remi stood there with his hands in his pockets as he had to think about what she just said to him. “please tell me you didn’t buy a goat already and this is your way of telling me that???” 

“No, pft, no,” Although there were plenty of times that she had been at a petting zoo and wanted to pick up one of the baby goats to bring home, “I just need some warmth in my life, you know? Fireplaces and Halloween decorations with fall candles and apple cider sounds like it’ll help.”

“But this couch is so comfy.” He groaned, hiding his face in one of her throw pillows. “Besides,” Flint said, turning his head again to speak, “Halloween is so overhyped… Fuck, holidays are so overhyped. At least a goat will bring you lasting happiness.”

“Halloween is the only holiday that approves of being miserable, therefore, you should love it.” She tossed a nearby cat toy at him, “Come on, you need to get out and do something just as much as I do.” 

“I forgot Halloween is coming up and I love the holiday so much. What’s wrong with me,” she made a face as she thought for a moment, looking over at the brunette. “I felt that when I turned thirty. I basically bought two pairs of Louboutin’s in hopes that it would make me feel better. Ended up getting a car. I wish someone stopped me ahead of time.”

“O — oh, yeah I don’t even really like heels. I can’t walk in them at all, it’s like putting socks on a cat.” She laughed, running her hand through her hair, “More so I’m gonna end up doing the first thing that comes to mind that I shouldn’t do, and with the season coming up for petting zoos I know I’m going to want to scoop up one of those baby goats to get out this feeling like I need to care for something other than myself. Maybe I’ll get a fish.” 

Leo pursed her lips, doing her best not to laugh—at herself, not at Aspen. She had just turned 26 and she’d had a hard time with it. “I always thought the pumpkin carving was the most important part,” she confessed. “Way better than decorations. I used to cry any time my mom would try to toss them out after Halloween. I totally dig decoration shopping though. D’you get any trick-or-treaters?”

“I am literally the worst pumpkin carver, so, we’re are not the same. Every year, my brothers and sisters would do these awesome ones that my mom put candles in up front, and you could always tell which one was mine.” A frown, before she nodded, “Yeah, we live in a townhouse sort of thing so we get them, but Olive usually buys the candy.” 

“You… are aware you’re speaking to a thirty-three year old man, right? I’ve passed that hump. So, does this mean you’re calling me old?” He questioned with a cock of his head. “I probably should get some stuff, anyways. Surprise Penny with it and all that.”

Her lips tightened in a line, giving him a sympathetic look, “But it was a hump, right? So have some sympathy. Men age better than women, I know it, I work in TV.” She half joked, before shaking her head, “You’re just ripe, you know.” A shrug of her shoulders before she laughed, “Yeah you can find some lights to put all over, maybe a costume for her too.” 

“Halloween stores are easily my favorite thing about this time of year. Even if I don’t actually buy shit and instead just lament about how I can’t throw a huge raging party anymore. Is it considered gaudy to cover every inch of your apartment in pumpkins or…?” Asher wrinkled his nose. “I get the goat thing. Goats are cute as shit, I say go for it.”

“Sometimes I’ll sit on Youtube and watch videos of people going to like — the um, really giant ones?” One arm crossed over the other, “I get into them for hours and then it’s a huge trap. This year, I want sparkly skulls when I usually go really gorey and terrifying so I’m not judging you at all.” She feigned an annoyed look, “You are supposed to talk me out of a goat. My roommate would have an absolute heart attack if she came home to one eating our couch or leftover soda cans.”

“––I literally don’t even need convincing,” Mase laughed. “I’ve been wanting to decorate the apartment since the first of the month. The only thing that’s stopping me is work, but I’m dedicated to this shit. ––Buy the goat. I swear you’ll thank me later.”

“I think Halloween decorating is so much more fun than Christmas, but that gets me in trouble all the time.” She gave a small smile before nodding her head, “Now you’re just being a bad influence. Let’s go to the Halloween store and see if they have any fake goats maybe with black eyes.” 

River was mashing up a banana for Luna to eat while they waited on his mom to come pick her up so he could go to work.  He had ordered coffee for himself and two bananas for their breakfast.  Luna was sitting in a high chair, playing with a set of toy keys and babbling away incoherently at him as he worked.  “Are you hungry?” he asked, motioning to the bowl that the banana was in and she answered by babbling faster and banging the keys on the table.  “Let’s get you fed before grandma gets here,” he laughed, picking her spoon up and gathering some of the fruit onto it.  She took a couple of bites and grinned a big, toothy grin at him that made him smile back at her.  A couple more bites in, her eyes were locked over his shoulder and he followed her gaze to someone behind him.  “Sorry, she doesn’t realize that staring’s rude yet.  We’re working on it,” he said, using her bib to wipe her mouth and he let her have her sippy cup to get some milk.  “She seems really interested in you, though.  She hasn’t paid that much attention to me in weeks,” he laughed.

“Oh, no, it’s okay.” Aspen had he morning off and preferred to spend them out in café’s rather than at home writing. Her laptop was in front of her, blank screen with her mind in the clouds thinking about how soon it would be fall, before her attention was grabbed the baby who was looking at her. She wasn’t the person who hated kids, she had so many nieces and nephews that she sometimes kept overnight — her family was large, and she wanted the same for herself. Eventually. “Maybe you just aren’t making the right faces. This was the one that got her.” She crossed her eyes, sticking her tongue out. 

“I like to believe that I’m a really nice person…” She mused, looking down at her counter as she focused on dicing her onions before swiftly swiping them into the pot. “But I’m beginning to believe that you’d only come and badger me because I can cook you a nice meal.” Riku glanced up, giving her visitor a teasing smirk as she reached over to the side to grab a tomato to continue her dicing.

“And the wine, you always have really good wine,” Aspen lifted her glass with a grin on her face, before she folded one leg under herself, “plus, your company isn’t so bad — complaining about my work day and stuff is almost therapy, the other stuff is really a bonus. Isn’t that what a friend is though?” Her grin widened, “I love to cook, so I can gladly take over.”  

Teddy smirked and gladly took the beer from her. A sense of relief fell over him knowing he didn’t have to drink wine after all. “A goddess for sure. No question there” he said, leaning towards her slightly. “You’ve got the beauty of one for sure” he then shrugged, “whatever you are, you’re gorgeous and I just can’t get enough of you” he said, the same playful smirk coming to his lips. “So much that I am sticking around this boring ass party just to see you” he said.

Teddy was obviously charming -- not only to other people but himself. He had to know that he could get any girl he wanted, and she wasn’t exactly sure why he kept trying for Ava who was always brushing him off or being an absolute tease. Tonight, wine was on his side along with her need to be looked at. “You can’t get enough of me,” she repeated with a smile, shaking her head slightly, “I think you’re just talking sweet, Teddy Bear.”