Theme: Change
Summary: Nothing stayed the same for long.
Watching Z gently push the swing into motion, Jack almost forgot the pumpkin that he was supposed to be carving for the festivities later tonight. The seasons were changing, their relationship was changing, and Z herself was changing. 'I guess it's true, what they say about the only constant being change itself,' he mused, turning back to the orange vegetable that he was gutting.
Being so far out, they didn't get trick-or-treaters, so Z volunteered them to do trick-or-treat duty at SPD. Every year kids seemed to flock to the gate of the Base, begging for candy. Finally, Sky elected someone each year to handle the mass of children, and Z, becoming restless while confined to non-active duty, quickly volunteered them for the job.
A snuffling at his shoulder made him look up, where Deogee was trying to decide if her daddy was doing something fun or not really. Grinning, he offered her a pumpkin-gut covered hand, which she promptly wrinkled her nose at.
"Didn't I tell you it would be gross?" Z questioned from her spot on the swing. Deogee gently wagged her bushy tail before trotting off the porch, sniffing intently. Carving the final touches, Jack turned the pumpkin to show Z.
"Nice…how'd you learn to do that?" she asked, pushing herself to her feet. She stood for a second, letting her body rebalance before making her way to him.
"Ah, here and there. You like it?" he questioned. He had sculpted the flesh into a replica of their SPD badges, a fitting tribute to the Base.
"Yeah, and I think Sky will too. You ready to go get changed?" she answered as she made her way into the house. He called Deogee, pouring kibble into her dish before going down the hallway to their bedroom. He heard the water rushing in the bathroom, heard her sing softly as she washed.
It was funny…she never used to sing in the shower at SPD. She didn't start until she had moved fulltime into the house. He pulled out his costume, wrapping it up into a bundle as the water shut off, and he heard the shower curtain pushed back. Opening the door, he handed her a towel, admiring her form as she dried off. He always thought of pregnant women as ungainly and awkward, but Z was breathtaking right now. She glowed, lit from inside with a stunning brilliance. Her body had gently curved to accommodate the growing form inside her, and he paused on his way into the shower, resting a hand on her belly and gently pressing a kiss to the flesh.
When he emerged from the shower, Z had already changed, choosing a princess outfit for herself, and was applying a final dusting of glitter across her cheeks.
He smirked, sliding on jeans and a white button up shirt, sticking a sticky nametag on the fabric. He padded from the bathroom barefoot, rummaging in his drawer for socks. That at least never changed…he refused to fold and neatly put away socks. Why bother, when you were going to rummage to find a pair later?
Z looked up, confused. "What are you supposed to be?" she asked. Without a word, he pointed to his nametag, leaning a little closer so she could read it.
"Oh, that is so bad Jack! At least your sense of humor hasn't matured any!" she laughed as she slid on her shoes.
The nametag read "O'Lantern".