Trick or Treat!
Arthur closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose tiredly. "For the last time, Alfred, there are not going to be any ghosts out to get you tonight!" he exclaimed at the locked door in front of him.
"B-but Uncle Gilbert said that because I said that ghosts don't exist, they're all going to get me!" a terrified boy's voice replied. Arthur scowled and vowed to have a talk with his husband's energetically chaotic best friend.
"Uncle Gilbert was just kidding – no ghosts are going to get you," Arthur said, walking to the doorknob and trying to open the door. It was still locked. "C'mon Al, we don't have time for you to pull your shenanigans tonight!"
"No luck?" a voice came from the staircase. Arthur turned to see Francis walking towards him, holding Matthew's hand. Matthew was dressed up as Winnie the Pooh, his stuffed polar bear, Kumajiro dressed up as a pot of honey.
"None at all," Arthur replied. "Matthew's already dressed up – why can't you just come on out?" Arthur tried again.
"No!" Alfred shouted back.
"Would you like me to try?" Francis asked.
"Be my guest – I'm going to go get the candy ready for the kids," Arthur replied, walking towards the staircase.
"Remember to get dressed!" Francis called out to his husband.
"I know," Arthur called out over his shoulder.
"Alfred, mon cher," Francis said to the locked door. "Don't you think it will be very fun to dress up in costume and get candy from our neighbours?" Francis asked.
"Lili's brother Vash always gives out good chocolate, Al," Matthew added.
"He does give out really good chocolate," came a reluctant voice from the other side.
"Yes and if we go now, maybe he'll give us even more!" Francis replied, pleased that they were finally making a breakthrough.
They heard a clicking sound and the door opened just a fraction. "You really think so?" Alfred asked, peeping his head out. Francis was pleased to see Alfred was already dressed in his costume.
"Yes, if we ask nicely," Francis said, pushing the door open and picking Alfred up. "Do you want to come trick or treating now?" he asked.
Alfred nodded. "Someone's gotta protect Mattie!" Alfred said, glancing down at his little brother and swinging his feet so that Francis would put him down. "C'mon Mattie – let's see if Yong Soo and Kiku are here yet!" Alfred said once he was on his own feet, grabbing a surprised Matthew by the arm and dragging him downstairs.
Francis chuckled and smiled to himself, following the duo to make sure no one got hurt running down the stairs.
Arthur emerged from the kitchen, a bucket of candy in his arms. "Mission accomplished?" he asked as he saw Alfred and Matthew excitedly opening the front door.
"Oui," Francis answered, taking the bucket away from Arthur to kiss him fully on the lips. "Go get changed – it's almost time to go," Francis murmured. "I'll tend to any kids who come to our house." Arthur nodded and walked away from his husband, trying to remember where he had put his costume.
"Trick or treat, pansies!" a jubilant voice cried out from the door. Alfred flung it open.
"Uncle Gilbert!" he shrieked. A tall, white haired man swooped down and lifted Alfred into the air, swinging him around.
"What are you supposed to be?" Gilbert asked as he put the five year old down, his red eyes glittering.
"The crazy chainsaw guy!" Alfred said in a scary voice, holding up his plastic chainsaw. "Vroom, vroom – I'm gonna get ya, Uncle Gilbert!" he said with a cackle.
"Mein gott don't kill me! I'm too young to die!" Gilbert howled, laughing as he ran into the house, Alfred closely following. Francis rolled his eyes as he watched his best friend be chased by his son.
"What are you supposed to be, a devil?" Francis asked as Gilbert ran behind the Frenchman for shelter from Alfred. Gilbert laughed.
"Don't I look it?" he asked as Alfred attempted to swing the chainsaw at him, running away.
"Nice ears!" Francis called out. He laughed as Gilbert pouted, still trying to dodge Alfred.
"Honestly, one would be surprised you're actually a grown man," a voice came from the staircase.
"One would be surprised you're not an old man," Gilbert shot back, laughing with Alfred and Francis at Arthur's red face.
"Stop laughing, you're egging him on," Arthur growled at Francis, swatting at his arm. Francis smiled and put his arm around Arthur, tugging him closer. Gilbert rolled his eyes at them.
"Daddy, papa…Kiku and Yong Soo are here," a quiet voice said from the door. Matthew had been standing faithfully by the door the entire time, waiting for his friends to arrive.
"You look so cute!" Gilbert cooed, rushing over to Matthew for a hug, startling the boy. Kiku and Yong Soo stared as their friend was lifted to the air by a white haired devil, looking slightly apprehensive.
"No need to worry, that's just the boys' Uncle Gilbert," Arthur said, ushering the young boys into the house. The moment Alfred caught sight of Kiku, he ran to the Japanese boy, asking him excitedly if he liked his costume.
"Are you sure you want to spend your Halloween taking care of four small kids? I can do it myself if you want," Kiku and Yong Soo's adoptive father, Yao, asked. Arthur shook his head.
"No it's fine. Francis and I love Halloween," he replied. Yao chuckled.
"I can see that," he said, gesturing at Arthur's elaborate vampire costume and Arthur laughed as well.
"Same with you," Arthur said, glancing at Yao's zombie costume. Yao smiled and nodded.
The moment Yao left their house, Arthur rounded up all the children at the door. "Now we're going to go tricking or treating now," Arthur said to them very seriously. "Make sure you all say thank you to the people giving you candy and don't run off – I'm talking to you, Alfred," Arthur said to Alfred, who pouted in response.
"Mr. Kirkland sir," Kiku said, tugging at Arthur's sleeve, "will you be trick or treating too?"
Arthur shook his head, smiling. "I'm afraid I'm too old for that," he told them, "but I will be there to supervise you along with Francis."
And with that, the group set off, leaving Gilbert at their house with a bowl of candy and a promise to set Alfred on him if he ate all the candy that was for the kids.
"It's a nice night out," Francis remarked, taking Arthur by the hand as they walked behind the kids.
"It is," Arthur agreed, a light breeze tickling their faces. "D'you think it's too cold for the boys? Should I go get them a sweater or something?" Arthur fretted as a stronger, colder breeze went by them.
"Arthur, look at them," Francis said, motioning to the boys, who were running towards the nearest house. "If they are wearing sweaters, they'll be sweating from all the running they're doing," Francis pointed out.
"You have a point," Arthur muttered. Francis pulled his husband close and wrapped an arm around the Briton's waist. Arthur rested his head on Francis's shoulder.
"Trick or treat!" they heard the four boys chorus.
"Elizaveta is dressed very nicely for the occasion," Arthur remarked as a tall woman with dark brown hair emerged from the house, dressed in a full nurse's outfit, devil horns attached onto her head.
"I believe Roderich is the doctor to her nurse," Francis mused as the boys thanked her profusely and ran off. Elizaveta glanced at the two of them and beamed at them, raising a hand in hello before handing out candy to the newest group of kids.
The two followed the boys to the next few houses in silence, preferring to admire the moderately nice weather and watch as children ran past them, adorn in colourful costumes.
"Hello, Arthur and Francis!" a voice called out at them. The couple looked up to see Elise and Lili running across the street towards them.
"Bonjour Elise," Francis said warmly as the Belgian woman approached them. "Bonjour Lili – the boys are up ahead if you want to join them," he said kindly to Vash Zwingli's little sister, a darling little fairy. She nodded shyly and skipped off, joining Matthew and Yong Soo as Alfred dragged Kiku to another house ahead of them.
"That costume hardly seems child appropriate," Arthur remarked, looking at the tummy revealing, short skirted witch costume Elise was wearing.
Elise laughed, adjusting her purple witch hat. "It isn't supposed to be," she said with a wink. "I'm going to a party after dropping Lili off at Vash's place."
"Aren't you cold?" Francis asked as another gust of cold wind blew past them. Elise shivered slightly.
"Only got one more block to go – maybe Vash'll warm if up if I get cold enough," Elise said with another wink. "I'll see you two later!" she called out, attempting to jog towards Lili with her tall high heels.
"I really don't see what she sees in Vash," Arthur said.
"I think it's romantic," Francis replied with a sigh. "A brash, unemotional man falling for a woman with impeccable fashion sense that loves Lili as much as he does."
Arthur snorted. "You think everything is romantic," he shot at Francis. Francis sniffed.
"That's because it usually is," came the reply.
"Dad! Papa! Hurry up – you guys are slowing us down!" Alfred yelled from the end of the street.
"How on earth did they get there so fast?" Arthur exclaimed, moving away from Francis to run towards his children. Francis smiled and rolled his eyes before running after Arthur.
"Daddy, my bag is heavy," Matthew said quietly to Arthur when he got closer, struggling to hold his bulging shopping bag with one arm.
"Would you like me to hold Kumajiro for you so you can hold your bag with both hands?" Arthur asked his youngest son. Matthew nodded, holding out the fluffy white polar bear toy to his father. Arthur took it from Matthew, the latter running to join Yong Soo, Kiku and Alfred at the next house.
"You look adorable with that bear in your arms," Francis murmured, pecking Arthur lightly on the cheek. His lips' warmth made Arthur's entire cheek heat up.
"Quiet, you," Arthur muttered with a blush. Francis pulled Arthur close to him again and was pleased to feel Arthur snuggle up to him.
The rest of the night went by quickly – thanks to Alfred. The boy's prior fear of ghosts seemed to have disappeared as he ran from each house, his bag filled to the brim with candy. The other three seemed to be faring just as well, bright smiles growing on their faces. Soon enough they reached the Kirkland-Bonnefoy house again.
"Trick or treat!" the boys chorused as Gilbert opened the door. He smirked at them.
"Nope – I'm not giving any of you any candy; I ate it all," he said teasingly. Matthew looked scandalized.
"But the candy was for the kids!" he protested.
"I was only kidding, Mattie," Gilbert said, reaching down to pet Matthew's head.
"Did you have a good night?" Francis asked as they filed into the house, taking their shoes off and hanging their jackets on the coat rack nearby.
"Pretty good actually – I scared a few kids and got some totally awesome compliments for my costume," Gilbert replied with a grin.
"Remind me again why you wanted to give out candy at our house and not yours?" Arthur asked, reaching in for one of the last few chocolates and popping it into his mouth. Gilbert shrugged.
"Feliciano wanted to dress up as werewolves with my bro so I let them hand out candy at our place and came here instead – besides, you guys have better cable," Gilbert replied, motioning at the working TV set, where a scary movie was playing. Arthur walked over and turned the movie off before Alfred or any of the other boys could see – but especially Alfred. Arthur wasn't in the mood to reassure Alfred that monsters weren't going to get him.
Not too long afterwards, Yao came back for the boys, greeting Arthur and Francis warmly and gently refusing their offer to come in and have tea.
"It's getting late and the boys have school," Yao said before walking away with Yong Soo and Kiku. Kiku turned around to wave back at an energetic Alfred before running to catch up with his brother and adoptive father.
Matthew stifled a yawn, no longer in his bear costume but in his favourite maple leaf pyjamas. The yawn was contagious; Alfred yawned as well, scratching his tummy lazily. Alfred covered his mouth quickly, hoping Arthur didn't see.
"Bed you two," Arthur said briskly, pushing the two boys towards the stairs. Too tired to argue Alfred began to climb the stairs. Matthew paused to hug both his fathers.
"Night papa, 'night daddy," Matthew whispered.
"No hug for me?" Gilbert called out from the living room.
"Why are you still here?" Arthur demanded crossly; he had forgotten about the albino.
Gilbert waited for Matthew's response, his arms stretched out wide. Matthew cautiously approached his 'uncle' and gave him a quick hug before running upstairs.
"Now get out," Arthur said in a finite tone. Gilbert pouted.
"Can't I stay?" Gilbert asked. "Who knows what my bro and Feliciano are doing back at my place," he said with a shudder.
"Probably nothing that you're thinking of. Now leave," Arthur said, pointing at the door. Gilbert frowned.
"Rude," he muttered, walking towards the door. "I'll see you at work, Francis," he said to the Frenchman before leaving the house.
"We're finally alone," Francis said smoothly, planting a kiss on Arthur's cheek. Arthur swatted him away, blushing a brilliant red.
"Let's get to bed – we have to wake up early to make the boys' lunches," Arthur said, starting up the stairs.
"You mean I have to make the boys' lunches," Francis teased, expertly dodging Arthur's punch.
"It's going to take forever to wash that makeup off," Arthur remarked as they walked into their room and began changing out of their costumes. Francis shrugged.
"A small price to pay for having a magnificent costume," Francis sniffed.
Arthur pulled off the headband-hat and set it down on the dressing table, pulling off his jacket and stifling yawn. "What were you supposed to be anyways?" Arthur asked, watching his husband take off his white tuxedo.
"A ghost, isn't it obvious?" Francis asked, walking towards the washroom in their room.
"You look like a dead Austrian from the 17th century," Arthur remarked.
"Then I suppose that's what I am," Francis replied, disappearing into the washroom. Arthur finished changing and pulled on some pants and a light t-shirt, climbing into bed, his eyes already beginning to close.
He heard Francis leave the washroom 15 minutes later, his face devoid of pale white face makeup and already wearing his bed clothes.
"Are you asleep already, mon cher?" Francis asked as he climbed into bed.
"Almost," Arthur muttered, rolling over to snuggle closer to Francis.
"Happy Halloween, Arthur," Francis whispered, planting a kiss on Arthur's forehead. Arthur smiled, opening his eyes.
"You too," he murmured, leaning into kiss Francis on the lips.
The end.
A/N: All the characters are wearing the costumes that Himaruya drew for them. 'Cept Mattie cuz Himaruya didn't draw one for him. I didn't say what Yong Soo was because I had no idea xD Any suggestions?
Review or a ghost will haunt 5 year old!Alfred! D: