Prompt: Halloween with Akira and Kaito. Preferably trick or treating as kids so that Kaito can play annoyed but also protective older brother
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"Can we go yet?" Akira asked impatiently, gripping his empty trick-or-treat bag.
"Soon, bumble bee," his mom said, running a hand through his hair. "Your dad is on the phone. He'll take you when he gets off."
"Actually, he has some bad news," Akira's father said, coming out with a sigh. "I've got an emergency phone conference."
"I'll take him," Kaito offered.
"That's very sweet of you, Kaito," Mrs. Riku said, frowning. "But...I don't know..."
"He's nine, he's old enough to look after Akira for just a little. This should only take an hour or so, and then I'll take them farther out. I need you to answer the door so I don't get interrupted in my meeting," Mr. Riku said. He knelt down in front of Kaito, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You stay in our neighborhood, okay? And you absolutely do not let Akira go off on his own, you don't go in any unfamiliar houses, and you don't go with any strangers."
"I know, dad," Kaito said.
Mrs. Riku handed him his trick-or-treat bag. "Alright, stay in the neighborhood and come home when you're done. If you're not back when your father gets off the phone, he'll come find you. Stick to the sidewalks, and don't go in the road."
"I know," Kaito repeated. He was nine, not stupid. "Come on, Aki."
Akira hurried to follow his brother out of the house. Kaito grabbed the back of Akira's shirt before he could run off.
"Hey, you have to stay with me, got it?" he said sternly. "I'm in charge."
"C'mon Kai, I really want candy," Akira said, impatience on his face.
"Fine, but don't go ahead of me," Kaito said.
They walked to their neighbor's house and rang the doorbell. He greeted them with a smile, dropping extra candy into their bags.
There were a few other kids out trick-or-treating with their parents, and the sound of doorbells and children's voices chorused in the night. Kaito grabbed Akira's arm as he jumped off the sidewalk into a small pile of leaves.
"Hey, no going in the road," he said, yanking Akira back onto the sidewalk.
Akira frowned. "I just wanted to jump in the leaves."
"Cars won't care. They'll hit you and the leaves," Kaito said.
He saw the fear on Akira's face and sighed. He took his little brother's hand and tugged him along to the next house.
"Just stay out of the road and you don't have to worry about cars," he said.
They made their way down the neighborhood, getting a fair distance from their house as their bags filled up with treats. Akira seemed in good spirits as he walked hand-in-hand with Kaito.
He released Kaito's hand as he leapt over a fake spider in someone's pathway. Kaito stepped around it, bending down to get a better look at it.
But then saw out of the corner of his eyes, movement. And then someone jumped out from behind a tree, screaming, right in Akira's face.
Akira let out a yell, scrambling backwards and tripping over his own feet. He hit the ground, covering his face in terror.
"Hey!" Kaito said angrily as the person who'd scared Akira started laughing. Another kid stepped out from behind the tree, also laughing.
The one boy took his scary mask off. "Got you good, kid."
"That wasn't funny," Kaito snapped, standing in front of Akira. "That was mean. You're a jerk."
"It's Halloween. Everyone needs a little scare," the kid said dismissively. "Go get your candy."
"Not until you apologize to him," Kaito demanded. He turned and held his hand out. "Here, Aki."
Akira took Kaito's hand and let himself be pulled up. He clung to his brother's side in fear, tears leaking down his cheeks. Kaito put an arm around him and glared at the older boys. One was still wearing a creepy mask, and Akira whimpered a little at the sight.
"You're both jerks!" Kaito said. "That wasn't funny! You made him cry!"
"It was just a joke," the unmasked boy said, waving them away. "Candy's in the bowl at the door."
"I wanna go home," Akira said. "Please, Kaito."
"No, we're not going home just because they're mean," Kaito said. He pulled Akira forward, grabbed the bowl of candy, and dumped it all in Akira's bag.
"Hey!" the unmasked boy said angrily.
"You scared him. There's your apology, since you won't say it," Kaito said, pulling Akira past the older boys. "If you weren't a jerk, I wouldn't have done that. Happy Halloween."
He pulled Akira along until they were a safe distance from the mean older boys. He turned and hugged Akira close.
"Don't let him ruin your night, Aki," Kaito said, holding Akira by the shoulders.
Akira sniffled. "I want to go home."
"No, you don't. We'll go to Mr. Leland's house! He always has the big candy bars," Kaito said, ruffling Akira's hair. "C'mon, don't be a baby, Aki."
"I'm not a baby," Akira said stubbornly, wiping his eyes.
"Then prove it and let's keep going," Kaito said, holding out his hand.
Akira took Kaito's hand and wiped his eyes again. "We can go to Mr. Leland's?"
"Duh. I want a big candy bar," Kaito said.
Akira dropped his gaze nervously. "Will you, um, will you go first?"
"Scared?" Kaito taunted.
"No!" Akira put on a brave face. "We'll go together."
"Fine, I guess," Kaito said, smiling a little. "Let's go, Akira."
The brothers walked down the sidewalk together, hand in hand. Kaito stayed on the lookout for anyone else hiding, and Akira stayed close to his brother's side. But it was Halloween, and they'd keep going, together.
