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You get home from a mission later than usual, your clothes coated in the blood of curses, bruises up and down your arm. Your hair is a mess, and you miss your family, irritated that you'd had to work on Halloween, especially since everyone knew you had a young daughter you'd wanted to spend the evening with.
When you open the door, there's a movie playing, a Halloween cartoon that you haven't watched in years. Candy wrappers are spilled all over the floor, your daughter picking out all the candies she doesn't like.
She sees you before you can say anything, and she jumps to her feet, scurrying across the room in her little pink princess dress, crown tumbling off her head. "Mommy!"
You smile, relaxing at the sight of your sweet little girl, and outstretch your arms as she jumps into them. The blood from your shirt smears onto her dress, but she's used to seeing you in such a state; you and Kento can protect her from a lot of things, but not from the vision of you covered in gore, exhausted after a long day.
"Hi, sweetie," you say, kissing her forehead as you brush the loose tendrils of hair away from her face. "I missed you. I'm sorry I couldn't come trick or treating with you."
"That's okay, mommy," she holds your hand, her tiny palm wrapping around your thumb. "Yuuji came with us! we had so much fun! He's really good at being my knight!"
You squeeze your daughter tight once more, and set her back down, letting her lead you over to the stash of candy.
"Hey, you're back!" Yuuji says, sitting up on the floor next to his own bag of halloween candy. He's dressed up in a knight costume, the helmet beside him on the floor as he grins up at you. "Your mission took longer than we thought."
"Well, there was unexpectedly a grade one curse that no one warned me about." You sigh, letting the exhaustion seep into you; you're finally able to relax, the tension in your shoulder draining away. "Where's-"
You feel Kento sneak up behind you, his arms snaking around your waist as he kisses your temple, grins into your hair. "A treat for me finally?" he asks, knowing that it's stupid, and you roll you eyes with a smile, reaching for the hands that rest on your stomach. "How did the mission go?"
You don't get a chance to respond before your daughter is pulling you back to the ground, guiding you and Kento to sit beside her.
"Mommy, here are all your favorites! Daddy said you liked these ones a lot so I saved them for you," she smiles, only able to hold a few pieces of candy in her small hands. "And Yuuji traded some with me, because I think those are yucky!" She points to a pile of caramel candies that she's traded for the packages of gummy bears.
Kento sits beside you, throwing his arms around your shoulder as he stretches his legs out in front of him. You still feel dirty from the mission, but you let yourself bathe in the relaxing atmosphere as you melt into your husband.
"Did he?" you ask, looking up at Yuuji. "What a nice big brother."
The teenage boy shrugs, picking up a caramel that he tosses into his mouth. "I'm not picky, I'll eat anything."
Kento sighs. "We're all well aware of that."
Your daughter scrambles onto Kento's lap, bringing over some of the packages of gummy bears with her. There's chocolate on her face, and the lip gloss she'd begged you to let her wear had somehow gotten all over her chin. Still, she looks adorable in her little gown, which has muddied at the bottom.
"Which ones do you want?" she asks her father, smiling up at him with a wide grin, toothless grin. "The pink ones are my favorite. Actually, I like them all! but you can have the blue ones if you want. They match your shirt, daddy!"
Kento laughs, brushing a hand over her head. "I'll let you have them, princess. You've had such a busy day of running the kingdom, you deserve all the candy." He grins at her, tickling her sides as she giggles, burying her head in his collarbone.
You smile, dropping your head on Kento's shoulder as you kiss the top of your daughter's head, a few tears springing to your eyes.
Then, she runs off with Yuuji, the two of them off to find a different halloween movie to watch to wrap up the evening. And Kento holds your hand in his, his thumb running over your knuckle, smiling into your hair.
"Tired?" he asks, his fingers tracing your arm, soothing circles relaxing you.
You hum, and a yawn bursts out of you, the scent of Kento so much like home. "Yeah," you admit, eyes fluttering closed as he holds you tighter. "I'm sorry I couldn't go with you."
"Don't feel bad, sweetheart," He shakes his head, tipping your chin up to kiss him. "You didn't miss much. I had to carry her most of the way. She got tired."
You laugh, looking at the bundle of energy that's chasing Yuuji around the kitchen, unsurprised that she'd begged Kento to carry her around the neighborhood. A surge of love washes over you, and you kiss Kento's cheek, his lips, your heart delicate in your chest.
Despite missing an evening with your family, you're grateful you're still able to have this moment with him, to bathe in the affection you feel for the man beside you.
And though being a sorcerer is exhausting, a job more brutal than it's worth, you'd never give it up. Just because, you'll do anything to keep the young girl and boy in the kitchen safe.