#thatghostlystuff

See, today, he was playing a game! A game that had him and the other participant test who the fastest truly was for a special prize. Dipping low past the branches of spiny trees, he peered behind him to see if his playmate was still keeping up.

Just then, with the roar of an scooter’s engine and the delightful laughter of a little girl, Hat Kid flew over the hill. The scooter’s headlight blinded him for a second. Shaking the stars that formed in his vision away, he continued his flying along the path.

“Just give up, kid! You’re just not good enough to best your old man!” He called back, his grin growing ever wider.

“In your dreams!” The child called back, leaning over the handlebars to blow a raspberry at him.

He let out a small chuckle when he saw her have to fix her scooter's angle when her pose had shifted-making her tilt slightly to the right and almost slam into a tree.

Snatcher took this time to rush forwards, gaining a bit of distance from the kid during this. He then shot upwards, breaching over the treetops again, leaves whipping his as he began to see his home in its entirety.

He paused for a second, as foolish as the Hare racing the Tortoise, but he couldn’t help but stop and stare out at his beautiful forest.

It hadn’t always looked like this. The dying blue trees, the skeleton boat, the thick purple swamp... No, it had looked much different when he was younger- Or, when he was still alive.

He had grown a love for the way it had looked now, feeling a sense of peace and tranquility rush over him every time he took it all in. He didn’t remember how long ago he had first felt this... How many years he had finally felt at home in this place again?

When did it start again? At what time had it stopped? Did it ever? Even after everything? How old was he when this feeling of calm and serenity had settled deep into his bones again?

It seemed like forever ago. How long in actual terms, he'd never know. Counting his age held no meaning to him anymore once the numbers started to pile up.

...Which also meant birthdays had become obsolete to him now! And when both Hat Kid and Bow Kid has found this out, they just couldn’t accept it. ---- It was only a bit ago they were sitting on the massive pillow pile. He had been reading a new book he brought, ‘How to Raise Your Space Children’. He had disguised it as something else, as to not break his ‘scary, uncaring’ persona.

What? He couldn’t let them find out he actually CARED or something! Unthinkable!

Though, the more he read, he was starting to become sure that this book was more a “Science-Fiction” story. Not really the helpful how-to guide he had hoped it would be. Bummer.

He didn’t remember how they had gotten to the topic of HIS birthday, having only listened absentmindedly. He remembered the kiddos chattering excitedly about their upcoming birthdays, making his own mental notes and plans for their gifts, and now Hat Kid had broken him out of his thoughts by shouting.

“You’re HOW OLD and you haven’t had a birthday since when?!”

Ah. He must have said something while he was reading. Now he remembered. Whoops...

“Oh!! We should celebrate YOUR birthday with ours!!” Bow Kid piped up.

“Yeah!! With all the candles on the cake, it’ll be a total fire hazard!!”

“I doubt Cooking Cat will let us even HAVE that many candles, Hat...”

“We gotta!! For Snatcher!“

“We aren’t celebrating my birthday, kiddos.” He finally decided to add in, not really interested in hearing this pan out much longer.

“Aww!!” The kiddos both whined. Snatcher could only roll his eyes, hiding a chuckle under a huff.

“Why not?? It’d be super fun!” Hat Kid asked, flopping back down into her side of the pillow pile.

“If you’re worried about us being upset, we don’t mind sharing our birthday with you! Hat and I ALWAYS share our birthday parties! We're like the bestest of friends! And you’re like our family!” Bow Kid added in, settling back down in her throne of pillows.

Snatcher looked over at the two, and saw them giving him gigantic puppy dog eyes... Oh no. One of his greatest weaknesses...

It took a lot of mental power, but he eventually responded.

“No dice, kid. Haven’t celebrated my birthday since I died, and I’m not about to start again now.” He punctuated with a sharp turn of the page, “Besides, I’m too old to really celebrate anymore.”

“TOO OLD FOR BIRTHDAYS?!” Hat Kid practically shrieked, pulling at her own hair in disbelief.

“THERE’S NO WAY!!” Bow gasped.

Snatcher grimaced at how loud they had gotten, and only shoved his face deeper into his book. He wasn’t even reading anymore, mostly just trying to seem busy in order to get the kids off his back.

After a bit of silence, he slowly allowed himself to get engrossed into his story again. What he didn't notice was the kiddos whispering a plan between themselves. If only he hadn't let it all filter out as background noise, he could have known what the two were so intent on planning and stopped it in its tracks.

After a bit of murmuring, Hat shuffled and climbed over hills of pillows over to him.

When he looked over to see what she was doing, he saw her electric blue eyes staring down at him, her hand extended to shake.

“How about a deal?” ---- That’s how he had currently found himself racing Hat kid through Subcon Forest. If the kid won, then her and Bow got to celebrate Snatcher’s birthday with them, and if HE won... He got some free contracts and spring cleaning done around his home.

Well, that’s what WOULD have happened... If he actually let himself join back in the race.

But he knew deep down he couldn’t.

He knew the kiddos were desperate to throw him a party- and how could he say no to his two newly, all but legally, adopted children?

They cared about him, and if they weren’t allowed to do something nice for him, they’d be heartbroken...

They were still just kids after all.

No, he’d much rather make it seem like they won than make them upset they couldn’t share something they found so special with him. Even if birthdays in particular still left a sore spot.

He watched the forest below, seeing the scooter’s headlight trek through along the path.

If he wanted to, he could have bolted to the end right this second and won.

He watched as it passed by him and went ahead.

He could, but he wouldn’t.

...Besides, they’d probably just do something even MORE extraordinary and over-the-top otherwise! And Snatcher couldn’t have THAT breaking into his peaceful hours, now could he?

He finally slunk back into the trees, joining back in the race once the kid was a good distance away from him.

They were almost at the place Bow was waiting with the Subconites as judges.

He saw Hat Kid look back to see him trailing behind, a smile of victory on her face.

He tried not to let his emotion show. Don't smile, don't smile- Oh, when had he become so soft?!

“YOU SNOOZE YOU LOOSE, DAD!” Hat Kid yelled, snapping him out of his thoughts. She disappeared over the top of the hill afterwards.

He couldn’t help but feel his own smile grow at that, pride welling up in his heart.

Maybe he could learn to like birthdays again. Especially since he had such good kiddos to spend it with.