’s charming in a way.” You counter.
Simon just shakes his head, “It looks like it’s already judging the parents that are gonna stand at the end of our driveway.” You giggle to yourself, “I think that’s even better.” Simon snorts, but doesn’t laugh.
At that moment you decided it time to ask once more about the costumes, starting the same as earlier. “So…” He points the plastic carving knife in your direction without any real harm in the way his huge hand is holding something that’s meant for little children.
“Careful, doll.” He mutters, and returns to curving away at his pumpkin.
“Please?” You beg Simon.
“No.” He says as if the words are final.
“It's just that I already bought them, and…” The rest of the words are cut off when Simon looks at you, “Then you wasted the money doll, cause I simply won’t get dressed up for halloween.”
“Fine!” You say, throwing down your own scooper, “I’ll just return yours then.” Hopeful that your tiny little tantrums has caused Simon enough grief, “Good.” Simon grunts out, you change tactics now, “… unless you think you might change your mind.”
“I’m not changing my mind in the next few days.”
“But you haven’t even heard what costumes I got us.” You say sadly, your shoulders hanging low. He sighs, “What?” You smile, and bring your hands together, bouncing a little from your criss crossed legs on the porch floor. “I got us vampire, and vampire hunters costumes.”
Simon just stares at you. Nothingness behind him striking blue eyes.
“Do you wanna guess who’s who?” You say with a beaming smile.
“You.”
“What?” You ask genuinely confused. “You’d make me the vampire.” The way Simon says it makes it sound like he knows you better than the back of his hands. “Maybe…” You draw out.
“I know you doll, you keep forgetting that.” You shrug ignoring his words, “I think you’d look dashing with some fangs.” He chuckles, “Doll, I’ve already got teeth.”
“Si, don’t forget about the cape.”
Simon is quick to shake his head, "Absolutely not, no cape.”
“And some eyeliner. I promise I’ll be careful.”
“No!”
You smile at him sweetly. Making your cheeks go a little pink, and making your eyes go all doe like. “It even comes with boots to match.”
“Doll you do know I own boots right?” He asks
“I know that.” Then there’s silence, “It’s just that they’d match better.” Simon rubs his face harshly. “You’ve been planning this for some time haven’t you?” He asks genuinely. “For weeks.” You say with that signature sweet smile.
“I noticed.” Simon says plainly, “You did?” Your brows furrowing together, “Doll you accidently left your computer open with the shopping tab open to the costumes.” Your shoulders drop, and so does your smile. What replaces it is a frown. “Oh my god, that means you already knew before I brought them home.” You mutter.
When halloween finally does arrive it brings cold, and gold with it. The house smells of those cinnamon candles you like so much. And some freshly baked cookies that are in the shape of little bats. Outside each porch has their own littering of pumpkins.
Inside your home a different story is going on.
Simon walks out of the shared bedroom wearing almost entirely black clothes. “There.” Simon mutters, grabbing your attention. You blink at him and his clothes. “You’re… not wearing it Si.”
“I am.” He counters with raised brows.
“No, you just put your normal clothes on.” Another frown finding your features. “It was all black anyways.”
“Simon!” You try not to shout his name, because this is becoming more and more frustrating.
“It’s tactical.” He counters, “It is literally one of your everyday outfits. You probably wore this a few days ago and I didn’t even notice.”
Simon rolls his eyes, “It fits the theme doesn’t it?” he asks, you cross your arms over your chest, “Si you promised you would at least try the damn costume on.” “No doll you misheard me, I said that I would think about it.”
“So you thought.”
“Yes I did.”
“And?” You ask with raised brows.
“I landed on, No.”
You groan and give him one of the best pouts you;ve got stashed around in your bag of tricks. Just looking at him with those big hopeful wide eyes. It’s the one that Simon claims never works, and the one that almost always works. Simon stares at you for a moment. His teeth grinding together. “Doll that’s unfair.”
“I’m not sure what you mean, Simon.” You say using his full name, and maybe that’s what it does. Or that fact that you haven’t backed down from this little fight for the past few weeks. “You do, doll.” Then silence, Simon sighs, and then again.
The man is more sigh than person at this point especially when he’s around you. “Five minutes.” Your eyes go wide with excitement. “Five minutes is all you get.” He says raising his hand up. “Really?” You ask with sheer excitement in your voice. “Don’t go callin’ out to the entire neighborhood that we need to celebrate.”
Those first five minutes turned into ten minutes, and then it turned into fifteen. Before finally the bedroom opened back up and there was Simon standing in black jeans, heavy black boots that reminded you of a pair that he did in fact own, and a long dark black and red vampire cap.
You simply for a moment forgot how words worked.
Simon had pushed his blond hair back so it was slick against his head, and had even placed those stupid plastic fangs in his mouth. All for your enjoyment, and it somehow made Simon even more attractive than normal.
Though Simon did not look impressed, “I just want you to know that I hate this.” He declared after standing there for a moment, “You look incredible.”
“Doll, I look fuckin’ ridiculous.” It was true the costume fit a little tight, but they hadn’t anything larger that would fit a man like Simon. “I think you look unfairly dashing, standing there in front of me.” He raised a single brow, and pointed at you. “You will never tell another living soul, especially Johnny.”
“I am absolutely telling him.”
“So you don’t value your life?” He asked, “No Si, I value these pictures.” you said with a smile and wink. “No.” Your smile only grows wider, “Yes.” Simon started walking over to you reaching for your phone. “No.”
You had just barely finished lifting your phone to take the first snap shot when he grabbed your wrist not tightly just enough to grab your attention. “You will behave, doll.” “I make no promises, Si.” With that he finally looked down at your costume.
You had in fact gone all out for this holiday season, the leather boots that sat almost up to your knees. The long hunters coat that was shaped around your frame perfectly. There was even a little wooden stake tucked into the belt of your coat. “Are you happy now, doll?” Simon asked you, “I’m very happy now.” He only rolled his eyes at you.
“You wanna know something?” You asked, stepping closer. “…I’m pretty sure I’d still love you even if you had just dressed as yourself.” Simon barely smiled, “I know.” Looking down at your boots, “I just wanted to make memories.”
For some deep rooted reason that made Simon pause. His expression softened right away, that teasing smirk gone, Simon reached up, his thumb brushing against the tops of your cheeks. “You know you could've just said that.”
“I’m pretty sure I did.” Nuzzling into the warmth of Simon's hand. “In a round about way, yes.” You rolled your eyes at him, “You were always interrupting me.” Simon smiled softly “Doll you know I tend to do that.” You smile back at him, “Yeah, Si. I’ve noticed.”
The halloween festival that took place in the neighborhood isn’t huge, but it’s just enough lights, music, and candy apples to have the children racing from one house to another.
Beside you Simon kept having to pretend people were not complimenting him on his costume for the year. “Nice dracula, Si.” You teased him after what seemed like the tenth person had said it. “I’m not Dracula.” He groaned. “No?” You asked intrigued fully, Simon shook his head, “Then who are you, Si?” You asked him.
The answer took a minute to come to light, “Me.” He finally answered, “In a cape?” You added, “Yeah in a cape, doll.” You giggled, and then that giggled turned into a laugh which almost spilled your hot chocolate all over the damn place.
It’s much later after handing out candy and watching the very last of the children disappear down the street. So the two of you sit down on the porch stairs.
Nearby the pumpkins continue to flicker on the steps, and somewhere close by, a drunken father has created a bonfire. Spreading both warmth, and the smell of autumn with it. Leaves continue to fall, drifting across the road and into your yard.
Simon pulls you into him, with a giant arm tossed around your shoulders. “You know this wasn’t as terrible as I thought.” You smile as you look up at him. “No?” Simon shakes his head. “I knew that you would probably secretly enjoy the entire matter.”
“I never said that I wouldn’t.”
“I didn't say that, doll.”
“No, but you did smile.”
“You’ve got no proof of that.”
“You did laugh though.” Simon rolled his eyes, but didn’t look down at you just kept looking at the now empty, dark street. “That was just breathing differently.” “Come on, Si I heard it.” “Nah, doll, that was you just imagining things.” You reached up, and ever so gently fixed one of the now crooked fangs.
“I thought it was cute.”
“I can promise you it wasn’t.
“You keep saying that, and I’ll just keep denying it. Plus I’ve got photo proof.” Simon groaned at the thought of the photos. “Please delete those.” Crunching up your nose you thought about it for just a moment, “Never.”
Simon groaned, “You’re being impossible, doll.” You smiled once again, “And yet…” You draw out, leaning up to press the softest of kisses just on the corner of his mouth. “You still wore the costume anyway.” Simon just looks at you for a very quiet moment, before leaving down to press you properly this time.
Slow, and filled with warmth, when he does pull away he rests his head against your own. “I didn’t wear the damn thing just because I’m suddenly a fan of halloween.” “I know” You whisper, “I only wore it cause you asked me too.”
You feel your heart melt at Simon's admission, “I know that too, Si.” Simon smiles, it’s one of those rare, small, but complete smiles. The kind that nobody but you gets to see on the rarest of chances. “If dressin’ like a fuckin’ idiot gets me that look I saw tonight from you…” He murmurs against the crown of your head. “Well then I suppose I can survive just one day out of the year.”
You laugh softly at the thought, “Just one night?” Simon rolls his eyes, “Don’t go pushin’ your luck, doll.”
“So I’m assuming some nice pair of matchin’ christmas pj’s are off the table then?” Simon groans and closes his eyes, “I might have walked myself into this.” he says quietly under his breath, you grin beside him, “So I might have already bought them.”
He pulls away from you just enough to see your face. Staring at you with complete and utter disbelief in his eyes. “You’ve done what?!”
“They had those little snowmen and reindeer on them!” You shriek!
“Oh my god, you’re worse than Johnny.” Simon says exacerbated.
“So you’ll wear them?” You ask hopefully. Simon looks out towards the other porches with their own glowing pumpkins, out towards that cold autumn air, and then finally back to you. With another heavy sigh, Simon slips his hand into your and intertwines his larger, longer fingers with yours.
“We can… discuss it during December.” Your smile grows so bright that Simon is pretty sure it beats out every pumpkins lit up on the street.
For Simon Riley Halloween was never about the costumes, haunted houses, carving pumpkins, or the thousands of candy bowls left out. It had just simply been about making the only person that truly mattered to him happy. Even if that meant enduring fake fangs, capes, and every teasing photo that was meant for proof.
That was a sacrifice that Simon was willing to live with every year.