Summary: With everyone dressed as someone else, how can you be sure who you are talking to...?
Author's Note: Inspired by the prompt from the LiveJournal community da_halloween Challenge: Alec dresses as Ames White for Halloween and Logan refuses to give him candy .
Knock Knock, Who's There?
Alec had worked really hard on his costume. He'd procured, at no small cost considering his minimum wage employment, pants, a poloneck and leather jacket – all in black. And for the special night, he'd darkened his hair with wash-in-wash-out dye.
When he walked into Command, several of the staff and no few children gasped at his appearance – despite the logic of how the original version of his costume could have got past security to be wandering unconcerned through Terminal City.
Alec bowed, trademark smirk transforming his stern expression and applause broke out – once guns had been uncocked and children reassured.
"Gosh, never thought I'd get that reaction..."
"Alec, you're a dick." Max said.
Alec cocked his head, "Max, Max; all this fantasising about my anatomy could give me a complex." She smacked him round the head in reply. "But it's kind of a compliment how well my costume went down..."
"You made people cry!"
Alec grinned. "Just shows what a little effort gets you." He frowned. "What are you dressed as?"
Max glanced at herself.
"I'm a secretly-Transgenic-supporting Ordinary." she said with a straight face. Alec laughed.
"Well I'm heading to Crash, after some side-trips." he told her.
"Be good..." Max warned, as he walked out. Alec threw a casual wave over his shoulder as he disappeared in the direction of the garage.
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"What do you mean – I can't have any candy?" Alec demanded, stood in the porch of Joshua's house.
Logan sighed. "How is this hard to understand, Alec – I gave you some earlier, I won't do it twice."
"But I wasn't here!" the Transgenic protested. "I wouldn't lie to score free candy when I could climb through the window and steal it."
Logan's expression darkened. "Not helping..." he pointed out. Alec's lips thinned. Logan frowned.
"If it wasn't you then," Alec's foot tapped, impatient and maligned. "Who did I give Max's details to?"
"You what?!" Alec exploded.
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Earlier that night...
"Love the costume. Thought it was Ames White himself as you walked up. If Max hadn't warned me, I'd be reaching for a gun!" Logan greeted his guest with less reserve than normal.
The black clad man on the doorstep raised an amused eyebrow but said nothing.
Logan babbled on, about Transgenics and costumes and a night to 'come as you aren't'. Absently, he passed his visitor some candy.
"I can't believe Max is taking the X kids trick or treating. I guess that's just the way she is – stubborn and considerate. Plus Max loves Halloween – the chance to put on a costume and pretend for a night, without feeling guilty."
The man laughed. Logan paused in his ramble to study his visitor. Alec was doing a very convincing impression of the dangerous Secret Agent. Slightly unnerved, Logan pressed some more candy into his hands and moved to close the door.
"'Spect you'll be off to Crash soon. Max said she'd joined you when the kids have gone home." he inched further behind the false security of the front door, the dark and the night working their spooky magic.
"Have fun..." Logan finished, managing to make it sound like Alec really shouldn't be having anything so irresponsible...
"I will..." his visitor grinned and Logan wondered how long Alec had practised that whisky rough voice. Closing the door, Logan tried to fight the jealousy as a small voice suggested that, given the wide and talented gifts of Manticore alum, it probably wasn't a big chore for the cocky X5.
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The man dressed as Ames White smiled as he walked to his car. The amusement even touched his eyes as he planned the rest of his evening, pondered what unexpected chaos he could instigate at Crash.
He'd been dreading tonight this year; it was Ray's favourite holiday and seeing all the kids dressed up had made the ache of loss beat painfully hard.
But now...
White grinned, gunning the engine and heading back in to the city.