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Gregory kicked up the dirt on the winding street as he raced across it. Biting his lip against a grin, he scurried straight to the other house. Another day of fun with a friend awaited, new and beyond awesome to him.
Lately, he and this neighbor had been growing closer, though they’d known each other for at least a year by now. For some reason or other, his adoptive father Cassidy Van Helsing wasn’t all that supportive of the friendship, or he at least acted a little strange about it. In general, Gregory didn’t have many friends at all, which was why Vanessa theorized their dad let the friendship be. And Gregory? He didn’t think much of his tată’s strange attitude. All he cared about was that finally he had a best friend! And a good one, at that. Cassandra was a nice young girl who found his occasional sassiness or “feral” adventurous nature not annoying, and who also thought monsters fascinating, even if still scary. She admired hunters and participated in many pretend games of hunting with him.
“Cassie!” He hammered on the door. “Cassie! It is me!”
The door creaked, and there stood her father, chuckling and shaking his head. “Ah, hello, Gregory. Playdate day already?”
“Yes!” He nodded enthusiastically.
“Looks to me as if you have some sort of plan.”
“I do!”
“Chaotic as always?”
“Of course!” Gregory giggled.
Chuckling again, he stepped aside to let him in. “I’ll go fetch her. Freddy or Vanessa will be watching over you both, correct?”
“Yes.” Gregory glanced around, familiar with the living space of the family. Though, he rarely came over for more than a moment. He was almost always the one to drag Cassandra—or rather, Cassie as most called her—to his place instead. So long as they were both supervised, of course, usually by Freddy. It still warmed Freddy’s heart to know most people in the village trusted him, and even more surprising a father thought him a favorable sitter for his daughter. At least in their small community within Transylvania, this friendly monster once crafted from dead bodies was no more different than someone with a strange haircut.
“There you are!” Gregory perked up the moment he saw Cassie hurrying down the steps. She wore a maroon dress with frills and other accents in white, light blue, and purple. It honestly caught his eye, pairing nicely with her skin tone and a rose that helped pin her hair back, but he scoffed and crossed his arms. “That is not a proper monster hunter outfit. Shame on you!”
“Monster hunter?” Her father stopped on his way past, assumedly toward the kitchen.
“Not actual hunting, Taică.” Cassie snickered and shook her head.
Eyes rolling with a smile, he ruffled her hair, then continued onward. “Oh, I know, I know. Still, never can tell with the Van Helsings.”
Gregory grinned deviously at Cassie, showing off his sharp canines and prompting a loud snort from her. “Whatever you say, Taică. Come along, Greg!” She snatched his hand, triggering him to squeak and stumble while she pulled him outside. “I don’t actually need a monster hunter outfit for our game today. I want to look pretty today!”
“Ew, why?” He took the lead once they were outside, hurrying her across the street, before a carriage could pull past. “I hate dressing up all fancy! Besides, it isn’t the type of thing hunters wear, especially ones as good as my tată.”
“Alright, alright.” She huffed, though the sound was fond. “I guess I can take our game more seriously.” She poked at his left arm, which was notably absent of his usual sleeve garters. The other still had one, leaving only a single sleeve too long, floppy, and rumpled. “At least I don’t look like a slob all the time.”
He puffed up, using a forehead flick as revenge (which she squealed at), then hurrying her to his front door. “I am no slob! And I’ll prove it to you by making you look like a true Van Helsing, as if you are one of Transylvania’s best hunters!”
“Fine.” She snickered as they entered. “I doubt I have any clothing impressive enough for that anyway.”
“One day!” He flashed her a grin, stopping in the entryway with excited clenched fists. “When I grow up and become a monster hunter, just as my Taică did. Perhaps you could actually join me.”
“Hmm.” She tugged on a wisp of hair, smile growing nervous. “Not sure if I would be the monster hunting type in real life. I think I’d get too afraid.”
“Nonsense!” Snatching her arm, Gregory yanked Cassie through the living room (where Freddy sat reading a book, looking up with a fond sound), and then straight to the stairs. The friends thundered up them, and the small house filled with the booming thud of their hastened steps. “Our games are always the best. They will prove you have what it takes!”
She giggled and shook her head. “You’re always so funny about these things, Gregory.”
“Funny?” He pouted.
“Yes! Funny! It’s kind of- well…” She giggled and shrugged. “Never mind.”
Gregory stopped by his tată’s bedroom door to blink at her in confusion, but ultimately, brushed it off. “I have the perfect idea.” He slipped in, leading her straight to the gothic wardrobe inside. “I love to steal Taică’s coats, because they are proper monster hunter coats. It is like his thing!”
“Ah yes, I never see him without it.” Cassie put a hand to her face, which frowned as she watched him open and go through the hanging clothes. “You’re sure this is a good idea? Your tată is nice; I know that, but he is also a little bit…mm…” Her fingers twisted each other, and Gregory turned back, after successfully yanking out of one of Cassidy’s signature black trenchcoats.
“Scary? Intimidating?” He giggled and waved it off. “Don’t worry, I know! That is why he is so awesome! Besides all that monster hunting obviously.” Bundling the article of clothing, he raced back out. “But he’s nicer than he seems! He will think it’s funny, probably.”
“Well…alright.” She followed him out. The next stop was Gregory’s room, where he tossed the coat toward her. It landed right on her head, causing her to squeak and trip backwards. He hummed and chewed his lip thoughtfully, now busy searching through his own wardrobe. Typically, he hated dressing up; much preferred the comfiest clothing he could find. After all, he couldn’t run around, climb trees, and on some occasions flat-out roll in the dirt in stuffy suits and stuff! But he did still own them, and plenty of things he thought looked respectable for a hunter. Especially a Van Helsing, like himself.
“Here, here!” He tossed a black vest and pants to Cassie, once she’d gotten the coat off. She squeaked when that too covered her head and face. “We are almost the same size, right? Will they fit?”
“Um…” She yanked them off to examine them, only instead to blush and pout when he giggled at how frizzy her hair was. “What? What is it?”
“Your hair!” He grinned, devious teasing entering his tone. “It looks as if you were struck by lightning.”
“Eek!” She beelined for his wall mirror. Indeed her pulled-back hair had little frizzies sticking up all over, and she furiously tried taming them. “Gregory! I spent so much time on it today!”
“Sorry, sorry.” He shuffled to the abandoned clothing, lifting them and examining them. Each dark piece he knew would look nice on her for their definitely serious game. “You may fix it, then wear these?”
Cassie paused in her fruitless attempts, turning back to him. “I can try. Do you really think I’ll look interesting enough? I know it’s just a game, but…you take it so seriously, so I just-”
“Of course!” Gregory butted in. Huffing at her, he moved behind her and draped the coat over her shoulders. “You could definitely be a good hunter, you dummy. Or at least an assistant, just look!” He turned them back to the mirror, then she laughed and rolled her eyes at their reflection.
“It looks so big on me. I’m swimming in it!”
“It does the same to me, but I still embrace the monster hunting!”
“You’re so silly.”
“Well, you’re so dumb.” He puffed his cheeks out.
“Greg!” She giggled harder, then nudged farther away. “Point taken, I’ll change. But!” She waved a finger in his face. “I still want to feel pretty in my new dress, so afterwards, will you ask Freddy to take us out shopping, or at least on a nice walk?”
“Does that mean I would have to change into stuffy, annoying things?” He slumped.
“At least a vest,” she said, lightly pushing at his shoulder. “Please? For me?”
“Alright fine.” He folded his arms as he headed for the door. “Hurry and change, fellow legendary Van Helsing! The backyard and Nessie’s garden are swarming with vampires and werewolves!”
She snickered, head shaking. “Oh yes, I’m sure they are!”
For the next several minutes, Gregory ran off to retrieve another trenchcoat for himself. By the time he’d situated it and returned to his bedroom door, it opened, and Cassie stepped into the hall. She now wore a white button-up shirt, pants that were slightly too short at the ends for her (Gregory was, admittedly, shorter than she), a black vest with swirling, stitched vines pressed into its front, and of course, a large black trenchcoat. It hung off her a little strangely, but she had used one of Gregory’s hair ties to keep it in place, and to sinch it in so it looked a touch less ridiculous. It impressed him, and after staring a moment, he flashed a grin.
“There is my expert monster hunting partner!” He raised a fist triumphantly. “Looking as intimidating and awesome as ever! Let us go retrieve our weapons, then vanquish the vampires and werewolves ravishing my backyard!”
Cassie giggled, head dipping then raising back up. “Yes. Yes, of course!”
He pushed past her, zipping to grab the toys he always used as pretend weapons. Stakes, crossbows, guns…you name it. While he retrieved a fake string of garlic (stitched from cloth by, of all people, Freddy), Cassie drew his attention, for she said, “Thank you, by the way.”
“Hm?” He glanced her way curiously.
A soft, hesitant smile graced her lips. “I know our games are, well, I guess not silly to us, but…well, I don’t know. I guess I just appreciate you thinking I look good in anything.”
He processed this a moment. Eyebrows knitting, he lowered his toys. “What do you mean?”
“Well…” She shrugged, the action halfhearted. “Not many people in our village think I’m pretty, or look awesome and intimating, as you said. Even my other friends, which…” She trailed, and Gregory winced and looked away. Neither of them had many outside of each other. “Anyway, even if it’s for play, it’s nice.” Her smile brightened. “So thank you.”
Gregory adjusted and fiddled with his trenchcoat, feeling his pale face burn. With a scoff, he flapped a hand, then returned to assembling their arsenal. “Well you’re still dumb!”
In response, she just laughed, and once again said, “You’re funny.”
Admittedly, it made him smile to himself.
For the next few hours, they played as always, having their own pretend adventure in the backyard. They even managed to drag Freddy into it, who first acted like the client hiring them for a tough job, and then as a big werewolf they fended off. By the end, Cassidy had returned, and despite everything, he laughed and shook his head at the sight of both children running around dressed in his much-too-big coats.