This is Halloween – – The Citizens of Halloween from The Nightmare Before Christmas
The beginning of October still had the air warm in Delacroix. But the leaves were changing, and the wind brought hope for cooler weather soon. Coming back from their ice cream date, Bucky and Sam sat on the porch of the Wilson house, enjoying the sunset. Sam could see his neighbors putting up their decorations and he chuckled. They always went out for Halloween.
“What’s so funny?”
“The Jacksons and their Halloween decorations.”
“Halloween?” Bucky furrowed his brow. “Isn’t that just for children.”
“Not anymore Buck. Everyone gets into the spirit nowadays. I know Sarah and the boys are just itching to get started.”
“Really? Why? It’s just about monsters and frankly I’ve seen enough.”
Sam took Bucky’s hand, running his thumb over the knuckles. “This isn’t about those type of monsters Buck. Its about dressing up and having fun.”
Just then the boys came running out. “Uncle Sam! Uncle Bucky! When are we going to decorate?”
“Tomorrow boys, I promise. Right now, I’m convincing Bucky that Halloween is fun.”
“Aww, c’mon Uncle Bucky!” AJ said as he jumped in his lap. “Halloween is about dressing up, scaring each other, getting candy and having fun. It’s fun when I scare Cass.”
“You don’t scare me. I let you think that” Cass retorts, crossing his arms.
“All right boys, now is not the time. Let’s get ready for bed. School in the morning,” Sam said with grumbles for replies. “You staying Buck?”
“I gotta go take care of Alpine,” Bucky said, his voice laced with apprehension.
“Buck, talk to me. What’s wrong?”
“I don’t like to be scared.”
Hearing that small voice come from his boyfriend, Sam closed his eyes, not realizing that the former assassin would have some triggers about this. “Tell you what, we make this a happy Halloween. No spooky stuff. We’ll even make our own costumes. Ok?”
Bucky smiled and Sam was happy to see his Brooklyn was back.
*
A few days later, Bucky was cooking breakfast, scrolling through his phone, looking for ideas for a costume. “Prisoner, officer, a pepper shaker. What the hell kinda costumes are these?” he muttered to himself. Sam came down holding Alpine.
“Morning Buck.”
“Morning Sam. Hi Alpine,” scratching the kitten behind the ears.
“Whatcha doing?”
“Looking for a costume. They really don’t have options for me. I mean a plug, really?”
Sam laughed. “This is why I said we would make our own. Get the creative juices flowing.”
Bucky rolled his eyes. “And dress up as what? You as me and me as you,” he said sarcastically.
“That’s actually not a bad idea, Bucky. You can become Captain America for the day. I’ll even let you use the shield and I’ll dress up as the Winter Soldier. But we have to use what we have. No buying a suit or something.”
Bucky thought for a sec. I could do this. It’s not so hard. “Fine. But I am buying this for Alpine.” He held up his phone with a photo of a costume for a cat. Sam rolled his eyes. “It’s a cat Bucky.”
“She’s my daughter, Sam. And I will spoiler her if I want to.”
“Whatever man. Halloween is in five days. You have two to finish your costume.”
Sam went back to his sister’s house, his mind running through ideas on how to become the Winter Soldier. He saw his nephews playing a video game. “Boys, I need your help.”
“Whatcha need Uncle Sam?” Cass asked.
“I’m dressing up as the Winter Soldier for Halloween, but I don’t know how to pull it off.”
“Duct tape!” AJ yells. “Wrap your arm in duct tape.”
“Huh. Around my black sweater. So I can take it off. Cass, grab the tape. Imma go get my sweater.” He raced upstairs and looked for his all-back sweater. Grabbing it off the hanger, he found Cass with the roll of tape and AJ with a red marker.
“For the star,” he explained.
“Oh, so we’re going old school Winter Soldier. All right.” He pulled out his phone.
S: Is old school WS going to be a problem.
B: I don’t think so. As long as I can subdue you later.
S: always Buckbean
B: for that I will have to kill you now 😉
Sam laughed at the reply. “K boys, let’s get started.”
To say the boys had too much fun wrapping Sam’s arm in duct tape was an understatement. But they eventually got it done. They had wrapped the leave in a thick layer and even one of the gardening gloves. AJ got to work on the star, his little tongue sticking out as he drew. “There,” he announces.
“Its perfect guys. Thanks.”
The next day, Bucky went to see Sarah. “Hey Sarah.”
“Hi Bucky, coming for help with the costume?”
“How did you know?” She gave him a mom look and he laughed. “Yeah, ok. I don’t know how to do this.”
“You have that red, white, and blue sweater we gave you?”
“Yeah, I would never wear it.”
“But it would be perfect for this. We could get some cardboard and make you wings. I just got a box so we can cut it to shape and glue them onto the sweater.”
Sarah and Bucky walked back over to Bucky’s house and got to work.
*~*~*~*~
Halloween was here and Sam and Bucky were in separate rooms getting ready. Alpine was weaving herself around Bucky’s ankles. He scooped her up. “Ok Alpine, I got something really pretty for you.” He put on the ballerina costume onto Alpine, fluffy tutu and all. “You look so pretty,” he cooed as Alpine meowed.
He made his way carefully downstairs, not wanting to break the wings that he and Sarah had made, holding Alpine. He rounded the corner and stopped in shock. There stood Sam, all in black with one of his sweater sleeves in metallic silver. Bucky got closer. “Duct tape?”
“The boys’ idea. Do you like it?” Sam smiled big, happy with how his costume turned out.
“I’m not scary?” Bucky was sure everyone would just find him scary.
“Of course, you are scary when you want to be. But this is supposed to be fun. Which is why I don’t have a mask.” Sam cupped Bucky’s face. “You’re not scary to me.”
Alpine decided in that moment to break the tension with a meow. Sam looked down. “I didn’t really think you would do it.”
“She’s my princess. She’s just revealing her true self.” Bucky put Alpine down who immediately tried to get the outfit off. Sam laughed but didn’t comment, knowing it would hurt Bucky’s feelings.
“Ok, I got some movies to watch for us. Nothing too scary, but they are Halloween themed. Plus, we have the basket of candy to give out. Traditionally, we put the porch light off if we weren’t giving candy so,” he flipped the switch, “our lights are on.”
“So, we just eat, watch movies and pass out candy on Halloween?”
“Basically. If we were younger, we could go to a night club but since this is the first one for us, I thought we would take it easy.”
“Thanks Sam. So, what movies?”
Sam pulled out a few DVD boxes. Hocus Pocus, The Sixth Sense and Halloween
“Not super scary?”
“No, hon, not super scary. Well maybe the last one but it’s a classic you should see.”
Sam and Bucky settled down with Alpine in between and started on their movie marathon. Sam planned everything, pizza, ice cream and popcorn. About half hour in, the doorbell rang. “Go on,” Sam urged. Bucky slipped his sweater on and grab the basket. He opened the door.
“Trick or Treat!”
He saw a group of kids dressed up. A witch, a princess, a cowboy and what he thinks in a goblin. “Wow, you kids look great.” He had read that you always compliment the little kids on their costumes. He put some candy in each bag. A chorus of thank you’s followed and the kids ran back to their parents. He turned to Sam, “That’s it?”
“That’s it. Easy right?”
“I guess so.”
Sam and Bucky took turns opening the door. Bucky at one point tried to bribe a kid in a Winter Soldier costume. “Just tell my friend that you like me the best and I’ll let you hold the shield.”
“Ok.”
“Hey Sam!”
“Yeah Buck? Hey kid, looking good.”
“Thanks. Winter Soldier is my favorite.”
Sam looked at Bucky. “You paid him, didn’t you?”
“Have no idea what you are talking about,” as Bucky hands the shield for the kid to hold.
Sam shook his head and headed back in. When the doorbell rang again. Sam got up to answer and saw a kid in a Falcon costume. “That’s a great costume kid.”
“Thanks. Falcon is my favorite.”
“I appreciate that,” Sam says with pride. Bucky comes over and peeks at the kid. He had the full get up and it fills Bucky’s heart with pride as well.
“Yeah, Mr. Torres is so awesome,” the kid says as he gets his candy and scampers off the porch. Sam’s face is shocked, but Bucky can’t keep it in and busted out laughing.
“That’s cold,” Sam says, his face like stone as he looks at Bucky.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry. But babe, you aren’t the Falcon anymore. You’re Captain America and that is so much sexier.” He plants a soft kiss on Sam. “Forgive me?”
“Fine,” Sam says with a pout, causing Bucky to laugh again. They settle back down to the movie. Bucky was ok with the first two movies. Cute for the first, suspenseful for the second. Now onto the scary one. Sam puts it on as the trick-or-treaters begin to slow. “I’m gonna turn off the lights, ok?”
“Sure.”
As the movie went on, Bucky got closer and closer to Sam that he was practically in his lap, not that Sam minded. “Oh c’mon!” Bucky shouted at the screen. “How could you not know he was there?! They are so stupid!” It took everything for Sam not to laugh. But when Michael Myers did the final jump at Laurie, Bucky was done. He buried his face into Sam’s neck, covering his ears. Sam quickly turned off the movie.
“Buck?”
“I’m ok.” A muffled reply came from his neck.
“It’s off Buck.”
“Oh,” Bucky lifted his head. “I don’t like that one.”
Sam chuckled. “We’ll stick with Disney next year. How was the first Halloween?”
“Good. Nicer than I thought. So many kids dressed like you and me. I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Well, you are a hero now. Kids always want to be their heroes.”
Bucky smiled. “You’re my hero.”
Sam smiled. “And you’re mine.” He looked at his watch. 11:58.
“Happy Halloween Bucky.”
“Happy Halloween Sam.”