A Picture, A Monster, and a Prince
Author: Kool-aid
Pairing: Tasha/Sam
Fandom: iCarly
Universe: Same as 'First Cry, I'm Ready'
****
There were plenty of things that scared four year old Tony Puckett. For starters, there was his uncle Freddie who liked to come over and tell him stories about his mommy. It wasn't that he didn't like uncle Freddie or his uncle Freddie's mommy, it's just that the lady was just plain strange! Then, there was uncle Spencer when he started thinking. He looked up to his uncle, no doubt about it, but when that man started thinking, people had better run for cover cos he looked like it hurt. Another thing was his mom without her morning coffee. He was sure the blond had no idea she looked like a boogie-something without her caffeine and he wasn't about to tell her. He also wasn't about to keep her from getting her coffee either. But the one thing that scared him more than all of that, more than his uncles and his mom, more than those scary movies he tried to watch. That one thing, was his other mommy around the holidays. The woman was brutal. She showed no mercy on her innocent baby boy no matter the holiday. It seemed like she had a costume for each one every year and every year they got worse. He knew Halloween was fast approaching and he also knew it was only a matter of time before he fell victim to his mommy's 'I'm outta my my mind cos a holiday is here and I wanna dress you up like a whatever the store has that's embarrassing' mentality. Only a matter of time.
--
Tony clutched his plush Snoopy to his chest as he peeked around the corner. His dark hair fall over his bright blue eyes but he ignored it. Turning his head to and fro, he made sure the coast was clear before darting across the living room into the hallway. Holding his buddy tighter, he tried to mold himself into the wall when he heard footsteps. Once the footfalls faded, he ran quickly down the long hallway, hoping to reach the stairs before the monster found him.
"Antonio!" he was too late. Panicked, he did the only thing he could do; he ran for the basement door and darted in. He tumbled down the stairs, tiny legs barely moving correctly, until he reached his mom's pool table. He hid behind it, hugging Snoopy close as he heard the door open. "I could have sworn I saw that boy. Oh well. Sam! Where's Tony?! I've got the cutest outfit!" the monster's voice trailed off as it got further away. He let out a deep sigh and flopped to the floor.
"That was close." he told Snoopy. He stood, walking around the place he hardly took any interest in. His eyes fell on a backpack and he scrunched his nose up. It was pink, yuck. Shaking his head, he and Snoopy moved to the stairs but paused when they heard the voices. "Shh, don't say nothin' Snoopy." he whispered. Snoopy remained silent. Tony listened as the voices got closer before entering the basement. He almost gasped. It was his mom and the monster! Silently, he and snoopy moved out of sight.
"Tash, he's not down here. He's probably up in his room hidin'." his mom said to the monster.
"No Sam, I'm sure he came in here. I just didn't wanna invade your space." Tasha told her wife. Sam sighed and looked around the basement as Tasha stood at the bottom of the stairs. When Sam's search turned up empty, she'd looked right over little Tony, she went and stood in front of the other woman.
"Babe, maybe he just doesn't wanna be dressed up this year. Poor boy's gonna be traumatized by the time he hits kindergarten if he sees that outfit." Sam said resting her hands on Tasha's hips. Tasha pouted.
"But he'd make such a cute prince." she said. Tony's eyes widened in horror. A prince?! No way! Usually when there was a prince, there was a princess and he just didn't do princesses! Everyone knew they had cooties.
"Tasha, those tights aint gonna be so cute." Sam said with a smirk.
"Maybe we should sign him up for ballet." Tasha muttered ignoring Sam.
"Maybe we should adopt you a daughter. Yeah, we'll adopt a girl and you can dress her up and stop tryina put my kid in the psych ward." Sam said honestly. Tony gaped at his mom. Another girl?! That's just what the house needed, another girl with her weird make up and stuff.
"He wont end up in the psych ward, he'll be just fine. You know, a lot of boys ar-"
"No, nuh uh. He'd hate it. He'd probably try to rearrange the instructors face." Sam cut in moving closer to her wife.
"Speaking of violent, we need to talk to him about his little outbursts. He hit a boy yesterday." Tasha said leaning her head on Sam's shoulder. Tony was getting impatient. Didn't mom's have better things to do than hang out in his hiding spot?
"Kid probably deserved it." Sam said with a casual shrug.
"Sam! He gets it from you!" Tasha said slapping Sam's shoulder. Sam raised an eyebrow, tony rolled his eyes. Seemed like he was gonna be there a while.
--
Freedom! Tony was finally free half an hour later when his mothers decided to go back upstairs. He stood up slowly, making sure that Snoopy was secure, before moving away. He bumped into a box and knocked it over. Glancing, he moved to put all the papers back inside when a picture stopped him short. It was a picture of his grandmother's wedding to his new grandpa. Grandpa John as he knew him, had on a white and black tuxedo with a white flower sticking out of the pocket. His salt and pepper hair matched his outfit perfectly. Looking over, Tony's face turned pale and he dropped the picture before running from the basement screaming.
--
"Mommy!" Tasha looked up in alarm. Tony came barrelling towards her at a rapid pace before launching himself into her arms. She looked up at Sam who was sitting on the sofa next to her, not meeting her eye.
"What's wrong, baby?" she asked her son. The boy shuddered in her arms.
"....grandma picture.....scary...." was all she could make out. Frowning in confusion, she looked back at Sam whose face was red what appeared to be holding in laughter.
"Look, I'm sorry somethin' scared ya buddy, but you get a choice this year. You can dress up in the costume mommy bought ya, or you can stay at grandma's for Halloween." Sam said honestly. Tony looked at her petrified.
"No! I wanna be whatever mommy bought me!" he cried rushing to his room. Once out of ear shot, Sam burst into laughter.
"Samantha, what did you do to my son?" Tasha demanded to know. Sam pulled Tasha to her.
"Calm down sweetie, I just mighta made sure he found that picture from my mom's wedding last year is all." she said holding her wife. Tasha nodded before sitting up.
"Wait, the one where she's in a bikini in the middle of December?" Tasha asked with an eye twitch.
"The one and only." Sam said. She was used to the horror that was her mother, her baby boy, not so much.
"You are so evil. And you complain about ME traumatizing him...." Tasha trailed off. Sam shrugged.
"Well, at least you get your prince." she said. Tasha's face brightened.
--
Tony sat in his room, blinking at the horrid costume in front of him. He didn't wanna do it but he knew he had to. Sighing he turned to snoopy. Frowning when snoopy was nowhere in sight, he put his tiny hands on his face.
"I left him!" he cried. Before he could rescue his friend however, his mommy came in smiling.
"Lets get my little prince all dressed up to make sure your tights fit!" she gushed. Tony sighed; he wondered if uncle Freddie knew any good head doctors.