Hello, my friends! Sorry for not updating for a little bit. Been sick for about a week with this weird stomach bug and just haven't felt well enough to write any. But hey, here I am! Nice to see all of ya lol
Just so y'all know I have been deliriously listening to my friend Ted play Kingdom Hearts while I'm being a sappy bitch so lol Hope you enjoy!
Halloween was always one of my favorite holidays as a kid.
The fact I could dress up like anything I wanted and find a way to be someone else for a night was always near and dear to my heart. I was able to find strength in the characters I portrayed. It meant a lot to me, especially after my dad left.
Toby and I took the opportunity a lot to dress up like those we idolized. For him, it was a lot of Gun Robot. For me, it was a lot of different superheroes. Spider-Man most definitely.
Speaking of which, this was the first of which I didn't have him to dress up with me.
I looked down to my costume that I decked myself up in as I looked over the familiar blue and red pattern. The spandex mask in my hand stretched slightly as I held it tight between my hands.
The first of many things without him.
I swallowed hard as I tried my best to keep myself from becoming a mess.
It's been three months since we saved the world. At the price of many things, but we achieved it. Each of us lost something in the war. All of us were broken in a way. From the loss of family, friends, and companions.
But the thought didn't make the pain any better.
"You alright there, mate?" I looked over toward Douxie who had a worried look in his eyes as he placed a hand on my shoulders. The wizard was dressed as Dr. Strange to match long with the theme that Claire and I created to give us a little more of a child-like feel this Halloween. Though, he took some creative liberty with the costume. The red cape was now a black accent to the indigo rope he wore. His skull necklace replaced the Eye of Agamotto pendant the character wore which made it a lot more of a Douxie feeling outfit. "You kinda seem outta it."
"I am." I swallowed hard as I dropped my hands to my sides. My mask stuck with my left hand as I did so. "Just thinking of how Tobes and I would dress up for Halloween all the time together."
"Ah~." Douxie gave me a knowing look as he patted my shoulder once. "I gotcha mate. I've been thinking of Arch for a while too. We used to make it so that he was on my shoulder as I would dress like a simple witch." The wizard gave a small smile as he shook his head. "Used to do little spells and convince little kids that they were only real cause they believed in it. Little ones would be obsessed with how 'trained' Archie was." Douxie gave out a whole-hearted laugh as he placed his free hand over his chest and placed it on his left shoulder. "Sometimes it feels like he's still right there though. That his presence is never gone."
"It feels the same with Toby a lot too." I glanced down at my mask once more before looking back up to Douxie.
"Want to know what's good about that, Jim?" I gave the spellcaster a curious look before he continued. "That means they're still here in a way."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Just that. They're still living. In memory, of course, but they're still here." Douxie gave me a gentle smile as he pulled me into his side. "Each one is still in your heart. The fact they're there and they're still in your memory, that's what matters."
"What kind of 'Friendship Is Magic' shit did I just walk into?" I snapped my attention toward Claire's voice as I felt her hand grace my back. "How ya doing, Tiger?" I smiled softly toward Claire as her light leather jacket-wearing version of Mary Jane was obvious with the camera hanging loosely around her neck.
"We were talking about Toby and Archie. About how they're still here in a way." Claire's smile she was showcasing softened as she looked over toward Douxie before looking back toward me.
"Of course they're still here. They're always right here with us, love. No matter what happens, they're here."
"Weren't you just not calling that something and I quote 'Friendship Is Magic shit'?"
"Shush." I smiled at the two of them as I looked back down to my mask which was in both of my hands again.
They're right.
No matter what happens, they're here with me. They're in my heart. Toby, Archie, Strickler, or Draal. They're with me.
I took my mask and pulled it over my head with a smile.
And my heart will forever love them.
And that love will never fade.