Halloween

Batman ran through the house screaming happily, his cape billowing behind him. He found his Daddy in the kitchen, pulling a tray of freshly baked cookies out of the oven.

He stopped short, temporarily forgetting what he came to say, mesmerized by the cookies.

"Looking for me, buddy?" Daddy asked

"I wanna cookie" he removed his mask, and licked his lips involuntarily, not ready to move past the treats just yet.

"They are still hot. Let them cool off a bit so we can decorate them, then you can pick one" he told the little boy.

"Can I pick mine now?" He pleaded hopefully, looking at the scary Halloween shapes.

"Sure" Daddy moved the tray down to Jack's height so he could make his selection.

"Make sure not to touch the hot tray" Daddy reminded.

Keeping his fingers at a safe distance, Jack chose a ghost-shaped cookie.

Pleased with his selection, he remembered why he came looking for Daddy to begin with.

"Daddy?"

"Yes darling?" Daddy put the cookies near the open window to help them cool off.

"Are we going twikotweeting soon?" he asked excitedly.

"We have to wait for Papa to come home from work."

"But how much looongggger" he started to whine.

"Soon" Daddy answered.

"The ghosts in the haunted house will be sleeeeping soooon" his active imagination was worried.

"We don't want Papa to feel sad that we went without him, do we?" Daddy asked gently. "And ghosts sleep during the day" he added.

Jack thought about that, then agreed with his Daddy.

"I wanna lollipop" Jack eyed the candy bowl set up for trick-or- treaters

"How about I make you a nice peanut butter sandwich?" trying to distract the boy.

Jack wasn't one to be easily redirected "No san-witches!" he stomped his little foot, frowning.

"Jack" Daddy warned "Do you want a time out?"

"Noooo!" The little boy sniffled dramatically, feeling sorry for himself, "I wana lollypop" he added more quietly.

"There will be plenty of candy later, now you need to eat dinner. Would you like peanut butter, or macaroni and cheese."

Jack thought about it, not happy with his choices. "Can I have chocolate milk with my san-witch?" he negotiated.

"Yes. Come sit down" Daddy settled Jack at the table, with the peanut butter sandwich, chocolate milk, and a side of apple slices.

"Baby ghosts, too?" Jack asked thoughtfully, while sipping his milk.

"What?" Daddy asked, unsure what he son was referring too.

"Do baby ghosts sleep in the day too?"

Daddy smiled at Jack's thought process. "Yes" he answered easily. "Now eat your dinner or we won't be able to go to the haunted house, or trick-or-treating." Jack gasped at the possibility.

"Only little boys who eat dinner can go trick-or- treating, otherwise they won't have energy to go to all the houses on the block. You want to have energy, don't you?"

"Yes" he agreed "I want emergy so we can go to every house!"

"Energy" Daddy corrected

"Daddy can we make a san-witch for Papa so he has emergy too?"

"Energy" Daddy corrected again.

Daddy agreed, making a plate of chunky peanut butter sandwiches, with his husband's favorite jam. He knew his husband, who was a huge fan of the childhood food, would love the idea of a simple dinner that night.

Jack heard the key in the front door, his face buried in his sandwich, food smeared all over his cheeks.

"Papa" he yelled as he dropped his food back on the plate before him, about to race from his seat.

"Freeze" Daddy ordered before he could slide from his seat. "Finish eating" he instructed.

"In here" he called out to his husband.

Forlorn, Jack picked the sandwich back up, but brightened immediately when Papa walked into the kitchen

"Papa" Jack screamed his greeting again, this time continuing to eat.

"Hey buddy" Papa ran his large hand through his son's hair, mussing it up before kissing the sticky cheek.

"Hey darling" he moved on to his husband, circling his arms around the slim waist, pulling him in for a kiss.

"Papa come eat for emergy" Jack interrupted.

"What?" Papa laughed against Daddy's neck, kissing him again before stepping back, looking at his son.

"Energy" Daddy corrected.

Papa removed his suit jacket and loosened his tie before sitting down next to Jack.

Daddy put a plate of food before him

"Yum peanut butter and jelly for dinner, my favorite" Papa winked at Daddy, causing their young son to burst into giggles.

"What are you eating, love?" Papa asked Daddy, as he enjoyed his food.

"I ate the leftover lasagna a little while ago."

"Why don't you have a yogurt and some fruit before we head out" Papa suggested lightly.

Daddy was busy decorating the cookies while his boys finished eating, Papa getting filled in by Jack on every detail of the day he missed while he was at work.

"….and Daddy said the baby ghosts sleep in the daytime" he ended.

"Is that so?" Papa smirked, looking back at his husband who was leaning over the tray of sugary cookies. Daddy lifted his head; making eye contact with Papa, eyes sparking with amusement.

"Finished" Jack yelled, his empty plate in front of him. He slid off his seat, wanting to watch his Daddy decorate.

"No little mister", Papa grabbed the tiny forearm of his son, holding the sticky hand away from all surfaces.

"We wash our hands before we do anything else." Papa used a napkin to wipe the boy's face and hands before helping him to the sink. Jack stepped up on his stepstool as Papa adjusted the water temperature then put liquid soap into the cupped hands. Papa helped him suds up his hands before putting them under the running water. Papa moistened a paper towel, wiping down the impatient face before letting the boy off the stepstool.

Jack ran quickly to Daddy, eyes scanning the now colorfully decorated sweets.

"Where's my cookie?" He asked excitedly.

Daddy pointed to the ghost covered with blue and white glitter powder.

"Yay!" Jack yelled, grabbing for it, and taking a bite.

"What do you say to Daddy for making such wonderful cookies?" Papa prompted as the child swallowed the first mouthful.

"Thank you!" Jack said happily, as he took his second bite.

"You're welcome, precious" Daddy kissed Jack's forehead lovingly.

After the dinner dishes were washed and put away, Papa went upstairs to change. Daddy finished his yogurt then helped a reluctant Jack pick up the toys scattered on the living room floor.

Papa returned, wearing jeans and a sweater, a pirate's hat and eye patch. Jack squealed happily as Papa handed him his pumpkin basket. Daddy left his boys in the living room, and returned a few minutes later in a long honey-colored wig, lip gloss and full eye makeup, with leggings and a short sweater-dress.

Papa whistled as he looked his husband up and down.

"You like?" Daddy flirted, turning around, so his man could appreciate the full effect, before being pulled in for a tight hug. "Sexy" Papa whispered, kissing his cheek, not wanting to mess up the makeup.

"Daddy, you look like a girl" Jack smiled widely, impressed. They left their home hand in hand, their son pulling them along eagerly.

After two hours of scary costumes, and a spooky walk through their neighbor's haunted house, the trio returned home. Daddy and Papa were ready for bed- Jack was interested in sorting through his spoils.

"Bath time" Daddy announced pulling off his wig, as Jack made himself comfortable at the kitchen table, the contents of his pumpkin basket spilled out before him.

"Noooooo" he whined, as his eyes quickly picked out the most desirable treats, setting them aside from the bunch.

"Jack!" Papa warned, as he locked the front door for the night, setting their alarm.

"Commmmming" Jack slid off his chair, dejected, looking back at his candy mournfully.

"Can I look at my candy after my bath?" He asked Daddy hopefully, as he was lifted and placed into the warm water.

"After your bath is story time, darling, but tomorrow morning you can pick out two pieces of candy that you want in your lunchbox."

"Ok" Jack agreed, not too happy about it.

Daddy expertly ran the washcloth over the small body, then shampooed his hair, while he played with his bath toys, talking to himself in an animated fashion.

Unaware that Daddy had rinsed off all the suds, he was sad when bath-time was over and he was lifted from the tub and wrapped in a big towel. He giggled as Daddy dried him, rubbing the fluffy fabric on his soft skin.

Daddy dressed him in a pair of pull-ups and jammies before carrying him to his bedroom, tucking him under the thick comforter.

"Can Papa bring up my candy so I can look at it?" He tried his luck on last time.

"No food in the bedroom" Daddy reminded Jack of their house rule.

"Thomas the tank engine!" Jack called out, as Daddy went to pull a book from the shelf.

Just as Daddy settled to the right of Jack, Papa came into the softly lit room, and settling to Jack's left. Daddy and Papa alternated reading to a sleepy Jack, pointing out interesting things in the pictures as they turned each page. Jack was fast asleep as they reached the end of the book. Daddy and Papa kissed him gently, wishing him sweet dreams before they left the room, dimming the lights further, leaving the door ajar.

Spencer flopped down on their king- size bed.

"When did we get so oooold?" he asked his husband who stretched out beside him. "It's only 9:00, but it feels like midnight" he groaned.

Aaron rolled onto his side, propping himself up on his elbow looking down at his tired husband. He leaned down, capturing the soft lips in a long, deep kiss. Breaking the kiss, Aaron rolled onto Spencer, resting his head on the younger man's chest.

"Derek is probably just starting his night now" Aaron laughed.

"How was work?" Spencer asked softly, after a few moments of comfortable silence, eyes closed while he ran his fingers through his husband's hair.

"Busy" Aaron mumbled sleepily into the sweater he was lying on. "But as long as I don't have to travel anymore, it's worth it" he added, lifting his head up, looking into Spencer's eyes.

"I love you" Spencer smiled gently, caressing his husband's stubble covered cheeks.

Too tired to move, Aaron laid his cheek back down on Spencer.

"We should get ready for bed" Spencer prompted gently. "It'll feel more comfortable then sleeping in jeans." He reached down, swatting the covered tush playfully.

"Ow" Aaron rolled away, laughing.

The two regrettably got out of bed, removing their wedding bands, then stripping their clothing off as they walked to the bathroom, tossing the laundry into the hamper.

Spencer started the shower as Aaron brushed his teeth. Aaron then joined his husband under the warm spray, as they quickly washed their hair, face, and bodies. Spencer washed Aaron's back, then turned so Aaron could return the favor.

After rinsing off, Spencer stepped out of the shower and wrapped himself in a large towel, using a second towel to wrap his wet hair before standing in front of the sink to brush his teeth.

Aaron turned the shower off, stepping out and toweling off, rubbing the towel briskly through his short wet hair. He hung the wet towel on a rod to dry, then walked naked back to the bedroom, pulling the covers back and slipping into the bed.

Spencer followed him a short time later, wearing one of Aaron's old tee shirts and nothing else, wet hair neatly combed, face and hands moisturized. Aaron's eyes followed Spencer around the bedroom appreciating the naked, exposed bottom.

Spencer grabbed the baby monitor, placing it on the nightstand before closing their bedroom door. He smiled at Aaron, eyes locked as he slipped into bed, enjoying the lustful look in his husband's eyes. Aaron embraced Spencer, quickly rolling the two over, so that Spencer was lying on his back, and Aaron was resting between his bend and spread knees.

Aaron made passionate love to his husband, enjoying every moan and whimper. They fell asleep in each other's arms, comforted by the warmth of their home, and safety of their small family.