The King family was seated in Kat and Eugene's living room, either on the floor or the couch. The room smelled of coffee and the fire crackled from the fireplace. It would've been a beautiful sight if not for the plastic everywhere.
There were a couple large plastic table cloths with various paint splatters on it covering the coffee table and floor. A couple packets of air-dry clay were on the table and a few colourful plastic knives as well as some special paints and brushes.
Everyone had a small amount of clay in their hands and they were molding it to look like something.
"Marsh, you better not be making what I think you're making." Ophelia warned, fiddling with her own piece of clay.
"Is it what he made two years ago?" Viv asked.
"Well, two years ago I made my bleep and this year I'm just making a bleep." Marshall said, and yes, he did actually say the 'bleep's.
"What's a bleep?" Ariel asked.
"It's a...uhm..." Marshall started, trying to think of a good excuse.
"A bad word. Or at least, a word to cover up the bad word. Marshall, don't make a bleep." Eugene said.
"Fine fine. I'll just make a nice little tree--"
"With no weird roots. Or ball-like stumps." Viv interrupted.
"You're no fun."
"You're no wholesome uncle. Be mindful of the five-year-old in the room." Viv said.
"That's me!" Ria shouted, with a smile on her face despite the fact that she had no idea what was going on.
"Yes it is, honey." Viv smiled.
"So why do we make these little clay figures on Halloween? Is this an American thing, am I just missing something?" Eugene asked.
"No. Wait, you don't celebrate Halloween in Europe?" Marsh asked.
"Of course we do! Although, where I used to live in Ireland at least, it wasn't as...extravagant." Gene said.
"I knew that." Marsh mumbled.
"So, the clay thing, why?" Gene asked.
"Because, Uncle Gene, Auntie Phee bought me a Play-Doh set for my birthday and I was playing with it on Halloween and then everyone started playing with it and then yeah." Ariel said, keeping her eyes on the clay in her hands. It was starting to look like a hat of some sort, but she refused to show anyone the picture on Viv's phone that she was using as a reference.
"Uncle Gene..." Eugene said, placing a hand over his heart and smiling.
No one had any real idea why Gene and Ariel hadn't really interacted. Being Kat's husband, most would think they were close, but Gene just wasn't there when Ariel was growing up, for work or whatever reason, so he was going to start then.
"Ria, what are you making?" Phee asked.
"Not telling!"
"Why not?"
"It's a surprise!" Ria said, reaching for the black and white paint pots and a small brush.
"Well, as long as it isn't a bleep." Viv sighed.
"So what are the rest of us making?" Kat asked, looking around the room.
"Zombie." Gene replied.
"Cat." Ophelia said.
"A bleep turned pumpkin tree." Marshall said.
"Pumpkins don't grow on trees, Marshall." Kat said.
"Which makes this all the more magical and mysterious. Bet it's better than whatever you're making." Marshall retaliated.

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Halloween Hearts • Loki Odinson
FanfictionWhen Loki Odinson was forced by his brother to serve time in the Avengers compound, he did not expect to be pouring tea for five year old girls and an assortment of cuddly toys. He also didn't expect to meet the most effervescent and irresistible wo...