Amidst the crimson and tangerine foliage that painted the streets, The Little Café, right on the corner, exuded a subtle autumnal charm as the rusted leaves danced to the tune of the gentle breeze. The coffee shop's open windows welcomed the crisp air, as patrons nestled into plush armchairs and wooden tables, where the scent of freshly brewed coffee intertwined with delicate undertones of cinnamon and pumpkin, subtly hinted at the fall season.

Brady waited tables at the café with a smile, the work a welcomed break from his routine but his mind was never far from what had happened after the poker game especially with Coan. Brady tried to smile with every order he took and every latte he crafted, yet his eyes kept involuntarily wandering back to his phone. Coan hadn't texted him in days. He had anticipated a confrontation, some yelling or maybe a dumb joke, but Coan's silence was heavier, deafening. Was he furious, hurt, or just ignoring Brady altogether? The uncertainty gnawed at him.

As for Ness, Brady hadn't seen him since the poker game, yet, their phones buzzed incessantly with exchanged messages, their connection deepening. Brady found himself genuinely enjoying their digital bond.

"Here is your pumpkin pie, I hope you enjoy it," Brady smiled at the customers.

As the days went by, it was getting harder and harder not to think about Coan. It wasn't only about the uncertainty but he actually missed talking to his best friend.

Finally, Brady reached for his phone and stared at Coan's number on the screen, the green dial button inches below his thumb. Which one was heavier: his best friend's potential anger or the fact that Brady missed him terribly? Brady sighed heavily. "Fuck it," he whispered. But just as he was about to press the call button, a couple of kids ran into The Little Café, dressed up as vampires, mummies, and witches. And suddenly, Brady remembered: The halloween party! Coan had invited him to one, and what better place to check on Coan without the risk of yelling, fighting, or punching?

Taking off his apron and apologizing to his parents, Brady ran out of the café, heading towards the only halloween costume store he knew in the city.

When he got there he took out his phone, dialing Ness. "Halloween party. You. Me," he said through the device. "Your brother. Get a costume, pick you up in 30."

"Won't Coan get mad if I go to that party?" Ness' voice was soft, quiet almost. "He was invited and you are his plus one, not me."

"You'll be the plus one of the plus one," Brady replied, checking the costumes until he saw the perfect one. "As for Coan... well, he's probably already mad."

***

"When you said, pick you up I thought you meant in your car," Ness commented as he and Brady stood up from the same bench they had their first date at and got inside an Uber.

"I don't like cars," Brady confessed as the Uber headed towards the party. "Actually, Coan's been insisting for years that I should learn to drive a bike like him."

"Will you?"

"Maybe someday, I'm not as adventurous as Coan. By the way, has he said anything to you since..." Brady glanced at the Uber driver, almost forgetting he was there, "since the poker game?"

"No," Ness looked away. "Not a word, actually. He hasn't even been home. He is either locked in his room or driving his bike. I think he may be avoiding me."

Brady looked at Ness, at how young he was. Most of the time the little kid pretended, or at least tried to act, as if he was older than thirteen, maybe because he had grown up with a 7-years-older-than-him brother. Yet, in that moment, Brady could see the child Ness was, a little brother missing his big bro.

Out the window it was Halloween night, the sunset was gone and the orange and yellow grass was covered in darkness, only illuminated by the warm streetlights and army of jack-o-lantern's that ornamented the front of every house. On the sidewalk, mountains of kids ran from door to door, dressed as monsters, ghosts, and the latest Marvel character Brady didn't recognize.

Inside the Uber, Ness had chosen to dress up as a magician. He had the whole thing: deep red tuxedo, and bowtie with black dress pants, and top hat, with a staff that turned into a wand and a deck of cards -yes, the same deck as the one from the poker game- on his pocket. You could tell just by looking at him that Ness had spent hours on his eyeliner, attire, and even getting every single hair exactly right on his head. Plus, he smelled incredible.

Meanwhile, Brady had found a single piece skeleton costume, black and white. A classic that even had a mask if he wanted no one to recognize him. But the extra touch was that, under blue light, the white bones of the costume turned bright yellow, green, and pink, almost into a festival of colors.

"We're here," the Uber driver finally said, stopping at a big house in one of the nice neighborhoods in the city.

Out of the car, the Halloween party sprawled in front of them: a big ocean-blue house adorned with whimsical purple flowers that gave it an aura of enchantment. Jack-o-lanterns, grinning and spooky, lined the path to the front door, their flickering orange light casting eerie shadows. Ghosts and witches dangled from trees, and skeletons cavorted on the lawn. The porch, adorned with dangling cobwebs and a fake spider or two, led into a cacophony of colors and laughter. Through the windows, the soft glow of lights hinted at the revelry inside. They could hear the excited chatter of partygoers in costumes, holding their signature red cups, and living out the Halloween spirit in full disguise. The atmosphere buzzed with energy, a surreal realm where imagination ran wild, a place where reality was set aside for one night of endless possibilities.

For a moment, Brady stayed frozen, his mouth slightly open.

"You okay?" Ness asked, glancing at him.

"What? Oh, yeah, yeah, it's just that... I think I know the owner of this place." It took a while for Brady to recognize it but it was the exact same ocean-blue house he had been a few days ago when he saw ThreeLeggedCowboy.

"I thought only Coan knew the host," Ness looked around before pointing at a bike parked in front of the garage. "Speak of the devil, looks like my brother is here."

Brady didn't reply.

"So, what's the plan?" Ness insisted. "Finding him? Fighting against him in front of everyone for me? That would be romantic."

"What? This is not an action movie, I..." Brady started feeling dizzy. Why was he there? He just wanted his best friend not to be angry at him while also being able to date his baby bro. Maybe he was asking for too much. "Talking to him. That's how people solve problems in real life, not fighting. That's why we are here. Coan's less likely to get mad at a public place."

Ness looked a little disappointed at such a boring approach.

Brady ignored him as they went inside. Indoors, the party was even better than on the front yard: pulsating beats blended with laughter and chatter echoed through the walls. The living room transformed into a kaleidoscope of costumes and colorful decorations--ghosts, skeletons, and witches mingling with superheroes and fantastical creatures. Strings of orange and purple lights adorned the walls, casting a warm and eerie glow over the energetic crowd. The smell of snacks and the sound of footsteps vibrated to the young atmosphere.

As soon as they entered, Ness seamlessly immersed himself in the intoxicating ambiance.

"First non-middle-school party?" Brady asked, rolling his eyes with a smile.

Ness only nodded. "Look! There's going to be a costume contest, we have to enter!"

"Absolutely not," Brady replied.

Ness gave him an angry look but two seconds later he was already distracted. Ness' eyes sparked with excitement as he gracefully joined the dance floor, the pulsating rhythm guiding his movements. Dressed in his colorful costume, he became a mesmerizing spectacle under the neon lights. The subtle shifts in his expressions and the ease with which he engaged with others conveyed a clear inclination toward revelry.

"Ness!" Brady called him. "We need to find your..." he gave up. Ness was clearly having a better time dancing than looking for his brother.

Brady ventured into the porch. The night air was crisp, maybe a one piece suit wasn't the best -or warmest- idea for a full body costume. Looking around, he spotted several girls in cat costumes, an older boy -probably in college like him- dressed as the devil, as well as a boy trying to pull off a Jimi Hendrix costume, engaged in an animated conversation with another donning an elaborated and quite impressive Spider-Man suit. Their laughter blended with the distant sounds of the party, creating a moment of ease in the midst of chaos.

Seeking further, Brady navigated the crowd until he reached the kitchen. Amidst the chaos, a familiar face caught his eye.

"A Cowboy, really?" Brady smiled widely. "I know you are direct but are you really that on the nose?"

ThreeLeggedCowboy laughed while rolling his eyes. "Brady!" He opened his arms while dressed in a very literal cowboy costume, he was equipped with everything: a lasso on his hip, boots on his feet, and a black hat over his golden hair. "What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? Why didn't you tell me you were hosting a halloween party. You know we can also hang out, right? We don't have to only do..." Brady looked at his sides before whispering. "You know, bed stuff."

"Oh, this isn't my party," replied Cowboy, straight.

"What?"

"This isn't my party."

"But this is your house," Brady leaned forward.

"No, I never said this was my house," Cowboy waved the cup around. "I said you could say it is mine, in a sense."

"What the hell does that mean then? So you don't live here?"

"Only on the weekends when the family is away," Cowboy laughed and took the cup to his lips, no further explanation. Brady wasn't entirely sure he understood but before he could ask, Cowboy placed a hand on his shoulder. "How are you doing with your green boy? Are you dating him yet?"

"Eh... well, yes, I guess so."

"Attaboy!" Cowboy took another sip of his cup. Brady was starting to believe Cowboy wasn't entirely on his senses. "Told ya you could do it. Now, would you mind not telling the real host I'm here?"

"What? The real host?"

"Yeah, that boy over there," Cowboy pointed with his chin.

Brady looked over his shoulder towards the dance floor, in the living room. There, right smack in the middle of a jumping crowd, there was a tall and big guy, dark skin, and muscly, dressed as a roman warrior.

"He's the host?" Brady recognized the roman, vaguely. "Isn't he on the football team? Big shot or something?" To be honest, the guy looked like he was going to be a frat boy when he went to college.

"Something like that," Cowboy said gulping the last drops from his cup before refilling it. No longer thirsty, Cowboy started walking away. "If anyone asks, you never saw me."

Brady couldn't even reply, Cowboy was already gone.

Taking a red cup, and hoping it wasn't a used one, Brady filled it with soda and stared at the party from the kitchen counter. There was something magical about a stupid teen party, maybe it was the lights, the smell of youth, or the air full of possibilities floating around, assuring you anything could happen.

And then, Brady spotted Coan.

Swimming through the sea of people, lights, and smoke, Brady placed a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Hey," he said, awkwardly, and waited for the worst.

Coan turned around, unimpressed. He was wearing a leather jacket, sunglasses, boots, and a helmet. "Hey," he said back, his voice neutral, his eyes lifeless.

"Motorbiker?" Brady pointed at Coan's costume.

"Uhum," Coan replied. "Didn't think you'd come. But then again, when I saw him..." Coan took off his sunglasses and pointed with his eyes towards the dance floor: near the host dressed as a roman there was Ness in his magician attire, making the dance floor shine. "I figured you'd be here too."

Brady's eyes fell to the floor. "About that..."

"About what?" Coan leaned forward, his face showed a smile, his posture was calm, but his eyes stared down at Brady as if setting in on fire. "Oh, you mean about the other day when I got home with my parents and saw you and my brother home alone?"

"Y-yeah, I... I thought we should talk about that. You know, good communication can solve all problems."

"Yeah, yeah," Coan looked away as if laughing. "Good communication, right. I really appreciate that, Brady, thank you for seeking me out to talk about things. Thank you. I mean, don't even mind that you chose a party full of people to do so, or that you could've talked to me before all this mess. And I don't mean it in a you-need-my-permission kind of way because Ness is his own person and you can, and clearly are doing whatever the hell you want, but hey! Thanks for the heads up, that's some great communication skills, buddy."

"So..." Brady finally ventured to ask. "You're saying everything is okay?"

Coan's expression shifted, his eyes flashing with a sudden intensity and, in a low, stern voice, he whispered the words: "I'm saying hope you had fun fucking my little brother."

Brady stood still as Coan vanished from his side, as the entire party disappeared around him. The lights, the laughter, and smoke, it all went away.

Numbly, Brady walked away. There was nowhere to go so he just went upstairs. There, he found the rooms locked so, as his respiration got heavier and heavier, he headed towards the bathroom, opening the door, not realizing someone was just coming out.

"Sorry, sorry," it was a kid, about Ness' age, maybe a bit younger, dressed as Ash Ketchum. Both his head and cap pointed to the floor. "I... I didn't see you," his voice was trembling, low.

Brady immediately recognized the signs: the kid had been crying.

"You okay?" he asked, stupidly.

The kid, Ash Ketchum, glanced at him, giving him a forced smile before looking away, unable to maintain eye contact. In that short second, Brady noticed Ash had red, puffy eyes. He had, indeed, been crying. "I'm fine."

Ash tried to walk away but Brady grabbed one of his shoulders. "You don't look fine."

"I..." Ash finally looked at Brady but as soon as he did, his eyes started watering again. "I'm just being stupid, I'm stupid. I... there's someone I like and... well, I thought it might be a good idea to come to this party -I don't usually go to parties- and introduce myself today but..."

"But they didn't even notice you?"

"Pushed me away, in fact, to talk to another guy," Ash was on the brink of tears again. "I think I'm going to go home."

Brady just stared as Ash Ketchum walked past him down the hallway, towards the stairs. What could he say? He had been a kid too once, and knew what being rejected felt like, to be honest going home didn't sound like a bad idea. Yet, it felt weird just standing there and saying nothing, so before Ash disappeared down the stairs, he said: "you are cute, you know? Your costume is pretty cool, and you are cute. Don't let no stupid teenager make you forget that."

Ash smiled for the first time, a small, delicate, warm smile, and then went away. Brady stared at the empty hallway before heading towards the bathroom.

As Brady closed the door behind him, the sounds of the party outside seemed to muffle, replaced by the distant echo of music and laughter. The dim light in the bathroom created an almost surreal ambiance. He took a deep breath, the weight of the evening settling on his shoulders.

He sat on the edge of the bathtub, the cold porcelain sending a shiver through his body. He stared at the floor, lost in thought, replaying the events of the night. The air in the room felt heavy, charged with the emotions swirling within him.

Suddenly, the door swung open as Coan walked inside, his Motorbiker costume a stark contrast to the subdued atmosphere of the bathroom. Coan's eyes, once filled with laughter and camaraderie, now bore into Brady with an intensity that sent a chill down his spine. The silence lingered, the weight of unspoken grievances suffocating the room.

"Are you following me?" Coan asked, the air between them cracking with tension.

"You are the one who came in," Brady held the bathtub edge more intensely.

Coan sighed, exasperated as he headed to the sink, splashing his face with cold water. "Looks like I can't get rid of you tonight," another splash. "So much for a party."

"You want to get rid of me?"

"What the hell do you think, Brady?" Coan closed the faucet. "Fucking my little brother? Are you serious? I thought you and I were open, I thought we were the kind of friend that told each other everything, shared everything but this? This you kept hidden?"

"It's not like that, I didn't plan any of this, it just got... complicated."

Coan's eyes flared, a mix of betrayal and frustration. "Complicated? You fucked my little brother, how much more complicated can it get?"

"I didn't... he and I didn't fuck."

"Oh, so when me and my parents arrived at the house the other day, did we interrupt you? Ow, such a shame, my bad, Brady, sorry. I didn't know arriving at my own house would cause you such pain."

"Don't be an ass, Coan."

"Me? You don't be an ass, Brady."

"I'm not... damn it, Coan." Brady finally stood up from the bathtub's edge. "I'm not trying to hurt you. I just... I didn't think it would turn out like this."

Coan took a step closer, the distance between them narrowing. "You didn't think. That's the problem. Ness is thirteen, Brady, he's too young for this shit. He doesn't need to be tangled up in this mess, especially with some college guy."

"Ness isn't a child," Brady shot back. "He knows what he wants, he made his choice and he chose this. Don't even think I forced him into anything."

"I'm not saying you did. I agree with you: Ness can make his own choices. But please, tell me how are you going to explain to my mom and dad how her youngest child, who's not even out of middle school, is screwing around with a college dude six, almost seven years older? And not only any college guy, but you, Brady, my best and life-long friend."

"I..." Brady tried to take a step back but couldn't.

"And for what?" Coan's eyes narrowed. "What is this, Brady? Are you dating him? Are you in love? Or is this just a fling?"

"I don't know, it just started."

Coan grinned, mockingly. "So you were about to let my mom catch you in the middle of the act, and you don't even know what you want with my brother?"

"I care about him," Brady's frustration was starting to turn into desperation. "Even before all this, you know I've always cared about your family, including him. Now I feel something for him, something new, and I want to explore it, is that so bad?"

"Fuck!" Coan scoffed. "You didn't even think about it? Fuck!"

"What?"

"What happens if you break his heart? Eh? What if he breaks yours or everything goes to shit? What then? Where does that leave you? Where does it leave me? What if we end up hating each other because of this?" And for the first time, Brady saw as Coan's anger turned into fear and sadness.

Coan stood close to Brady, next to the bathtub. Smoke was coming out of his ears and flames out of his mouth but just when Brady thought his best friend was about to explode, Coan got inside the bathtub, sat down, and hid his head between his legs.

Brady stood still as he saw his best friend down there. Slowly but surely, he got inside the bathtub as well, in front of him. As the music and laughter echoed from the story below, and the rusty leaves danced with the cold wind outside, the two best friends sat there, in a bathtub, a biker and a skeleton, Coan and Brady.

"I'm sorry," Brady started, looking at the window. "I should've told you about this, about how I was feeling. I should've thought about the awkward position I was putting you in, being in between Ness and I. I'm sorry, Coan."

Quietly, Coan raised his head, staring straight into Brady's eyes.

"Ness can date whoever he wants, of course I support that. But... you should know, it is kinda natural that to my eyes no one is enough for him, it's almost inevitable for me or any big brother to get somewhat protective of my younger brother. I don't want to see him get hurt. Which is weird because if anyone is going to be good enough for him that would be you but I also don't want to see you hurt. Ness can be a bit... volatile, at times, you know that."

"I know," Brady gave his friend a faint smile and was deeply grateful when, to his surprise, Coan returned it.

"I just don't want this to ruin our friendship, you know? If you break up or decide that this is just a fling, or whatever, I don't want to lose you, or him. I love you both, Brady, you are my best friend."

"You are my best friend too," Brady sighed, thinking. "And I don't know where things are headed with Ness, but I can assure you, whatever happens, you and I will keep being best friends, okay?"

As the muffled party kept roaring, they started into each other's eyes. Inside, a spark of that time when they both had Ness' age and met for the first time, not knowing how good of a friend they would become. The porcelain bathtub shone with the dim, autumn light, as the two friends hugged inside.

In a way, it was a beautiful -if a tiny bit unusual- scene. They both laid on the bathtub, as the seconds turned into minutes and the minutes drifted into the autumn air.

"Okay. Best friends."

***

After that emotional rollercoaster, the air slowly but surely began to clear. However, the party wasn't over yet. Brady was about to cross the door out of the bathroom when Coan stepped in the way.

"Wait," he said, his voice deep and confident once more. "I know we are forgiving each other and all that but... you didn't think I'd let you walk away that easy, right? I have two conditions for you."

Brady rolled his eyes. "There's my best friend, hello, welcome back," he sighed. "Okay, spit them out, under what conditions?"

"Only two. First, you must let me teach you to drive a bike. Oh, come on, don't look at me like that, you know I've always wanted that driving up the west coast with your best bud dream."

"Okay, and the second?"

Coan smiled devilishly. Brady wasn't liking this already. "You have to enter the costume contest, as Ness probably wants you to. But... there's a catch."

***

Taking longer than expected, there was finally a knock on the bathroom door, followed by a too energetic voice: "It's me," it said, no further details. It was, of course, Ness.

"So? What's up?" The young boy asked.

"I found Coan," Brady confessed, shyly. "He and I, we talked. It's all better now."

"Really? That's nice, knew you could do it," Ness gave him a brief smile before glancing at the door, then back at him. "That's cool."

Brady felt the sudden urge, like a volcano gathering magma inside, of protesting and maybe sarcastically thanking Ness for all his help. But no, this wasn't the time for fighting, not after he had made up with his best friend. Instead, he only let out:

"Hope the dancefloor was fun."

"It was," Ness gave him a brief smile. "Sooo..."

"So, I need to tell you something. I have some sort of plan, you see..." Brady started explaining to Ness about the whole entering the contest costume -to which Ness, upon hearing it, screamed joyfully. Of course, Brady omitted two details: first, that the whole thing was set up by Coan, and the second, that Coan was still in the bathroom, hidden, watching from a wardrobe. Ness was too excited to even suspect it.

"Okay! Let's join!" Ness went on excited. "Come on, the contest's about to start!"

"Wait, help me take this off first," Brady pointed at the zipper in his back.

Ness' face went from confusion to sudden excitement. He didn't even ask Brady why he was taking his costume off, he willingly helped him out of it. Then, dressed only in his boxers and shirt, Brady turned away from Ness and started undressing.

"What are you...?" Ness' eyes opened as big as plates. "Oh, wow. You have a..." he coughed, choking on his own saliva. "Sexy butt."

Brady looked at Ness over his shoulder, blushing. He didn't know how Coan was able to contain himself, spying from the wardrobe, hearing all that. But as soon as he was naked and had Ness drooling over him, he stepped back inside the skeleton costume.

"Are you going to wear it while...?"

"Naked?" Brady looked at Ness. "Yeap. Don't want me to?"

"By all means, go ahead," Ness' eyes were sparkling.

Downstairs at the party, the atmosphere buzzed with energy as Brady and Ness took the homemade stage, in the backyard of the house, for the best costume contest with the rest of the contestants. From the side, Brady saw Coan. Slowly and discretely, he approached his best friend.

"Remember, when Ness reveals me..."

"I'll point the blue light at you, yeah, yeah, I know it, that's not why I came here," Coan said, taking a step towards Brady who was now sporting a confused look. "I came for this." And with no warning, Coan took a hold of Brady's dick through his spandex skeleton costume and started rubbing him. Brady had to hold back first a gasp of surprise and then a moan. Looking around no one could see them on the corner they were at, plus Coan was covering the movements of his hand with his biker helmet.

Just as Brady was starting to enjoy it, Coan stopped.

"Your turn," Coan pointed at the stage. "Go, go, go."

Brady hurriedly ran next to Ness as they walked under the spotlight. Ness introduced them as any magician would, the kid was a total extrovert, loud and dramatic. Yet, Brady noticed a few people whispering and pointing at him. Only then, when he looked at himself, Brady realized he was sporting a full on erection, entirely visible with his spandex suit under the spotlight.

Brady thought of running away, of cursing Coan but with his mask on, no one really knew who he was so he stayed there, as still as possible, allowing the entire party to see how hard he was. In the far end of the backyard, he spotted Cowboy, smiling at him while he lifted his red cup, as if toasting. Brady rolled his eyes with a smile.

Ness kept performing his act, presenting Brady as a normal, every-day skeleton. Then, taking a blanket and covering Brady with it, Ness pronounced the magical words, counted to three and took the blanket off just as Coan, from the other side of the yard, pointed to the big blue spotlight he had brought from the living room at Brady.

Ness theatrically waved his staff as Brady transformed into a radiant, glowing skeleton adorned with an array of colors. The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, boys and girls raising their red cups at them.

Brady and Ness bowed, smiles on their faces and still fully hard, even more so now with all the attention. Coan, of course, had recorded the whole thing on his phone.

Despite their captivating act, they were awarded third place, with a boy dressed up as Beatle with a Sargent Pepper costume and a guy in a Spiderman suit -the one they had seen at the beginning, which was, admittedly, incredibly well made- claiming the top spots.

Outside, amidst the crisp autumn air, Brady and Ness stood on the sidewalk. All the Halloween decorations, jack-o-lanterns, and specters had turned from amazing to part a comforting, late-night scene.

"Third place," Ness glanced angrily at the six pack of beers that they had awarded him as a price.

"Third is not bad!" Brady pushed him with his shoulder. "Besides, I bet your act is the only reason we even made it to the top three."

"I could've bet you were going to win," Coan suddenly appeared behind them, his biker equipment on. "Especially with how... excited you were!"

"Ha-ha," Brady rolled his eyes. In fact, he was still naked under the spandex suit.

"So... you two are really all better?" Ness suddenly asked, staring at his brother and then at Brady.

"Oh, yeah, I'll tell you the details later," Brady glanced back at Coan. "But yeah, we are good, very good actually. I think we had never argued like that before."

"Never," Coan nodded when, out of seemingly nowhere, a girl dressed up as a nurse appeared to his side. "But, as a token of good faith, and for you being such a good sport back there Brady, I'll do both of you a favor: I'll tell mom and dad me and Ness will be staying over with a friend of mine for the night."

Brady and Ness exchanged looks. "What do you mean?"

"I'll say it again," Coan rolled his eyes. "I'll call mom and dad, and tell them Ness and I won't be back home until tomorrow. So... Brady, take care of Ness, okay?"

And with that, Coan got on his bike as the nursed hugged his back. Then, with a loud, and echoing roar, Coan disappeared down the street. It was already past midnight, the rusty leaves covered the entire street floor and the jack-o-lanterns started to go off.

Brady smiled at the place where Coan had disappeared before turning towards Ness. "Wanna come to my place?"