A SPLAT! EASTER
"Do I have to wear this?"
Mandy Fletcher snapped her eyes up to Lloyd Hunter, face pooling into a smirk as she crooned:
"Yes Lloyd."
"But this makes me look like a little kid! It's embarrassing!"
"Oh come on L! Get in the spirit! Anyway, Harvey and Ingrid have no qualms about wearing the costumes!"
"That is because they ARE little kids, Mandy!"
"HEY!"
Lloyd and Mandy twisted their heads round to face Ingrid Smith, who had just entered the living room of the Hunter house. Hands on her jean clad hips, she snorted.
"We are not little kids!"
"YES YOU ARE!"
"WE ARE NOT!"
Lloyd smirked and folded his arms across his lithe chest, costume tucked under his arm.
"Last time I checked, you were the two youngest so that makes you the babies of the group."
Ingrid glared, incensed that Lloyd hadn't backed down.
"We are NOT BABIES!"
"You are Ingrid! Just admit it, you and H are the babies!"
"I'm not a baby."
A quiet voice piped up this statement. The three members of SPLAT whipped round to face the intruder of the room. Harvey Hunter stood framed in the door – way, his lips pursed into a thin line, his facial features schooled into levels of seriousness.
Mandy recovered first. Rushing forwards, she patted his arm.
"Of course you aren't a baby! Lloyd was just detailing that according to your age, you and Ingrid are technically babies of the group! He didn't mean it in a cruel way!"
Lloyd stepped forwards and held his hands up in a placating manner.
"H, I never meant to offend you…" He stole a quick glance at Ingrid. "Or you Ing…." Lloyd switched his gaze back to his brother.
"H, I'm sorry I called you that. I know it hurt when Jeff did it. Forgive me?"
Harvey tilted his head, hand placed under his chin as he contemplated on how to answer. After a few agonising moments for Lloyd, Harvey's round face broke out into a grin as he responded:
"Of course L." An evil smirk suddenly adorned his face as he drawled:
"Butttttt…. You have to wear the costume NOW!"
Lloyd groaned and stamped off to the bathroom to get changed. Mandy giggled as Harvey and Ingrid high fived each other, both gleeful at what they had caused.
A few minutes later, Lloyd returned to the living room. To a chorus of laughter. Eyeing the three sources, he tugged at the front of the costume and muttered:
"I am not wearing this."
Mandy clasped her hands together happily whilst Harvey and Ingrid held onto each other for support as they were in danger of slipping off of the sofa they were seated on. Lloyd flushed when Ian and Dinah entered, adding to his embarrassment.
As Dinah stifled a giggle, Ian's eyes roamed up and down the older boy, a suggestive drawl slipping out.
"Ooh big bunny… I'd like to play with you."
Immediately, everyone expect Lloyd howled with laughter, tears running down the youngest two's cheeks. Ian hooted then flapped a hand at Lloyd.
"Oh come on man! I was just joking! You look fine! Anyways, we're all going to be wearing them!"
Lloyd perked up at this, slightly surprised that Dinah had laughed so hard and so loudly. Her face was lit up in glee, hazel eyes shining.
'I've never seen her so happy….'
Frowning, Lloyd voiced what was on his mind. "Hey Di, you alright?"
A grin was directed onto him. "Yeah why?"
"W-Well it's just that-"
"You think that I won't be interested in these sort of activities, right? That I would prefer to read a book in the corner whilst you guys get in the 'Easter spirit?'"
Lloyd winced, nodding reluctantly. "I didn't mean t-"
Dinah nudged him playfully. "Don't worry Lloyd. Even though I would have participated anyway, me being a member of SPLAT and all, I actually want to dress up and eat candy…. Like a little kid."
The others cheered enthusiastically. Lloyd beamed, uttering words that warmed Dinah's heart.
"That's my sister."
A short while later, all of SPLAT had been transformed into 'Easter bunnies.' Their outfits were essentially onesies, mainly white with a smattering of pink on the chest and ears. A fluff of white poked out from the back, pink ears flopping out of the hood. Each costume fit the wearer perfectly as if it had been crafted for them personally. The finishing touches were a spot of face paint, applied with a steady hand by Mrs Hunter.
SPLAT had moved upstairs to the den, the six of them distributed across the room. Whilst the four older members chatted, Mandy sorting out the chocolate, the two youngest members were kneeling in the corner.
Harvey and Ingrid giggled as they wrinkled their noses at one another, drawn on whiskers bobbing up and down. Their fingers locked together, Ingrid squeezing enough to cause a gasp of pain to tear itself from her boyfriend's throat. It was sufficient to capture the other's attention, turning their heads to see what the commotion was about.
Ingrid slipped her fingers free, using them to cup Harvey's chin. She cooed:
"Aww my sweet little bunny, I'm sorry!"
Harvey whimpered from the dull pain but his whimpers ceased when Ingrid kissed him. Upon breaking apart, he grinned, pain forgotten. Rubbing his nose against hers, he exclaimed delightedly:
"You are SO CUTE!"
"Noooooo, Harv – Harv, YOU'RE CUTE!"
"No, you!"
"No, you!"
"You!"
"You!"
"Yo-"
"OKAYYYYYYYYYY! I think we get the picture."
The couple turned to Ian, grinning unabashedly. Ian rolled his eyes, commenting:
"Let's just say that we are ALL CUTE! Now let's have some chocolate!"
As soon as the words had rolled off of his tongue, Ian regretted saying it. Harvey and Ingrid rose to their feet, faces set into wicked smiles as they neared the pile of chocolate.
Knowing that, if they had the chance, the two of them would devour all of the treats, Lloyd ordered:
"Sit down you two and we'll dish the chocolate out fairly."
Groans emerged which Lloyd ignored, instead waiting for his brother and his girlfriend to take their seats. Dinah passed over the numerous boxes containing Easter eggs which Lloyd started dishing out.
"Right, Ian this one is from the rest of us. You bought these two over from home, the one from your dad and the one from your mum and her partner. And these sweets are yours."
Ian beamed, cradling his items to his chest. He sniffed, fake weeping. "This is the happiest day of my life!"
"Mandy, this one if from us and you bought over the two boxes from home, the one from your parents and the one from your sister. And these chocolates are for you."
Mandy smiled warmly at her friends, pulling them into individual hugs one after the other.
"Di, this Easter egg is from us. This box is from Mum and Dad and this one is from me and H. And I know you're not a big fan of chocolate so we got this Pez for you."
A slight smile drifted onto Dinah's face as she gathered her items together. Clutching the Einstein Pez, she muttered:
"Thanks everyone. This is my first Easter spent away from the children's home excluding the one before my parents died and I can tell that this will be the best one in a long time. I appreciate the gifts."
As the others clamoured to tell her that it was no trouble and that they were glad that she was here with them, Harvey sidled up and whispered:
"Can I have your Pez?"
Dinah chuckled but shook her head. Having overheard his little brother, Lloyd shot him a glare.
"H! The Pez belongs to Dinah! Anyway the last time Mum got you one, you complained and threw it away!"
"Yeah well… I didn't want it then! But I want one now!"
Sensing a major tantrum was about to unfold, Mandy slung her arm round Harvey's arm.
"How about later, we go out and buy some?"
Harvey cheered up immensely at this, thanking Mandy as he drew away and cuddled up to Ingrid. Lloyd sighed and continued:
"Right, I have the box from all of you. One from Mum and Dad, one from H, a book on sports from Di and this small bowl of sweets is for me."
Before Lloyd could say anything else, Harvey bought out a gift from under the sofa, shoving it into Ingrid's hands.
"Here you go babe. I know Crunchie is your favourite!"
Ingrid exclaimed excitedly, handing Harvey over her own gift. He examined it, gaping in joy at the contents.
"Crème Egg! YES! Thanks sweetie."
"Anything for you, Harv – Harv. I love you."
Ingrid leant forwards, capturing Harvey's lips. As they made out heatedly, the others chatted, Lloyd splitting the remaining treats between the two youngest. When the pair broke apart, Lloyd clapped his hands together.
"Now we can eat!"
Ian nodded then raised an eyebrow critically at Harvey and Ingrid, drawling:
"Next time you two make out, make sure to hand me a bucket."
Ingrid smiled innocently. "Why?"
"Because you guys make me sick!" Ian's eyes widened as Ingrid lost her smile, her and Harvey descending on the tall boy in a feral way.
"NO! WAIT I WAS JOKING! AH SAVE ME FROM THE RABID BUNNIES!"
Once all the chocolate had been devoured, the six members of SPLAT were reacting in their own ways. Ian groaned, clutching his stomach. He was reclining on a bean – bag, chocolate smeared around his mouth.
"Urgh…. Should not have had those marshmallows as well."
Mandy and Dinah were discussing the latest edition of the Batman comic book, the latter having become attached to the series, ever since the older girl had provided her with a comic book at Halloween last year.
Lloyd was hooked up to the Internet on the PS3, browsing through YouTube and Harvey and Ingrid were downstairs, chasing each other through the living room and kitchen. Mrs Hunter had to dart out of the way when her youngest son nearly barrelled into her, his girlfriend hot on his heels.
She placed her hands on her hips, snapping:
"Harvey! Ingrid! Stop!"
Both children did, their faces alight with glee and smudged with different chocolate colourings, which Mrs Hunter was not best pleased about.
"I don't mind you running about, but do it outside."
The pair nodded and rushed outside, coming close to knocking Mr Hunter over, who had just emerged from the bathroom. He gestured at their retreating backs quizzically.
Mrs Hunter sighed: "They're hyper, Bill. Best keep an eye on them, you know what those two are capable of!"
When it was early evening, Harvey resolved to locate and purchase some Pez. To his surprise, he hadn't needed to beg as Mandy, remembering her promise to him earlier, had managed to get everyone on board for partaking in this task.
Bidding Mr and Mrs Hunter goodbye, SPLAT left the house. Like the chocolate, they were all reacting to being seen out in public in the bunny costumes. Ingrid was striding ahead, unfazed, tugging a bashed Harvey along after her. Lloyd was sticking his chest out, trying to prove that he was 'mature' even though dressed up like a kid. Mandy started playing with Dinah's hair, both blushing furiously when a couple of boys sent them winks.
Ian trailed at the back, stomach gurgling. 'Oh MAN! Why do we gotta WALK?!'
They entered the sweet shop and Harvey spent several months of pocket money on buying the majority of the shop. As he came out, bags tucked under his arms, he shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly, having caught sight of Lloyd's expression.
"It's Easter. Time for chocolate!"
Dinah mumbled to her new older brother. "You think this is bad, wait till Christmas. You remember last year, right?"
On the way home, the five of them bent down and proceeded to hop about like rabbits. A grumbling Ian had opted out of the activity, choosing to carry on walking normally as his stomach was giving him trouble. However his grumbling increased as Harvey dumped the bags of sweets onto him.
Watching his friends hop into the sunset, Ian sighed.
'I'm not a happy bunny at the moment…. But I don't think Harvey will notice TOO MUCH if some of his bags have decreased slightly in weight!'
Taking a handful of sweets, Ian shoved them into his mouth. He finished chewing them, swallowed then crouched down.
"Oh to hell with it. Hey guys! Wait up!" And he hopped off after them.