Josh Dun imagines

Pumpkin carving

Josh Dun imagine

""For the sake of this relationship, please tell me that you're kidding," Josh jokes playfully.
"I swear," you reiterate for what felt like the tenth time in the last minute, "that I've never carved a pumpkin before."
"Who even are you?" he scoffs, shaking his head. "Pumpkin carving is like, the epitome of fall. How do you have a Halloween without it?"
"I'm not from here! My family wasn't big on Halloween growing up, and autumn wasn't really even a season—" you said, trying to defend yourself. But Josh had already insisted on changing your course of action for the day. Instead of dinner and a movie, like originally planned, you were on your way to a farm he knew of with a pumpkin patch.
"That better change. Halloween's the best."
"I'll tell you what," you say, scooting your body upright in the passenger seat to face Josh, "I will go along with whatever Halloween activities you plan, and if you make them actually fun for me, I'll consider appreciating the holiday a little more."
Josh reaches across the center console and takes your hand in his. He intertwines your fingers together before bringing the back of your hand to his lips, planting a soft kiss to the skin there.
"Deal," he says smugly.
The cool autumn air blows right through your thin jacket, causing you to shiver slightly after you've gotten out of the car. Josh notices you crossing your arms over your body, and helps by wrapping his arm around your shoulders, his warm body acting as a space heater for yours. You weren't used to the cold yet, and you had a feeling it was going to take a while for your body to adjust.
You smiled as Josh led the way through the orchard. Blinding yellow flames lit the hillsides around you two. There were apple trees standing like a fleet straight ahead, red blooms in rows by the tens, maybe twenties.
Josh took a sharp left past a barn, where people were paying for their bags of apples and cups of hot chocolate and plates of pie. Just past the old building was a pumpkin patch, surrounded by wild trees on three sides. You couldn't help but marvel at the autumn trees around you, especially as you got closer. Stands of them along the verge looked like carnival clowns holding giant bunches of yellow, orange, red and green balloons.
"It's so beautiful out here," you vocalize, quietly, almost to yourself.
"Fall's my absolute favorite season," Josh smiles, taking a deep breathe of the crisp air.
You browse the selection of pumpkins, not like the competition was that rampant, especially after you laid eyes on the "prize pumpkin" as you continued to call it throughout the day. It was huge, double the size of a basketball. And since you found it, you insisted on carrying it back, despite it's bulk and weight.
"I got it," you snapped, as Josh tried to scoop it out of your shaking arms. He was already holding his own pumpkin, one about half as big as yours.
"Okay, okay, whatever you say," he laughs, shaking his head.
You proudly, and awkwardly, shuffled your way to the barn, where you're able to weigh your pumpkins, pay, then make your way to the car. You're grateful Josh didn't park that far.
You're buckled into the front seat of the car before you realize Josh wasn't right behind you. Instead, you see him balancing his pumpkin and two styrofoam cups in his hands. You watch, confused through the windshield.
"Here," he says, handing you one of the cups gently.
"What is it?" you ask.
"Cider."
"I've never had this before..."
"Just shut up and try it," he insists.
And so you do.
The warm liquid trickles down your throat, sweet and calming. "It's so good," you admit, as you cradle the warm cup between your fingers.
Josh starts the car then smiles smugly, "I knew you'd like it."
"So first," Josh instructs once there's a fine layer of newspaper laid out on the back deck, "you have to get all the gut stuff out."
"Gut stuff?" you cringe as he hands you a knife and spoon.
"Yeah, watch—" Josh cuts a circle into the top of his pumpkin around the stem and lifts an abnormal amount of goo out with it.
You follow suit, doing exactly what Josh does.
You're amazed by how much goo you pull out of your pumpkin, but once you're scraping the last bit out from the bottom, you can't help but smile at your accomplishment.
"We can carve now?" you ask eagerly.
"Knock 'em dead," Josh encourages.
With your tongue sticking out and your face twisted in concentration, you barely speak to Josh the entire time you're carving the face of your pumpkin. You try to make smooth strokes with the knife, rather than have jagged edges.
Josh finishes before you, due to the fact that his pumpkin was much, much smaller.
"I'll be right back," he says, before standing up and walking inside.
You hear him moving around, but barely let your attention waiver from the prize pumpkin in front of you.
At long last you do finish. You finally put your tongue back in your mouth and smile widely at the masterpiece before you. It's a standard face, your creativity wasn't too wild this time around, but for your first carved pumpkin, you'd say it was a success.
"Hey baby!" you call, "You gotta come check this little guy out!"
But Josh doesn't answer.
"Babe?" you call again, this time twisting to look inside.
When he fails to respond again, you gently set down your pumpkin, before wiping your sticky hands on the towel already laid out. As you stand, you realize your foot's partially asleep, you wonder how long you've been sitting in that position.
"Josh?" you call again, once inside the house.
"I'm in the kitchen!" he calls.
Josh is in the midst of pulling a pan out of the oven when you see him.
"What're you doing?" you ask casually, setting the dirty towel on the counter.
"Just baked some seeds!" he says proudly, showing you the pan.
You narrow your eyes in on the white seeds on the tray.
"What—"
"Pumpkin seeds! I separated them out from your goo, so we could eat them. I promise they're good."
"Okay..." you say skeptically, "if you say so— But, Josh... my pumpkin came out so good!"
Josh dumps the seeds into a small bowl, before gathering two mugs of hot cocoa he'd also brewed while you were busy outside. "Yeah?" he says eagerly.
"So good!" you practically shriek.
"Wait til we light it up tonight," he smiles back.
You follow him into the living room and Josh sets down the mugs on a couple of coasters.
"Alright, so these seeds—" you drawl, "I just eat the whole thing?"
"The whole thing."
You plop one in your mouth, very pleased by the saltiness of them. You find yourself grabbing another handful...
"So let me guess," he prods, "you're not big on Halloween movies either?"
You shake your head and right on cue, Josh pulls up some Tim Burton film he insists is his favorite. The worst part is, you can't even argue. Because he's been right about everything so far today.
Josh presses play before falling back into he couch with you, tugging gently on the blanket urging for you to share. You oblige, curling yourself into his side and resting your head on his shoulder.
"Okay Josh," you say after taking a small sip of your hot chocolate. "I think you might already have me swayed on this Halloween thing—"
Josh squeezes you slightly, pulling you even closer into him. He smiles smugly down at you, "Just wait until I take you to the haunted houses next weekend."

Credit to joshdunfics on Tumblr