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"Are you guys almost ready?"
"Just a minute!"
Court sighed in the living room. Beside him, Drampa hummed questioningly.
"You'd think they'd be excited to go get some candy, but they're taking forever," Court said. "How long does it take to put on a red onesie?"
Drampa raised her head a smidge, her equivalent of shrugging. She reached up with her fluffy white wing to adjust his hat.
"Thanks, Drampa. Come on, guys! All the candy's gonna be gone!"
Two sets of frantic footsteps ran down the hallway. Court's heart just about melted at them. Colt was still pulling his onesie up his shoulders while Ryland tried to adjust his bright blue—frankly flimsy—wig. White circles with black text—Thing 1 and Thing 2—shone bright against their chests. Ryland had traded his glasses to draw expo marker around his eyes, both brothers having fake freckles adorning their cheeks.
The twins had watched The Cat in The Hat (the original, not the live action. That one still appeared in Court's nightmares) and became obsessed with Thing 1 and Thing 2. They would jump up and down on the couch like them, admonish Court for trying to re-establish order in the house by claiming he was "ruining the fun."
They weren't wrong, but he was only doing it to try and protect them. If one of them somehow fell off and smacked their heads on the coffee table, he'd probably have a panic attack and die. Luckily, though, Drampa usually watched the twins if Court was busy cooking dinner or cleaning up. She never let them get hurt, which he was immensely thankful for. He didn't know what he'd do without her.
Colt finally managed to wiggle his arm into his onesie. "Okay, zip me up!"
Ryland did as told with a giddy smile on his face.
The twins loved seeing people like them on screen. It was probably why they latched onto the Things so hard. They liked the fact that they were identical, and now that the Things gave them prank ideas, they had been on a roll recently. Courtland wouldn't be surprised if he had gray hair by the time he was thirty.
Growlithe barked and nudged Colt's side impatiently, wagging his tail. Colt retaliated by attacking his fluffy mane with scratches. It was exactly what Growlithe wanted, though, as he smiled wide and barked again.
"Okay, okay, grab your baskets and stand in front of the TV," Court instructed.
"Court, really? Can we go? I don't wanna to pictures this year," Ryland complained as he grabbed his basket. The twins had identical pumpkins in the shape of a Pikachu's head, courtesy of their neighbor buying two too many for her own children.
"What? Come on, you're not fifteen yet, you're five. This is gonna be fun!"
"You said the candy would be all gone!"
"That was just to get you out here faster."
"It's true, though," Colt commented, pushing his brother in front of the TV and grabbing his basket. Growlithe sat beside him. "You took too long and all the good candy's gonna be gone!"
Ryland grumbled under his breath.
"Hey, come on," Court chided softly. "You'll get your candy, just lemme get one picture."
"Just one?" the twins said.
"Just one. Where's Fennekin?"
Ryland glanced around worriedly. "Fennekin? Fennekin, where'd you go?"
The fire-type emerged from the dining room with downcast eyes. Court frowned. Fennekin was usually bright, happy, always running around with Ryland and going on adventures in the backyard to find the best twigs to snack on. Now, Fennekin looked sad.
Ryland crouched in front of her. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"
"Fen…"
"You don't want to go out? Why not?"
Fennekin looked at her tail. Ryland was good about taking care of Fennekin, who was undoubtedly a very high-maintenance Pokémon in the looks department. Fennekin loved having her own outfits, being brushed until her coat shone bright in the sun. She hated it if she didn't look presentable. Seems like she didn't want to go because of the three stray hairs poking out from her tail.
"Don't worry, Fennekin. Remember the halloween costume I made you? It'll cover it up!"
Ryland retreated to his and Colt's shared room, coming back a moment later with a large, fluffy tutu skirt. Thing. Court didn't know what to call it. It had black and purple tulle that, sure enough, covered the imperfection Fennekin was so worried about. It also came with a cute front piece that looked like those fluffy Victorian collars, with a cute black princess necklace to contrast the white. Ryland went all out and Fennekin's eyes grew brighter with every piece of costuming she adorned.
"There. How's that?"
Fennekin jumped up and licked Ryland's cheek. He took her up in his arms with a burst of giggles. They really were good friends.
"Ry! Picture! C'mon!" Colt said impatiently. Growlithe added a bark on top of it for emphasis.
"Okay, okay, sorry."
"Alright." Court put his eye close to the viewing port on the camera. He zoomed out to make sure the twins and their friends were accounted for. "Say Trick or Treat!"
"Trick or Treat!"
He snapped a few pictures of just the twins before Drampa leaned down, taking up half the frame. Court laughed, patting Drampa's back.
"Good one. Alright, let's go get some candy."
"Court, your bow-tie," Colt reminded.
He grabbed it off the coffee table. Courtland was not about to spend time learning to tie a bow-tie just for Halloween. He got one of those bow-ties on elastic bands from their neighbor across the street. The sweet old man who owned the house was still going through some of his belongings, trying to downsize, especially with his holiday decor. He recruited Courtland and Drampa to help one day and decided Courtland might find more use in the tie than him.
Court put it over his head and let it sit around his neck. It was itchy. At least it wasn't tight enough to choke him.
"First to get ten pieces of candy has to do the dishes for a week!" Colt challenged before bolting out the door, Growlithe running right by his side.
"Hey! False start! Flag on the play!"
Courtland sighed, watching the twins run down the walkway and to the right to their neighbor's door. Drampa was quick to follow, though her pace wasn't the quickest. It allowed Court to pause and lock their door, stuffing the keys in the pocket of his black jumpsuit. He'd gotten some fabric glue and cut out the back of one of his old white t-shirts, gluing it to the front of the jumpsuit so he'd look like the Cat in The Hat. He even let Ryland draw a nose on him and whiskers. He just hoped they could wash out easily.
Court caught up in a jog to see the twins exclaiming "Trick or Treat" at the same time in the exact same cadence. Fennekin and Growlithe copied them in their own way. Mrs. Kirby gaped at them.
"Aww, look at you boys and your Pokémon! Fennekin, adorable as always, and your coat is very fluffy Growlithe! The twins must be taking good care of you two."
They agreed, nuzzling their respective twins who giggled.
Court felt kind of embarrassed to be walking around in a Cat in The Hat getup, but it was for his brothers. He didn't care what other people thought, only them. He liked to think he did a good job. Their bright eyes and wide smiles made the twinge of embarrassment crawl back from where it came.
"And Courtland, you're matching with them!" Mrs. Kirby exclaimed. She reached out to pinch his cheek. "Look at you! Ugh, I just want to gobble you all up. Here, take a few pieces of candy! And a juice box to stay hydrated!"
The twins grabbed a handful of candy to put in their buckets, with Ryland picking out juice boxes for the three of them. Apple juice, by the look of it. Drama hummed in approval.
"Race you to the next house!" Ryland said before taking off, Colt spluttering and running after him.
Courtland shook his head fondly, watching Drama slowly inch after them.
"Should probably make sure Thing 1 and Thing 2 don't destroy anything," he said to himself, turning to his neighbor with a small smile. "Thank you."
She waved him off before digging in her bucket of candy, holding out a Kit-Kat for him. "You've done a good job, Court. Call me if you need help!"
"I will."
Most of the first hour was Courtland trying to keep up with the twins and their competition. Growlithe was having a blast running alongside Colt while Fennekin was a bit hesitant to follow out of fear of ruining her costume Ryland so lovingly made for her. Sometimes she stuck back with Courtland as the twins skipped a few feet ahead, her eyes scanning the grass just off the sidewalk for some twigs to snack on.
Court had half a mind to call Ryland back and have him help Fennekin, but she found a couple that made her eyes widen and sparkle. He would refrain from calling him for now.
The fifth house they went to shared the same sentiment as Mrs. Kirby, as the couple at the door gushed at the twins and finally, Court, as he trailed behind him. He was thankful for the white face paint covering his flushed cheeks because he was fifteen. Trick or Treating was kind of embarrassing for him at his age, but it was even worse because he made a bit of a fool of himself dressing as a cat. Still, as long as he was beside his brothers, he was fine with it. It made them happy and that's all that mattered.
Walking down the driveway, the twins took count of their candy so far.
"Ha! I've got twelve!" Ryland said.
Colt groaned. "Nine."
"Better get to washing those dishes when we get home!"
Courtland rolled his eyes. They wouldn't do it tonight, he knew. They'd get home exhausted with barely enough energy to take a shower, let alone do dishes he knew he would be doing when the twins were asleep. He didn't interject to point out that flaw. Instead, he checked up on Drampa, who seemed perfectly content with wiggling along. His eyes found Fennekin walking alongside Ryland.
Thankfully, Ryland had a big heart, much like his brothers.
"Are you okay, Fennekin?" he asked, stopping to crouch in front of her.
She looked off to the side, the grass between the houses.
"Oh, right. Lets go look for some twigs!"
Ryland picked her up so she wouldn't worry about grass or dirt getting on her costume. As they continued on, Ryland would go off to the side to collect "the best" twigs that he and Fennekin could spot. Colt played some version of hopscotch with Growlithe as they went by.
Drampa nudged his side with a questioning hum.
"I'm good. Promise," he said.
Drampa didn't seem to buy it.
He smiled at her. "I'm having a good time. Promise. At least the twins will sleep good tonight."
He was lucky to have Drampa. Back when Courtland was around five years old, when Mom and Dad were still around and fighting, he'd disappear. They never noticed when he'd sneak out the front door and go for a walk without a destination in mind. He would trek into the woods to look for sticks that resembled staffs. If he could have a staff like a wizard, or a pair of spoons like an Alakazam, then he could protect himself from the man of the house.
He spent hours combing the nearby woods, spotting a few Deerling and Sawsbuck running by. He found a stream that he followed for a little while, hoping there would be some more sticks nearby but no luck. All the while, he felt that something was watching him. He was so used to the feeling since his father liked to observe him do chores he assigned to make sure they were "done right."
The feeling stayed the entire time he was in the woods. He kept looking around for a pair of eyes but found none.
When the sun hit the horizon and the golden rays started to disappear, Courtland started back towards the house with a heavy chest. He kept looking for his dream staff as he went but he had all but lost hope. he was hungry, thirsty, and exhausted. Besides, he knew that he'd been gone for too long. His Mom was probably looking for him.
As he continued on, he heard a deep rumble in the woods. Courtland paused, listening. It happened again. And again. And it was getting closer.
He saw glowing eyes in the distance. He remembered his neighbor talking about some ghost-type Pokémon that lived in the forest. They only came out at night to look for some food. No one in town liked going into the woods at night for that exact reason, which meant they had no clue what Pokémon resided in the forest.
He didn't know what Pokémon could have eyes that glowed.
Courtland broke into a run, which immediately caused him to face-plant when he forgot about the exposed tree roots crawling across the forest floor. He started to get back up when he felt something icy wrap around his ankle and tug.
He screamed, clawing at the dirt for purchase. Tears sprung to his eyes.
I'm gonna be eaten!
The cold was gone a moment later. He scrambled to sit against the trunk of a nearby tree, chest heaving and sobs threatening to burst. He didn't have it in himself to open his eyes and look at where the glowing eyes went.
He heard a low hum. It wasn't like the other one. That one was menacing while this was more… calm. Like a question.
He reluctantly peeled his eyes open. There was a Pokémon he hadn't seen before. Pink eyes, white "fur", a long neck and big fluffy tail. For some reason, Courtland knew the Pokémon wasn't going to hurt him. Maybe it was the way it tilted its head at him or the way it hummed that calmed him down, but he knew he was safe.
The Pokémon helped him onto its back after he staggered to his feet, sharp pain shooting through his foot. He must've twisted his ankle in the fall, or the thing that grabbed him must've twisted it.
It was so strange, he thought, how easily they bonded. Drampa flew him back home before retreating to the skies once he was safe. Courtland thought that would be the last he saw of Drampa, but she kept coming around. Sometimes, on the drive to school, he'd see her following from the skies. Offering a wave once she saw him.
From that fateful day on, she protected him when he needed her. And once the twins came along, he introduced them to her and she loved them like her own. She loved watching them, making sure they were safe.
It was good they had Drampa around when their father did what he did. And what Courtland did to him in retaliation.
Courtland blinked and he was suddenly fifteen again walking down the sidewalk with his brothers—
He didn't see red jumpsuits. No Growlithe or Fennekin.
He whirled around, scanning the various warmly-lit porches where dozens of kids and parents were going to and from. There were sprouts of red everywhere but no bouts of vibrant red that he recognized as the twins' costumes. Drampa was nowhere to be seen, either.
"Drampa?" Courtland said worriedly. His heart leapt to his throat as he kept whirling around. No Drampa, no twins, no Growlithe or Fennekin. "Colt! Ry! Drampa!"
What happened? Where did they go? How did they disappear like that?
You weren't paying attention.
Courtland couldn't breathe. His chest burned with each breath. He inhaled, exhaled, scanned his surroundings, got a few dirty looks from parents for taking up the whole sidewalk with his motions. He didn't care. He even looked to the skies for his beloved partner but only saw stars and a few wispy clouds rolling in.
It was like someone had ripped his heart out and driven away. He didn't know what to do, where to even begin looking for his brothers in the crowds of people walking around. Sure, they had bright blue wigs on and were distinct, but they were fast. They could be a dozen houses ahead. Or they could've turned around because they missed one.
Why didn't they tell him where they were going?
Okay, okay, calm down. You know them. Where would they go?
He took a deep breath. Colt and Ry wanted candy, yes, but Ry also wanted to get Fennekin some twigs. They could've gone off the path and just haven't returned yet, and since Courtland was none the wiser, he kept walking. So they either kept going from house to house without him or they went off to the side. The latter seemed to be most plausible.
Courtland moved off the sidewalk and into one of the neighbor's side yards. "Colt! Ry!" he called. He entered the backyard area, though they were fenced in. He spotted the treeline to the forest, his fingers shaking. "Drampa?"
He crept towards the treeline. If they did go off the path to get Fennekin some twigs, the forest would be the place to go. The twins liked to run about the woods during the day and rebuild Fennekin's twig stash she had at home, but Courtland always warned them about going into the woods at night. They knew better.
But he knew the twins. He knew their knack for getting into trouble whether it be their fault or the result of someone else's actions. Most of the time it was their fault, though.
Court brought his hands around his mouth as a makeshift megaphone. "Ryland! Colt!"
His voice carried with a sudden gust of wind, weaving between the trees, swallowed by the dark. He stared at the void, the silhouette of trees, half expecting those glowing eyes he saw all those years ago to come back.
He readied himself to call out again when he heard a familiar hum. He looked up to see Drampa fluttering to the ground, Ryland and Fennekin on her back and two familiar buckets in one of her hands. Immediately, Courtland was alarmed. Sure, Drampa would give the twins rides in the sky sometimes but this was different. For one, Ryland's jumpsuit was dirty, especially around the knees where there were still blades of grass sticking to him. Smudges of dirt, like he'd fallen.
That, and Ryland was crying. Big, splotchy tears running down his cheeks that Fennekin tried to lick away with a worried whine.
"Oh my God, Ry!" Courtland exclaimed as he rushed to his brother, but not before putting his hand on Drampa's head as a thanks for keeping him safe.
Fennekin moved to stand on Drampa's back, still in front of Ryland. She pawed at his leg carefully.
Courtland kneeled beside Drampa and gently put his hands on his brother's arm. "Hey, hey, Ry. It's me. It's just me, you're okay. What happened? Where's Colt and Growlithe?"
Poor Ryland's lungs were working overtime to inhale between sobs. Fennekin nuzzled him, which seemed to help bring him back to reality a little.
"It's okay, Ry, breathe. Breathe with me okay? You're gonna throw up if you keep going like this."
He made exaggerated breaths to help Ryland calm down, all the while he kept his eyes on the forest for any sign of Colt or Growlithe. He glanced at Drampa. She shook her head. She didn't know where he was, either. The second red flag was how Fennekin's ears drooped the longer it took for Ryland to calm down. She only did that when she was either sad or guilty, and she was having a good time up until now. Something happened to make Ryland's jumpsuit messy and for Colt and Growlithe to be missing.
"It's okay, Ry, it's okay," Court repeated gently. "Can you tell me what happened?"
Fennekin tried answering for him but she lowered her head after a few seconds. Ryland scratched her ear as he slowly came to.
"W-We went to the forest to look for twigs for Fennekin," Ryland said, his voice shaky. "A-And we found some, but there was this thing! It grabbed Colt and dragged him away!"
Oh God. Something took Colt.
Courtland was going to be sick. He could still hear his Mom's voice in his ear the night before she passed.
"Take care of them, Court."
He failed. Colt's been taken. He failed.
No, not yet. He could find Colt. No, he had to. He would not let his family be torn apart.
Courtland rubbed his brother's arms as he tried to formulate a plan. He couldn't just leave Ryland and Fennekin alone to go look for Colt. Drampa was itching to hit the skies, he knew.
"It had glowing eyes, Court! Glowing, yellow eyes! I-Is Colt gonna be okay?"
Glowing eyes.
It was exactly as he feared.
Fennekin vocalized, her brows furrowed and eyes determined. She wanted to go look for Colt. She felt guilty that Colt was taken because of her wish for twigs. Courtland adjusted her crooked bow on her costume.
"Okay. We'll go look for him together, yeah? It'll be okay. No one's mad at you, Fennekin. I promise. Let's go looking for him."
Ryland nodded slowly, wiping his eyes with his jumpsuit sleeve. His drawn-on freckles were wiping off. Courtland wiped the glistening spots Ryland missed.
"Stay with Drampa, okay?" he said.
Ryland nodded, one of his arms wrapping around Drampa's neck. Drampa hummed and waddled along beside Courtland as he headed into the forest.
Courtland still had no idea what the glowing eyes belonged to, even after eleven years. He did some research since the eyes haunted him at night as a kid, but he found nothing. He didn't go into the forest at night at all. There was no reason to after what he experienced. He made sure his brothers understood the dangers of the forest at night and that was all he really could do.
He never planned on finding out what almost hurt him that day.
He was careful to step over the exposed tree roots. The moon was bright in the sky, a glowing silver that provided a decent amount of light for him to spot the roots. He made sure to look back every few seconds to make sure Drampa, Ry, and Fennekin were still there. He could see Fennekin trying to cheer Ryland up by blowing out rings of fire. It managed to make him smile.
He heard a twig snap. The air stilled, Courtland paused, and he strained his ears to listen. Footsteps. Fast, closing in. Courtland stood in front of his brother, seeing Drampa readying a dragon breath—
Bark!
Courtland's shoulders drooped. Growlithe came into view. His mane had leaves and twigs stuck in it. His eyes were frantic and, for once, his tail wasn't wagging. Growlithe was a Pokémon who could lock onto a scent and never lose it, according to the Pokédex. Colt and Growlithe were almost never separated. He wouldn't be surprised if Growlithe could find Colt without a sample for scent.
"Growlithe!" Courtland said, kneeling before the Pokémon and picking a few leaves out of his mane. "Did you get his scent?"
Growlithe nodded. Bark!
"Lead the way, buddy."
Ryland looked less stressed now that Growlithe appeared. Fennekin kept nuzzling Ryland, which also helped the boy relax a bit. Courtland was lucky his brothers were somehow charming in their own ways to where almost everyone they met—people and Pokémon—loved them. Drampa loved them before they could even talk, their charm was so powerful.
Growlithe moved fast, antsy, but Courtland had no problem keeping up. They weaved between the trees, the wind ruffling his hair. The deeper they went into the woods, the more anxious Courtland got. What resided in here? What took Colt and why? If Ryland was injured, how bad was Colt injured?
The panic allowed him to push his legs further, his lungs and muscles burning. Still, he kept up with Growlithe.
The Pokémon skidded to a stop, sniffing the air. Courtland took the pause to breathe. In and out.
Sniff sniff. Bark!
They were off again.
Courtland didn't know how long they ran before he spotted his little brother being dragged across the forest floor. He was kicking and screeching against an invisible foe. Courtland's veins filled with adrenaline. Beside him, Growlithe ran faster.
"Growlithe, use flamethrower!" he shouted.
Growlithe was quick to breathe fire, illuminating the trees and the foe in question.
It was tall, about as tall as the hanging branches around them. The flash of light was quick, but Courtland swore he saw bark. As in tree bark. Was it a Pokémon? Gosh, he wished he had his Pokédex with him to check.
"Court!" Colt shouted.
"Hang on, Colt!"
A familiar growl permeated the air. Freezing Courtland to his spot.
Glowing eyes stared back at him.
A roar pierced the air. The next thing Courtland knew, the trees were moving. Branches reached for him, roots grew twice their size, even full trees seemed to appear out of nowhere. It sounded like the Earth was angry; rumbling, bubbling, readying to unleash the attack of nature. He could hear the wind howling, Colt and Ryland screaming, Drampa's guttural roar that signaled her powerful dragon pulse was charging. He could feel bouts of heat fighting the woods from Growlithe.
There was an opening between branches. Courtland took it.
He leapt into action. He ran, hopping over growing roots, ducking beneath branches and dodging stray sticks. Despite the fear curling around his racing heart, he continued on because Colt was right there. Reaching for him. There were flashes of light illuminating the forest and the entity that took Colt.
It was definitely a Pokémon now that he was looking at it up close. A single red eye, its body made of tree bark and leaves.
"Let go of my brother!" Courtland demanded.
The Pokémon roared again.
Colt clung to Courtland's pant leg, eyes glassy and terrified. "It's got my leg!"
Courtland could see a deep purple, wispy tendril wrapped around his brother's leg. He tried to grasp it, but it dissolved beneath his fingers. It didn't work. Did that mean this tree-looking Pokémon knew a ghost-type move? Or was it a ghost type?
Another wave of heat ran over his shoulder, knocking into the Pokémon. He looked to his side, finding Fennekin standing strong, growling at the Pokémon. She let off another fire blast. And another.
The Pokémon screeched, and the tendril fell from Colt's leg. Courtland quickly gathered up his brother into his arms, holding him close and away from the Pokémon. Its red eye was glowing, a deep rumble resonating in his chest.
"Come on, Fennekin!" he said. He was not sticking around to find out what that Pokémon could do.
They ran back to Drampa and Growlithe, who were still fighting off the moving trees and phantom sticks. Ryland clung to Drampa's neck with his eyes squeezed shut. Courtland deposited his brother behind Ryland, positioning his hands to hold onto his twin.
"Drampa, Growlithe, come on! Let's get out of here!"
Courtland swept up Fennekin before she could fall behind, and the family rushed out of the forest. Once the streetlamps and the sounds of other families laughing came into range, Courtland could finally relax. They broke the treeline, and Courtland plopped himself on the grass with a heaving chest. Even though it was chilly outside, he'd broken a sweat. No doubt his facepaint had mixed with the condensation. He could only imagine what he looked like.
"Court!"
Just as he was catching his breath, it left him when the twins barreled into him. Fennekin moved out of the way just in time. Little hands wrapped around his neck, practically choking him, clinging to his black jumpsuit. He could feel tears soaking into the fabric. He wasn't one to deny the twins a hug, though he was still reeling by what just happened. The fact that he faced the same monster that tried to take him eleven years ago.
Courtland pulled the twins off him so he could inspect them. Colt had dirt smeared across his cheeks, larger chunks clinging to his red costume and blades of grass stuck in his blue wig. Obviously, he was worse off than Ryland, which only made Courtland more worried about what cuts or bruises lay under the costume.
His worry came out a bit harsher than he intended.
"What were you thinking going into the forest? I told you two to never go in there at night!" he exclaimed.
Ryland hiccuped, Fennekin nudging his side. "I'm s-sorry, Court—"
"You have to understand that I tell you things for a reason! What would've happened if Drampa, Growlithe, and Fennekin weren't here? What would've happened if they didn't come get me?" Courtland rambled with wide eyes, his hands clutching Colt and Ryland's arms. "You don't go into the forest at night! Say it!"
"W-We don't go into the f-forest at night," the twins chorused meekly.
"I love you both so much but you need to listen to me when I tell you things!"
The twins lowered their heads, their partners nuzzling into them. Courtland took a deep breath and looked at Drampa beside him. The Pokémon gave her equivalent of a shrug, then a slight shake of her head. Courtland raised a brow.
Too much?
Drampa nodded at him, then the twins. They were wiping their eyes, sniffling, in their dirty Halloween costumes that were supposed to win them extra candy in the hearts of the gullible. What was supposed to be a fun family outing turned sour, like Colt's favorite candy. Guilt stabbed Courtland's chest for yelling at them. Even though they knew not to go into the forest, they were kids doing kid-things. Kids were going to break rules and go on adventures with their partners. Courtland shouldn't be mad about that when he did the same thing at their age.
Courtland loosened his grip, moving his hands up in down in a soothing motion he knew the twins liked. "H-Hey, can you two look at me real quick? Please?"
The twins sniffled but obeyed. Court's heart broke seeing the guilt and sadness in them, knowing he put those emotions there.
"I'm sorry for yelling, okay? I-I was just really scared and worried about you two. You're my responsibility, my brothers, and I love you. I was just scared of losing you both," Courtland admitted, finding his eyes stinging. "It's not either of your faults. I'm so sorry for yelling at you."
The twins didn't look at each other, but they both reached out to hug him again. Courtland felt a million times lighter with them in his arms.
"It's okay, Court," Colt said.
"We know you worry," Ryland added.
"Still, I shouldn't have yelled at you." Courtland patted their backs and pulled away, chuckling at the smeared expo marker on the twins' faces. He ran his thumb along their cheeks to try and get rid of it but it wouldn't budge. "What do you say we go get some more candy?"
The twins' expression brightened. Drampa handed out their buckets, and Courtland gave Growlithe and Fennekin an appreciative pet—mentally promising himself to give them some Poképuffs later.
Thankfully, the rest of trick or treating went well aside from the odd looks they received from the homeowners and other families walking around. They made it home safely with a bountiful harvest of candy that the twins counted up in the living room. Courtland showered first, tossing his costume in the trash. It was dirty and he didn't feel like trying to salvage their costumes. Besides, the twins would want to be something else next year.
As Courtland did the dishes, the twins took turns showering and getting ready for a late-night movie. They chose Monster House, another movie they'd grown to love. Court made two frozen pizzas for a late dinner, one for himself and the other for the twins who stuffed their faces with candy. Throughout the movie, he could see the twins' heads dipping. They were steadily falling asleep, Fennekin and Growlithe pressed against their sides.
He carried them to bed and made sure the house was secure. He checked every window, every door before he started cleaning up the living room. He left the mound of candy in the middle of the floor but put the twins' buckets on the coffee table. He was about to turn the TV off when he looked to his right at a separate pile of candy, all distinctly red wrappers.
Kit-Kats. Court's favorite.
The twins took all the Kit-Kats they got and put them to the side for him.
Court did not cry. He took one from the pile and left the rest alone, turning the TV off and checking the doors and windows one last time. It was a successful Halloween in terms of candy and growing relationships, but a fail in finding out what lived out in the woods.
Courtland, for once, didn't dream of glowing eyes. He dreamed of camping with his brothers and their partners, Drampa by his side. For Halloween being a night of "evil" coming to life, his dreams were full of love and happiness.