𝐅𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐒𝐘 𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐃

26. 𝗼𝗵, 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿

HALLOWEEN FINALLY ARRIVED. The night where people could dress up whoever and however they wanted, running around at night, scaring people, and collecting free candy; Halloween became the night where teens could run into the night, grasping the childhood memories before they get older.

Eszter couldn't recall a good Halloween night with her family even if she tried. There wasn't much to ponder, reminiscing the childhood memories she wished she had, but Eszter couldn't. Celebrating holidays kind of ended around the time her parents died, forcing the children into orphanages, who never celebrated anything. It was unfortunate, and Eszter wished she could look back at her years and feel something, but her life wasn't like the other kids her age.

However, Eszter wasn't going to let the trauma distract her from building new memories with the family she had left; celebrating Halloween this year feels like Eszter could be a kid for one night. No reasons to stress about anything other than what she was going to where, which Eszter had no idea what she was going to do. Eszter debated whether or not she wanted to dress up tonight, knowing Wanda would like her to dress up, so Eszter felt obligated to pitch in. Besides, maybe it'll be fun.

"Essie," called Wanda, walking into Eszter's opened bedroom with articles of clothing draped over her arms and shoulders. "I think I found the perfect costume."

Curious to know, Eszter raised her brows and pulled away from her closet. "What is it?"

Wanda holds two small items in the air. "I thought it would be so cute if you and I dressed up as those Sokovian fortune teller twins we used to see in the streets," suggested Wanda. The strawberry-haired woman beamed excitedly, barely acknowledging the frown slowly etching onto Eszter's lips. "This one's mine, and this one's yours."

Not wanting to hurt Wanda's feelings, Eszter wasn't sure how to contort her face to not look like she was grimacing at the piece of article. "Wow, Wands," exclaimed Eszter, accepting the black one-piece with black tights. Eszter's smile stretched wide and strained, trying her best to appear as excited as her sister. "This is . . . you know I don't really believe in fortune tellers."

Wanda merely rolled her eyes with a playful smile. "Of course, I know, silly," Wanda tossed the remains of Eszter's costume on the bed, though the young witch was searching for more of the outfit. "But I wanna dress up with you."

Eszter unraveled the one-piece until they dangled from the straps. "Where's the rest of it?"

"Well, you can wear a skirt over it or something," assured Wanda with a soft wave.

"I'm not wearing this," scoffed Eszter softly, horrified. There was no way Wanda was going to make Eszter walk out the house wearing that thing. It wasn't her style. "I'm sorry, Wands, but it's kind of tacky."

Taken aback, Wanda's lips parted. "Tacky? It's cute!"

Sighing, Eszter set the one-piece down and noticed a cape; she picked it up and examined the cheap fabric, playfully wrapping it around her shoulders. "This, I'd wear," Eszter points at the one-piece. "That, no." She pulls the cape away and rolls it up, putting it in a pile for her new costume idea. "Why do you even wanna dress up together? I thought you and Vision would since he's your, you know, husband?"

"Nah," Wanda wrinkled her nose as she pursed her lips into a scrunched smile, flickering her wrist dismissively. "He's going as something else. Besides, we've never got to do these types of stuff together, and I want to have a night with my sister and my boys. We're dressing up together."

Eszter challenged Wanda. "Only if I get to change the outfit."

"What's wrong with what I picked?"