How to Correct the Holiday Blues

"Come on, dude," Pete says happily, "You only have to wear it once a year."

"You mean three," Patrick says grumpily, "You insist we wear our costumes to the meetings too."

"Yeah," Pete shrugs, "It's cause I like it when you wear your furry suit."

"You're such a freak," Patrick says, zipping up the back of his costume. Pete kisses his forehead, smacks him on his tail and grins widely.

"Hippety hop to it, Trick," he says, "Don't forget we're meeting at Gerard and Lyn-Z's later."

"Yeah yeah," Patrick says, puts on his head, grabs his magical basket of gifts, and disappears with a shake of his ass.

[//]

By the time he gets to Gerard and Lyn-Z's he's been chased by four dogs, tried to be eaten by a cat, and had to have a tea party with a six year old girl who put a collar on him. He's annoyed, tired, and hungry. He steps in the door and immediately freezes. There's a whole group of people staring at him.

Ryan and Spencer round the corner, both skidding to a stop in the living room. Ryan puts on his meanest face, hands on his hips and shouts, "You're very late!" He's in his Alice in Wonderland phase, and Patrick is going to kill Brendon.

"Sorry?" Patrick asks, eyes wide under his costume.

Spencer is looking at him oddly, his blue eyes intelligent even at three. "Easter bunny!" he shouts happily and hugs Patrick's thigh.

"Spenther!" Ryan commands unhappily, "He made us wait all day long!"

"Sorry Ryan," Spencer says shyly, letting go. Patrick thinks its adorable that Ryan still has a speech impediment. Sometimes Patrick really misses adult Ryan and Spencer, but they're so much cooler as kids.

"I'm sorry little man," Patrick says, "Are you ready for egg hunting?"

"Yes!" they shout, throwing their hands in the air, "Let's go!"

"Out back," Patrick commands and they race off. Brendon sets his daughter, Zoey, down and she toddles off after them yelling for them to " wait wait!".

"Hey," Lyn-Z says, hugging her friend, "Tell me, do you rent or is it store bought?"

"Better," Pete says, "His mom made it for him!"

"Awe!" Lyn-Z coos, petting the arm of the full body bunny suit.

"Wait wait!" Obadiah yells, "I need a picture of this!"

Patrick flips them off and stomps through the house to the backyard. He trips over his own bunny feet and falls hard, landing on his stomach. The flash is going off behind his back and Pete's barking laugh follows him out the back door.

[//]

"Spenther's cheating!" Ryan shouts, pointing at Spencer, who's head is tucked in his arms on top of the picnic table.

The kids were waiting for Patrick to get done hiding treats before they started the hunt. They were supposed to be hiding their eyes and singing the alphabet.

"No I'm not!" Spencer shouts, kicking Ryan under the table. Zoey is watching them both. She's the smartest one and three quarter year old that Patrick has ever met.

"Stop it!" Ryan shouts, kicking back. It quickly turns into a mini-war under the table. Zoey watches the action under the table, kicking her little Mary Jane clad feet back and forth and humming to herself. She's also the most patient child Patrick has ever met and he wonders how she came from Brendon.

"Knock it off!" Patrick bellows. They both stopped immediately, and then Ryan's eyes tear up and he starts to cry.

"I--don't like--youuuuu!" he yells, "I-- want the Easter Beagle!"

"Brendon!" Patrick yells, because he knows it's Brendon whose to blame, and Patrick is going to fuck him up.

"What?" Brendon sticks his head out the door. Patrick points to where the kids are still yelling for the beagle.

"Oh," Brendon says, and makes to run, but Patrick tackles him to the ground.

"Ow!" Brendon whines. Patrick can't do much more than flail in his costume on top of Brendon.

Zoey yells, "Mommy! The Easter Bunny is hurting daddy!"

"No he's not, stupid," Ryan says, "They're playing hide and seek."

Brendon's daughter looks at him hautily, "That is not how you play hide and seek."