Work Text:
Snow muffles everything. It's early morning, Miri still sleeps soundly in her room, neatly tugged in a thick blanket. Her mouth probably opened wide, a trickle of saliva going down her cheek. Even with a window ajar in the living room, no sound comes from the outside. Everything's quiet except for hissing of a pan in the kitchen.
Rei tries to flip a French toast with one hand, the other still hangs lifeless at his right side. He curses under his nose when another attempt ends with a splash messing up his hoodie and the countertop around him. Kazuki looks at him, his eyes wide and innocent, from his breakfast work.
"Need help?" But no response follows. He puts down the knife, he's been using to cut a tomato. "Come on, it won't harm your pride if you say it. Here, let me."
He walks over, stops close to Rei, just behind him, and gives his assist with his right hand and a fork he found on the side. He counts to three and then they flip the toast together. The mixture bubbles a bit, so Kazuki's hand immediately lands on the cork to lower the heat.
"There you go." His words come out gentle, in a similar tone in which he soothes Miri when she's got a nightmare. They sound just next to Rei's right ear as he focuses his gaze on the pan. He continues while doing that: "Nothing scary, right? It's not like it's impossible to do it with one hand, but some toasts are stubborn. You'll get it."
He stays close for a couple more seconds, but reflects himself and walks away, leaving Rei starring blankly at the spot where just a moment ago he saw a red sleeve substituting the arm he sacrificed. His heart feels softer, like if it was dipped in a sweet coating, but beats so terribly fast he has to take in a sharper breath.
"Thanks," he murmurs as his features melt in the fond feeling that appeared in his chest, not for the first time.
He thinks back to the conversation with his father, when he brought up all the little things that made him fall in love with his newfound family. He also remembers holding Kazuki up in the kitchen back then, their blood mixing as they supported each other.
I knew my partner would come to save me. And he did.
Yes, if something was on, he knew his partner will indeed come to save him. Even if it's just flipping a toast.