Gingersnap

Pumpkin Gingersnaps Thanksgiving 2022

For Thanksgiving, Yuki rented a cabin up in the mountains for the group to stay at. Ed, Al, Gingersnap, Denali, Victor, and Phoenix went along. 

On the second night of their stay, they had a big Friendsgiving meal. There was turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, buttered rolls, yams, and more. For dessert were three different flavors of pie, cookies, and a big strawberry parfait. 

"The rolls you made look amazing, Denali!" Edward exclaimed. 

The fox perked her ears and put two on his plate. "I know you'll like them!" 

"And you really must try my green bean casserole, my dear." Phoenix scooped some onto his plate. 

"Can't forget the garlic mashed potatoes." Victor pushed the bowl towards him. 

"And the turkey is the star!" Yuki served up big helpings to Ed and Al. 

Al chuckled and playfully shook his head as he watched his brother stuff his face. No wonder his brother had gained so much in the years they were apart, being friends with such great cooks. "Some things never change…"

-

While dessert was being served, Ed let Ginger onto the table and became distracted while talking to his brother about the next days plans to visit an indoor food festival. 

Ginger took a few bites of strawberry parfait and then went off exploring the table, seeing pies and parfait as snow covered mountains and dense, sweet smelling marshes. 

Ginger followed the scent of pumpkin into the muddy landscape of Gourd Gorge…

"Yoink!" 

The ocelot, dripping with pumpkin pie filling, was suddenly plucked from her adventure by an automail hand.

"Aww…"

-

After the meal, everyone gathered in the living room to relax in front of a crackling fire. Victor sat preening his feathers with his eyes closed and leaning on Denali who read softly to him from her book of short stories. Yuki and Phoenix looked through a magazine of local events near the big picture window with a view of the nighttime snow capped mountains. Ed and Al spoke softly to one another while Ginger, still on an adventure buzz, hopped from belly to belly while imagining they were trampolines. 

"I'm so full I couldn't have another bite!" Ed sighed. 

"Brother, you said that twice already between your fourth and fifth helping of pie." 

"Shut up." The older Elric brother nudged him with his prosthetic arm. 

Ed let out a soft grunt when Gingersnap landed on his too-full tummy for what felt like the 100th time. 

"Alright, I think it's time for the true dessert." He caught the hyped ocelot mid-jump on her way back to Al. 

Gingersnap playfully tried to squirm free from his automail. "Hey Ed, on Thanksgiving, you know, you really are the FULLmetal Alchemist. Do you get it? Huh?" She giggled. 

Al snorted and Ed pinched the bridge of his nose, but hid a grin. 

He dropped her wriggling form onto his tongue and gave a quick, casual swallow before she could squirm her way out. When she had the zoomies, only a dose of tummy time would calm her. 

Ed smacked his lips. "Mm, pumpkin Gingersnaps." And he went back to his conversation with Alphonse. 

"I can't tell you how glad I am that Jessie and Oscar are staying in their own cabin. That bastard can-" 

"Brother, language!" Al scolded. 

"Oh hon, your foul-mouthed brother has nothing on me. I swear like a sailor." Phoenix clucked her beak from across the room.

Soon, the brother's voices were muffled and far off, as were the popping and crackling of the fireplace. Ginger explored her familiar surroundings and imagined herself the famous tummy spelunker. 

But soon, her eyelids began to feel heavy. The imaginative sounds of a cave in the mountains were replaced by the very real sounds of her best friend's steady heart and gurgling stomach. Before she knew it, she was fast asleep and dreaming of a mountain covered in powdered sugar.