Scáthach walked into the kitchen, the smell of burnt toast wafting through the air. Medb was at the counter, a guilty look on her face, holding a half-eaten piece of charcoal that was once breakfast. "Don't laugh," she said, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
"I'm not," Scáthach replied, though the corners of her mouth twitched upward. "But what on earth did you do to the bread?"
"It was an experiment," Medb said, tossing the blackened toast into the trash. "I was trying to create a new culinary masterpiece. But apparently, four minutes is a bit too long for 'golden brown'."
Scáthach sighed, shaking her head. Medb's cooking was notorious for being...creative. But it was moments like these that made her love her wife even more. She glanced over to the kitchen table where Uathach sat, her head buried in a textbook. "How's the homework going?"
Uathach looked up, her eyes pleading. "I'm stuck on this chemistry question." She pushed the book towards Scáthach, pointing at a scrap of paper with scribbled notes.
Scáthach took a seat beside her, scanning the page. It was a simple question about chemical formulas. But something caught her eye on the scrap of paper. "H2 O2 equals...?" she read aloud, her eyebrows raising.
"Yeah," Uathach said, her voice hopeful. "What do you think it is?"
Scáthach picked up the paper, her eyes widening as she read the answer scribbled in Medb's distinctive handwriting. "You're telling me your mother said it's HOHO?" she asked, trying to keep a straight face.
Uathach nodded, looking utterly serious. "It's what she wrote."
Scáthach couldn't hold back her laughter any longer. It bubbled up from her chest, filling the kitchen with a sound that was music to Medb's ears. She looked up to find her wife watching them, a knowing smile playing on her lips.
"What's so funny?" Medb asked, feigning innocence.
"Your scientific genius," Scáthach said, holding up the paper. "I've never heard of the chemical reaction that produces...laughing gas?"
Medb shrugged, grinning. "Well, it sounds right to me."
The three of them shared a laugh, the tension of the school day dissipating into the warmth of their shared amusement. Scáthach knew she'd have to help Uathach with the actual answer, but for now, she was just happy to be part of their little family's absurd moments.
"Alright, let's set the record straight," Scáthach said, still chuckling. She took a deep breath and composed herself, turning to Uathach. "The correct answer is H2O, my dear. That's the chemical formula for water."
Uathach's face fell for a split second before she too started laughing. "Thanks, I knew something was off with 'laughing gas'." She grabbed her pencil and scribbled out the incorrect answer, replacing it with the correct one.
Medb leaned against the counter, sipping her coffee. "Well, you know what they say, a little humor goes a long way in education." She winked at Scáthach, who couldn't help but roll her eyes affectionately.
Scáthach ruffled Uathach's hair. "And just remember, when you're explaining this to your teacher, maybe leave out the part where your mother thought it was a good idea to teach you the chemistry of laughter."
Uathach nodded, her eyes still sparkling with amusement. "I'll tell them it was a typo."
Together, they worked on the rest of Uathach's homework, with Medb occasionally throwing in another 'helpful' suggestion that would only lead to more laughter. Despite the interruptions, the assignment was finished in good time, with Uathach feeling more confident about her chemistry.
As they cleaned up the kitchen, Scáthach couldn't help but feel grateful for the lightness Medb brought into their lives. Her mischief was a constant reminder that amidst the seriousness of the world, there was always room for a good laugh. And as Uathach packed her backpack for school the next day, the memory of their shared giggle served as a comforting reminder that she had two parents who loved her unconditionally, even if one of them had a rather... unique approach to science.