Love’s day started with the front door slamming open, causing a loud bang to echo through the room, jolting her awake. Her heart rate spikes at all the things that could’ve happened, flashbacks from… it's not important, anything and everything was racing through her mind as she prepared to get up. The pain radiating through her joints didn't seem too bad today so she’d take what she could get. Hauling herself up on shaky legs, she steadies herself against the wall and makes her way to the doorway. She’s first met with the sounds of Silver excitedly rambling to Light, who was home for the holidays, about a few pumpkins one of the neighbors gave him because they grew too many. Love watched Silver and Light talk, just enjoying taking the scene in of her husband and youngest son finally getting to bond a bit. Work had been very busy and taxing recently so Light didn't get to come home often but he luckily got a holiday break this time. She watched the sun filter through the windows, bathing the room in a nice glow, the cool refreshing breeze of the warm season blowing through the open windows, and the faint white noise of a bustling town nearby. It was serene; a quiet and peaceful day. It was nice to have all her family home at once; it had been awhile since that happened.
Her musings were interrupted when Silver finally noticed she was in the room and ran over to her and hugged her before telling her the same thing he told Light.
“...so yeah that's how I got them but I don't know what we should do with them”, Silver said with a pout, trying his hardest to think of what to do with the pumpkins, his tongue poked out and tail sweeping a bit more forcefully in concentration.
“Well, how about we carve them and make a pie out of the insides? I used to do it with my family this time of year.”, Love suggests with a smile, ruffling Silver’s hair a bit.
“But, there's only four pumpkins. How will we each get one?” Silver questions.
“How about you and me share a pumpkin kit? Then Dad, Summer, and Brash will get their own.” Love says but adds on in a whisper, “-Although I don't know how much I trust Brash with carving tools but he’ll be safe enough I hope.” Silver giggles at her comment.
Light chimes in as he goes to prepare all the stuff they need “Hey Siv, why don't you go get your siblings and meet me outside”, he says as he searches around in cabinets and drawers for all the supplies.
“Alright Dad!” Silver yells excitedly, running off towards their respective rooms. The couple can hear the muffled sounds of Silver opening, yelling about pumpkins, and hearing sounds of protests which Silver promptly ignored. Love and Light look at each other and burst into light giggles at their son’s actions. Their chuckles eventually die down and Love looks at her husband with a fond gaze, happy to finally have some time with him.
“What's that look for?” Light asks.
“I just really missed seeing you darling” Love says in a bittersweet tone
Light gets an almost guilty and upset look on his face “I know, I know, it's tough but I have to, you know that”
Love gives a little huff “I know, doesn't mean I have to like when you're gone. Or that I don't worry about you when you are.”
“I'm always careful honey, I never go through the dangerous shortcuts. I've learned my way around this trade for a long time. You don't have to worry about me.” Light says with a big smile, his fur crinkling around his eyes as he hugs Love, his tail intertwing with hers as he puts all his care and affection into the hold. Love melts into his grasp and she enjoys the quiet moment before Silver comes crashing into the room, almost falling on his face and out of breath.
“I DID IT!” Silver pants.”I'M READY, LETS DO THIS!”
“Kit please be careful with running in the house.” Love scolds lightly, unable to keep the smile off her face
Silver replies absentmindedly while he makes his way to the back door, “Yes mom. Sorry mom.”
Love rolls her eyes at her son’s antics and notices Summer and Brash making their way to the backyard as well. With everyone outside and ready, Love joins her family outside and rolls up her sleeves. The weather is perfect today; cool breeze whistling by, only a thin layer of snow covering the ground that makes a nice crunch sound with every step, and the serene sound of birds chirping, and even her body seems to agree as it's not as painful or sore like most days.
Light also rolls up his sleeves and claps, gaining everyone's attention as he begins to speak “Alright kids, we thought it would be a fun idea if we carved these pumpkins Silver got today to get in the holiday spirit” He says with a smile, ignoring Brash rolling his eyes and muttering under his breath, “We each have a knife and they are sharp so be very careful you three. We have to cut the top first and then scoop out the insides which I'm sure your mother would love to use to make you guys pie so you can put it in here” He gestures to a large wooden bowl in the center of the table.
Before he can keep going, Silver raises his hand to ask a question. It makes Light laugh a little, “Yes cub?”
“Can I help make the pie, pleaseeeeee” He begs with the cutest puppy dog eyes that not even the most heartless person on this planet could resist.
“Ask your mother. Alright, any other questions?” Light quickly brushes past, not wanting to give in but not wanting to say no to that face. No one says anything so he continues with his explanation, “And then when the pumpkins are hollow you can- carefully, cut your design out. If you want to draw it out i bought some charcoal sticks with me you can use those. Now, any more questions before we start?” The siblings shake their heads .
“Alright let's get started!” He says with a final clap and a big smile.
The 4 get started on their pumpkins with Love helping Silver as he’s still quite young and doesn’t have the best motor skills yet. The sounds of sawing and scooping out pumpkin fills the quiet morning air. Love can't help but want to stay here forever, just her and her family together and safe. She can't however so she does the next best thing and tries to commit everything to memory; the way Silver’s tongue slightly pokes out in concentration, Brash flicking pumpkin seeds at his sister and Summer doing it right back to him, it didn't seem too out of hand yet so she decided to just let them have their fun. Then she turned her attention to Light scooping pumpkin guts, strong and efficient as he did. That was always a quality she liked about him, being a rock, stable but comforting. Light felt lingering eyes on him and looked up, meeting Love’s gaze and giving her a soft smile. She will never get used to that smile. Being looked at with so much care and adoration. Love looks away, tail puffing up and her ears slightly flattening, if she could her entire face would be flush with color right now.
Love is pulled out by her flustered thoughts by a light yowl of pain and she looks over to see Brash had flicked a pumpkin seed at Silver and it hit his eye. Brash at least had the decency to look slightly sheepish as Silver covered his eye with a pout.
“Aww I’m sorry cub, did your brother do something he wasn't supposed to” Love says with a disapproving glare at Brash. Brash in turn, pretends he doesn’t see it.
Brash tries to plead his case “It's just a pumpkin seed dude, he's fine. Not my fault, I wasn't even aiming for his eye; he's just short.”
“Brash you were this short just a few years ago you know, and hey maybe one day he’ll surpass your height when you're older” Love jokes, smiling at the funny thought.
“I'd like to see him try,” Brash says, puffing out his chest and crossing his arms. He was going for intimidating and confident but it ended up more adorable and not very scary. Love tries not to laugh at it and manages to keep her composure.
Now with the distractions over and the pumpkins successfully gutted, it was time to carve their designs.
“Kit do you have an idea of what design you want to do?” Love asks, looking at Silver.
“Um… I don't really know. Can you pick for me please? I don't know how to do this…” Silver says nervous, looking anywhere but his mother.
Love ruffles his fur “Of course cub. I'll draw a design and then if you like it I'll help you carve it. That sound good?”
Silver nods excitedly then pounces on Love for a hug “Yes! Yes! Thank you mom” he says with a wide smile, showing off just barely sharp canines.
Love almost stumbles but holds on to the table for support and returns the hug. “Anything for you Kit”.
Love sketches out the design of a happy jack o lantern face and gets a nod of approval from Silver so the two begin working on it. She can't see the other’s designs from here, just the sound of craving and the occasional concentrated hum of deliberation. She's pulled from her work when she sees Brash reaching for the bowl of pumpkin insides.
She makes a sound of disapproval, “Brash, what are you doing?”
Brash stares at her with an ‘isn't it obvious’ look “it's for my pumpkin, duh.”
“Brash don't talk to your mother like that” Light chimes in, still razor focused on his carving.
Brash doesn't acknowledge the comment and Love ignores Brash’s rudeness, more interested in finding out why in the world he would need pumpkin guts. “Okay cub, but why do you need it for your pumpkin?”
“It's a surprise. It'll turn out cool, trust me.” Brash says and Love finds no malice or ill intent in his words so she lets it slide.
“Alright but if you break my trust you’ll be in big trouble, got it?” Love says with a suspicious squint, trying her best to be a good disciplinary parent but most likely falling short on the intimidation factor. She was a paladin of Tyr of gods sake why is it so hard to keep a straight face. Brash nods and continues to mess with his pumpkin.
It's just turning midday by the time they finish and Light help clears the table and takes the bowl of pumpkin inside for later use. With everything cleaned up, they line up their pumpkins and look at each other's designs. Silver and Love’s was a very cute smiling jack-o-lantern face; Summer’s was a very nice sunflower with a few other flower and leaf designs decorating the rest of it; Light’s was a very cute cat, he even added his unused eye triangles as ears attached to the top; and Brash’s was… a face throwing up pumpkin guts… Well he’s certainly creative that's for sure.
“See, I told you it was for something cool” Brash says with a self satisfied look.
Love huffs out a light laugh “I'm sorry for doubting you cub, it won't happen again” She says in a slight sarcastic tone, knowing full well she will doubt his intentions in the future.
Light comes back out and looks at all the pumpkins “Wow we did good! We should move these to the front, although I'll leave you in charge of moving yours Brash” He says with a slight shutter, not wanting pumpkin all over his fur. Everyone picks up their pumpkins and starts to head around the house and to the front with Love trailing behind. She goes to walk and feels pain shoot up her legs… ah shit… Turns out standing in one place for a few hours and not paying attention to your body would have consequences. Using the house to stabilize herself, she slowly makes it to everyone else. Her bones ache and complain with each step as the snow crunches below her paws but she does finally meet back up with everyone else. It seems like they’ve all found a nice way to stage their pumpkin and Light looks over at the sound of delayed footsteps. He gives her a quizzical look, she looks down at her legs and back to him. Light nods and starts to corral the kids to go play somewhere else and immediately rushes to Love’s side.
“Plan of action?” he asks, quick and straight to the point.
“Sit and relax.” she replies.
Light smiles at that “Sounds good to me”.