Work Text:
It was the worst Halloween ever, which was not a sentence Skid ever thought he would say.
6:30 PM, the magical time when trick-or-treating started, was nearing, and Skid was watching the trick-or-treaters milling about in the growing darkness out the window. He scowled and rested his cheek on his hand. One of his legs was held out in an extremely uncomfortable way, but he had to keep it this way so the bone would set and heal properly.
Tragedy of tragedies, Skid had broken his leg jumping off the swings at the park a few days ago, about a week before Halloween, which meant he was confined to his house during his most favorite day of the year, which was excruciating for a boy who seemed to live only for the spooky season. He spent the earlier hours of the holiday sulking around his home, wearing his skeleton costume, as if dressing up would make him feel better. In fact, it only made him feel worse. The only thing that could possibly cheer him up was-
The doorbell rang, and Skid’s ears perked up. There!
Skid floundered his way to the other end of the couch, from which he was able to wrench the door open. There stood Pump, Skid’s second-favorite person in the whole world, beaming up at him with his gap-toothed smile. Skid flung himself into Pump’s arms, almost knocking them both over. Pump quickly steadied Skid and hugged him back, giggling breathlessly.
“Careful!” Pump scolded. Skid just rolled his eyes and laughed.
To be honest, Pump had spent more time at Skid’s house than his own in the past few weeks. As soon as he’d gotten the news about Skid’s leg, Pump had pestered his grandfather into driving him to the hospital, where Pump had barged into the patient’s ward without express permission from the hospital staff. Upon seeing Skid lying on the patient’s bed, scowling at his injured leg, Pump had burst into a gleeful grin.
“Oh, I’ve always wanted to do this!” he had crowed as he skipped over. He had brandished an orange Sharpie and signed the cast in such large handwriting that Skid had doubted that anyone else would be able to find room for their own signature.
“There you go, all better.” Pump had said, smiling cheekily. Skid, despite himself, had burst out laughing. To anyone else, it may have looked like Pump wasn’t taking the injury seriously, but it was honestly exactly what Skid had needed. He’d had quite enough of his mother fretting over him and the doctors tutting at his irresponsible behavior, and a few lighthearted jokes from Pump were a breath of fresh air. Also, that was just the way the boys’ friendship worked. As soon as they’d established that they were safe, that they were okay, every joke imagineable will fly.
Pump had spent every hour he could at Skid and Lila’s home, helping out with whatever he could. After school- Skid was unable to attend, because the school was quite old and outdated and didn’t have many accomadations for students on crutches to get around- Pump brought Skid the limited homework he had been assigned (rarely more than a few worksheets, given that the boys were only in second grade) and informed the invalid of the daily comings-and-goings of the schoolyard. Skid always looked forward with bated breath to Pump’s daily visits, to see his sunny face and hear his cheerful voice. Without Pump, Skid reflected, he might have been quite miserable not being able to move around.
Presently, Pump guided Skid over to the couch and sat down next to him.
“You excited to trick-or-treat?” Skid asked, trying hard to keep all jealousy out of his tone. He obviously didn’t quite succeed, because Pump raised an eyebrow at him.
“I guess. Won’t be as fun without you,” Pump said, tucking his knees up to his chin. “What’re your plans?”
“Probably just sitting here. Mom should be home soon, then we’re gonna watch some horror movies together.”
“Sounds fun. I might get back in time to watch too?”
“Sure,” Skid said. He knew he sounded unenthusiastic, because Pump sighed and scooted closer to him.
“I’ll bring you back extra candy?” he offered.
“Thanks.” Skid closed his eyes. The laughter of the other children outside drifted in through the open window, taunting him. The sun was dipping over the horizon. Pump had better get a move on, or else all the good candy would be gone.
Pump stood up and gave Skid a hug. “I’ll be back soon. We can have a sleepover and share our candy and watch horror movies! It’ll be the best Halloween ever!”
“Yeah… Have fun.” Skid halfheartedly hugged Pump back, and waved as his friend skipped out the front door. Skid sighed and flopped back against the couch, glaring at the ceiling with his arms crossed. He looked, honestly, quite ridiculous; an eight-year-old boy in a skeleton costume with a leg cast, scowling at the ceiling fan as if he hated it.
Not fifteen minutes had passed before a knock came at the door. Skid dragged himself to open it, and was surprised by seeing Pump.
“Trick or treat?” Pump said, smiling awkwardly.
“Whatcha doing back so early?” Skid asked, confused. Pump scuffed the ground, trying hard to look casual.
“Oh,” he said, “I just thought that, well, trick-or-treating alone is silly. Also, Susie says I’m not allowed out past seven without a buddy, so…”
Skid felt a smile creeping across his face. “You sure?”
Pump grinned. “Well, it ain’t Halloween without you, so I thought I’d come back here with you instead. If- If that’s okay, of course-”
Skid responded by launching himself off the couch and into Pump’s center of mass, wrapping his arms tightly around his friend’s waist.
“Whoa! Be careful with that leg!” Pump cried, pinwheeling for balance as he chuckled. Pump, for the second time that day, helped Skid back into the house. Skid felt as if his heart might burst. He knew how much Pump loved trick-or-treating, so he also knew how much he must mean to his best friend if Pump was willing to skip for him. Skid didn’t let go of him until they had reached the couch again. Skid didn’t have the words to thank Pump, so he just hugged onto his friend like a koala, hoping that conveyed his gratitude. When their eyes met, Pump threw a wink his way, so Skid knew he understood.
Soon, Lila came home and heard animated talking from the living room. She found the boys there, chatting away inside a pillow fort they’d made together.
“Hi, Mom!” Skid chirped with more energy than she’d heard from him in a few days. Pump waved at her.
“Hey, boys. Back from trick-or-treating so early?” Lila directed the question to Pump, who shrugged and smiled.
“Didn’t feel like it,” Pump said casually. “So I decided to stay home with Skid, if that’s okay.”
Lila obviously saw through Pump’s breezy tone and smiled at him with true gratitude in her eyes. “Of course that’s okay, sweetie. I just happened to bring some candy home from the store-” She brandished the familiar blue-and-pink bag, “so it looks like everything works out! I’ll just get changed and we can watch a movie together, eh? Sound like a plan?”
“Yes!” Skid and Pump cheered together. Lila went to change out of her work clothes. When she returned, she knocked lightly on the pillow fortress. Both boys poked their heads out, waiting expectantly.
“Password?” they said together.
Lila thought for a moment, then shrugged and tried, “Trick or treat?”
Skid and Pump nodded solemnly and scooted over, allowing Lila access. It was a bit tight, but the three of them were able to fit snugly inside with a perfect view of the TV, where Lila put on a silly horror movie, an old one that they’d all seen dozens of times but still managed to make each of them scream at least once, then collapse in giggles after the initial fright wore off.
Sitting in the pillow fort with his mother and best friend in the whole world, sharing a bag of candy, watching a corny old horror movie, Skid couldn’t help but smile along with his family.
Maybe this Halloween wasn’t so bad, after all.