Halloween Nostalgia

Maria pawed through her purse one last time, ensuring she had everything she needed, followed by an affirmative nod of the head. She looked up to her eldest son, home from college for a week, and beamed. "Thank you for looking after Carlos tonight," she said with a glance over to her youngest, who was engrossed in a battle on his Switch. "Remember to stick to the neighborhood, don't go any further than Maple Avenue, and be home before eight! I don't want you staying out all night. And don't forget to-"

"Don't worry mom," Gabe interrupted. His mom always worried. "We'll be safe."

"And Carlos." Maria leaned down to speak quieter. "Thank you for amusing your brother, I know Halloween isn't your favorite."

"Aha..." Carlos mumbled, keeping his focus on his game.

"You say it like I'm forcing him to go!" Gabe said with a exaggerated pout. "Now hurry along or you'll be late." He waved his mom goodbye, then ran to the storage cupboard where he'd stored two bags, each containing a costume. The words "Costume Plaza" in big balloon letters adorned each one. He chucked the largest bag to Carlos, who grumbled as he paused his game. Gabe was practically bouncing with energy. "I hope you're ready for a spook-filled night!"

"You know I'm not." Carlos groaned, taking his bag by the handle. "But you'll never shut up about it if I don't."

"That's the spirit!" Gabe cheered, watching as his brother slunk towards the stairs. "We should leave within the hour if we don't want to miss the good candy!"

Carlos stomped upstairs with his bagged costume, clearly unhappy with the situation. As for Gabe, he couldn't wait to try his costume on. He carefully slid the garment out of its bag and gazed upon its beauty. Well, it was a cheap looking Loki costume, the kind made for a kid. But the difference was that this was actually magic. Though, now that he had it in hand, he had to admit that he had his doubts. It was clearly made for a child half his size. What if the claims were bogus? He'd be fifty bucks down with a tattered costume and major humiliation... 

"Well, here goes nothing..." He took his clothes off and began to put this tiny costume on. The first thing he noticed was just how stretchy it was. It actually stretched to fit his entire body, albeit incredibly tight. He felt like if he were to move any part of his body, it would suddenly rip. He waited motionless for a few seconds until he noticed the room expanding around him. He was shrinking! It was like the costume was pulling itself back to its original size, and it was taking him with it. He felt a weird wooshing as he crept closer and closer to the floor. Within minutes, he had become a kid-sized Loki. He couldn't help but marvel at what had happened. He stroked his face, now smooth and lacking his distinctive goatee. He felt energetic and care-free. And most of all, eager to go trick or treating! He just had to make one little arrangement...

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Carlos stepped into his bedroom and removed his outfit for the evening from its plastic confines; a gray business suit with a plain white shirt, and a few accessories. He nodded his head in approval, it looked high quality for a rental suit, fashionable even. Especially compared to his usual attire. Yet despite the impressive quality, it didn't appear to be magical at first glance. Carlos sighed, wondering how he managed to get himself caught up in his brother's crazy scheme.

Since Gabe was in his final year at college, he'd started to feel a tad nostalgic. The realisation that soon he'd be leaving education and starting an actual career was daunting. And nothing dredged up those nostalgic feelings more than Halloween. He used to trick or treat every year until he reached his teens when it was awkward to beg for candy with a bunch of little kids. He tried recreating those bygone days by taking Carlos trick or treating, but his little bro had no Halloween spirit at all. Even the enticing pull of free candy couldn't get him to budge. Then he stumbled across Costume Plaza. He could trick or treat once again! He just needed a chaperone. After relentless badgering, Gabe succeeded in convincing his brother to give it a shot, on the condition that Carlos could pick his own outfit.

Honestly, the only reason Carlos finally relented was to get to the truth. He had no interest in Halloween at all, especially now he was nearing his teens. but Costume Plaza had been a mysterious enigma to him, ever since it came to town. His friend insisted it was the real deal. He even showed pictures of the time he got a costume for a party he went to earlier in the year. Although there wasn't any way to really prove that busty blond cheerleader really was him. Now was his chance to see what the fuss was about.

He was pleased to discover that Costume Plaza didn't just sell costumes from comics and fairy-tales. They also sold clothes that were indistinguishable from normal clothes. Which had given him an idea. Gabe wanted him to be a chaperone for the evening, so why not go full adult? 

Putting his doubts aside, Carlos finally stripped out of his own clothes, put on the supposedly magic outfit, and waited. He felt a little foolish, they were clearly made for someone far bigger than he was. He didn't feel any different, aside from the notion that he was dressed in his dad's clothes. Yet before he had the chance to take anything off, he suddenly sprouted a foot taller. He gasped, the sudden vertical lift made his stomach churn. 

His arms wiggled down his shirt sleeves, bursting free with a wiggle of his fingers. He gazed in awe at his broader, veiny paws, noticing the little pinpricks of hair that thickened around his wrists. He had to release the buckle on his belt as his torso widened and his pants shuffled down his waist. Within moments, he'd gone from a pale imitation to a suit tailor made for his body. The finale came as an irritating itch, as thousands of hairs poked through his skin and covered his torso, slightly darkening his otherwise piercing white dress shirt. With it, a short, scruffy beard sprouted across his cheeks, heavier around the chin and under his nose.

Carlos stared at the man in the mirror, far older and buffer than he'd even been before. He was dumbstruck, he even unbuttoned his shirt to see if he'd changed completely. Judging by the abundance of dark hair, and impressively built muscles, he was a man through and through. A tiny smile cracked his lips. He couldn't believe it, it was all real! Then the realisation hit him. He'd transformed into an actual adult, who was incredibly handsome if he did say so himself, and he'd foolishly agreed to chaperone his brother for the night! Now that he knew of the costume's awesome power, ideas sprung into his mind for next time. And there would be a next time. He could go into town, maybe visit a bar or a nightclub. Or he could find a way to get closer to Gerard, and hang out with him, man to man... He blushed as he felt a pressure within in his pants at the thought of the bearish neighbor. Maybe if he rushed Gabe around town, they could be home early, and he wouldn't have to wait. Gerard was only a few doors down, after all...

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Gabe sat on the sofa, eagerly waiting for Carlos to come down the stairs. Finally, He heard that familiar stair stomp, now significantly heavier than it once was. He spun around on the sofa and got a good glimpse of his baby brother, who was not such a baby any longer. He'd grown into quite the attractive man. Gabe could tell that Carlos wanted to burst out laughing at his shrunken form, but he managed to stifle his laughter and spit out, "looks like you're ready to go."

"Almost, I've just got to grab a bag." While Gabe went looking for something to hold his candy, Carlos stood by the door, and fiddled with the various rings that came with his costume. He was raring to get things over and done with, so he could get more acquainted with his older form. As Gabe picked through a basket of shopping bags, he said aloud, "when you said you were just going to be some normal guy, I didn't expect this. You look very... formal..."

Carlos sighed. "Look, Halloween is your thing. But if I had to join your weird trick or treating scheme, I figured I'd at least look stylish."

"Well you'll definitely stand out amongst the others in a suit like that." Gabe stared up at the man, and cocked his head with a perplexed look. "So was this intentional, 'cause you look older than me..."

"I thought it'd make more sense if we looked like father and son," Carlos said, scratching the back of his head, a little self-conscious. Why, is it too much?"

Gabe shook his head. "No, you look younger than dad. But maybe show a little less skin..."

"I just wanted to look a bit more mature," he muttered, and ran a few fingers through his chest hair, before relenting and rebuttoning his shirt. He mumbled under his breath, "I bet Gerard would think I looked cool..."

"You mean the big guy at the end of the street? With the pottery studio?"

"He does more than pottery," Carlos replied. "He has this whole room filled with vases, and sculptures, and stuff. He's nice, he lets me stay at his place if I get home from school before anyone else does, and he lets me use the potter's wheel sometimes. He's really cool." He thought about the last time he visited, how the man offered him a quick sculpting lesson. His broad, manly hands delicately guiding his own around the clay, his soft belly occasionally bumping against his back. His cheeks flushed red at the memory, his rugged features softening for just a moment.

"Oooh, now I get it," Gabe piped up as a knowing smile flashed across his lips. "Somebody has a crush!"

"What? No, shut up!" Carlos snapped back defensively. "He's just the coolest guy in town, and he has some awesome tattoos, and a nice beard, and he's really big, and did you know he drives a motorcycle? And has a sword collection? And he has a chilli pepper garden! God, he's so awesome..."

"You know, we could always stop by his house last, and I could leave you two alone..." 

Gabe made a smoochy face, and Carlos pushed him away with a scowl. "Stop it! He's a smart man, he'd see right through my costume."

"Well I heard if you take the costume off before time's up, you get to stay that way forever. I'm sure Mom wouldn't mind another big, strong man to help around the house now that Dad's gone. And you'd be there too."

There was a knock at the door. Carlos sighed, burying his face in his hands, hoping his bright red face would vanish. Then he jabbed a finger at his brother. "You stop that," he growled, before heading to the front door. 

"Trick or treat!" A few boys screamed as he opened the door. There was a mini Black Panther, a little Captain America, and a tiny Shang-Chi .

Carlos rubbed the back of his neck, and muttered "Sorry, we were just about to leave ourselves..."

The boy in front looked passed Carlos and his face lit up. "Gabe!? Holy shit!" The group barged past an already disgruntled Carlos and surrounded their fellow kid.

"Why'd you pick Loki, I thought we were all gonna be heroes!"

"Well he's an anti-hero now."

"The TV shows don't count..."

"If I'd known, I would have gone as Thor!"

"Grr... Gabe!" Carlos bellowed, loud enough to grab the kid's attention again. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, then growled "what's going on here? How do you know these kids?"

"Well I may have mentioned my costume idea to a few guys at college and, well, here we are!" They all high fived, eager for candy.

"Woah now, you only said it'd be us two. There was no mention of other kid adults...adult kids...? Whatever this is supposed to be! It's bad enough you roped me into your weird little roleplay, but I'm not a daycare center!" 

"But we're only kids mister P" one whimpered.

"No! Don't call me mister, it's-"

"We can't twick or tweat by ourselves, we're too widdle..."

"You're in college! If anything, I should-"

"We just wanna get candy. Pwease?"

The kids stared puppy dogs eyes at Carlos until he groaned and whined "Fine, fine! This may as well happen... Let's just leave before some actual trick or treaters arrive."

The mini heroes cheered, and headed towards the open door. But before Gabe could follow, Carlos grabbed him by the cape. "You owe me big time for this," he growled with a menacing snarl.

"Oh, don't worry," Gabe replied with a suspicious grin. "You'll be enjoying an exclusive private lesson with Pottery Guy by the end of the night, if I can help it."

Carlos released Gabe, and stuttered, "no, you're not doing that! I don't want you messing things up with him!" He watched as his brother darted off to his friends, and sighed. This was going to be a disaster in the making...