A/N — Happy Hanukkah! This particular story ran long so is now separated into a few parts. xoxo — kals

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Name: Candles

Setting: AU where Carlton and Ravit are alive

Prompt: story involving Carlton screwing up Hanukkah trying to impress Ravit.

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Ravit walked into the kitchen, only to come to a dead stop. She had spent the day running training exercises in the rain, resulting in a liberal dosing of mud, but the smell that was currently assaulting her smelled less like mud and more like...a dirty mop. Ravit lifted an arm, giving a hesitant sniff, only to gag.

"There you are," Carlton said, bustling into the kitchen. "I've got the Menorah set up and dinner almost ready, if you want to take a shower."

Assuming that was his, surprisingly discrete, way of telling her that she stunk, Ravit nodded. "I'll be quick."

Fifteen minutes later, having scrubbed herself pink and even tossed her clothes outside on the porch to be dealt with later, Ravit returned to the kitchen...and immediately gagged at the scent. Hands on hips, she rounded on her husband. "What is that smell?"

"I made Matzo ball soup from your grandmother's recipe," Carlton announced, a broad grin splitting his face. "And latkas too."

Carlton's pronunciation was horrific, and Ravit's mother would have served matzo ball soup for Hanukkah at all, but Ravit currently had bigger concerns. "No, this smells like...sewer."

Carlton blinked, a sheepish look creeping across his face. "I did think it was a bit much but the guy at the store said it was a Hanukkah candle so I figured..."

But Ravit cut him off. He could explain later. Once the terrible smell was gone. "What candle?"

Carlton waved her towards the counter. Ravit approached, picking up the foul-smelling thing, reading the label incredulously. "You bought a candle that smells like gefilte fish on purpose?" At Carlton's blank look, she added. "They aren't kidding about the fish part. It's made from real carp."

"Oh!" Carlton made a face. "That would explain the smell."

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A/N2 — such a candle does in fact exist although I did not actually buy or burn the thing to know how it smells for all the reasons that Carlton should have known better.