#another one so soon for them
Summary: Honami couldn’t just watch her flounder like this; it would be dangerous if the knife slipped. “Try cutting with more of a pushing motion.” She offered, drawing Kanade’s eyes to her.
“What do you mean?” Kanade asked, lifting the kitchen knife slightly.
Honami lifted one hand to mime the motion, but paused before she could. The easiest way for her to learn would be to help her do it, so she could learn how it felt and repeat it.
Word Count: 1200
_________________________________________________________-
Honami hummed lightly as she chopped the vegetables, her kitchen knife tapping rhythmically against the cutting board. Her hands moved easily in the practiced motion, creating almost perfectly cut cubes. Soon she’d be ready to start the stir fry, a simple yet satisfying dinner to share with her companion
Above her, orange rays of light filtered through the small front window of Kanade’s apartment. The sun was starting to set and would soon vanish beneath the horizon. The natural light competed with a lightbulb overhead, which served to illuminate the space. It was a quiet evening, as they so often were when Honami visited here.
Somewhere behind her, Honami knew, Kanade was watching. The other teen had left her office today to sit with Honami while she cooked, her ice blue eyes burning a hole in the center of Honami’s back. She’d been sitting there silently this whole time, though Honami wasn’t sure why.
Even though they’d known each other for so long, sometimes Kanade managed to surprise her.
“Can I help with that?” Kanade’s voice, quiet yet insistent, came from far closer to Honami’s right side than she had anticipated. She glanced over, hands coming to a halt at the cutting board.
Kanade’s mouth was set in a firm line, her fingers intertwined together in front of her. This was an odd request, Honami thought as she set down the kitchen knife. Kanade almost never cooked for herself, in fact Honami couldn’t recall ever finding a homemade meal there that she hadn’t prepared herself.
This was unusual, but in a good way. If Kanade practiced cooking, maybe she would even make herself some real food. If Honami could help her do that, who was she to turn her down.
A hint of warmth flourished in Honami’s chest, bringing a broad smile to her face.
“Of course!” Honami moved the already chopped vegetables to the side, placing another onto the cutting board. “If you want to chop, I’ll get the stovetop ready.” She offered up her current task without a second thought.
Kanade nodded and stepped into that space, slowly picking up the kitchen knife in her right hand. She looked down at it silently, rotating it and examining both sides. Honami watched for a moment, wondering if she should reconsider their assignments. She could already tell that Kanade had no idea how to hold the kitchen knife, let alone use it.
No, she had given her the task so she needed to see it through. Kanade had a decent supply of bandages in the closet, Honami told herself it would be fine.
Honami left her to it for a moment, vowing to not look away for long, and searched beneath the counter for the pan she needed. She placed it on the stovetop, before turning back to Kanade.
In the few moments she hadn’t been watching, Kanade had settled on how to use the knife. She held it firmly in her hand and had succeeded at aligning it with the vegetable on the cutting board. As she tried to cut, the blade merely stopped on top of the vegetable.
Honami couldn’t just watch her flounder like this; it would be dangerous if the knife slipped. “Try cutting with more of a pushing motion.” She offered, drawing Kanade’s eyes to her.
“What do you mean?” Kanade asked, lifting the kitchen knife slightly.
Honami lifted one hand to mime the motion, but paused before she could. The easiest way for her to learn would be to help her do it, so she could learn how it felt and repeat it.
“Here, I’ll guide you.” Honami stepped around Kanade so she was on her right side, slowly reaching forward to cover her right hand with her own. Honami had to step closer to make it work, bringing her body even closer to Kanade’s. She placed her hand carefully and precisely, with Kanade’s small fingers between it and the kitchen knife. Kanade’s hand and arm tensed against her, flinching away just slightly before returning.
Honami’s heart sunk in her chest, a familiar and unwelcome feeling. That pulling away, that rejection, she remembered it.
How could Honami have forgotten? Her fingers, which she used every day to cook and play the drums, were covered in the rugged calluses that accompanied regular percussion playing. She hadn’t even thought about it as she reached out, hadn’t considered how it rough it would feel and how undesirable her touch would be.
Honami inhaled sharply, pulling her hand back and stepping hastily away. The kitchen table was there, halting her retreat. She pulled her hand up to her chest, fingers curled over her heart as Kanade looked over her shoulder, a look of confusion clear on her face.
“I’m sorry.” Honami’s voice shook, wavering despite her desire to hold it steady. “I shouldn’t have, my hands are…” She grimaced, unsure of how to finish that sentence.
“I don’t mind, you just startled me.” Kanade set the kitchen knife down, turning fully to face Honami. She frowned slightly as her eyes glimmered with concern, with questions. “Is your hand hurt?” She asked, eyes dropping to the one clenched against Honami’s chest.
Honami followed her eyes down, opening her hand to inspect her own fingers. They appeared normal at first glance, but if she looked closely she could see the slightly darkened skin that marked her calluses. Every place the drumstick made contact was protected, creating a rough uneven surface. She lowered her hand to show Kanade, who stepped closer to get a better look.
“Did you get cut?” Kanade reached forward to lift Honami’s hand higher, her touch soft and warm against the back of it. The gentleness of her touch, Honami wanted her own to be like that.
“I’m not hurt, don’t worry.” Honami didn’t like seeing Kanade fret like this, fussing over her. The heavy feeling it brought tore into her gut. “They’re just rough.”
Kanade blinked as her eyes came up, her other hand coming to cover Honami’s. “Even if they’re tough on the outside, they’re still you.” Her hands were warm as they encompassed Honami’s, grasping her in place. “Please show me how to do it.”
Those words washed over Honami, sinking through her ears to her mind. Kanade was right, of course she was. This roughness was still a part of her, a product of her membership in the band. They were the result of many hours spent practicing and performing, of bonding with her bandmates. She carried them with the rest of her experiences, both good and bad.
Even after that, Kanade still wanted Honami to help guide her and to teach her. This wasn’t a rejection, as she had feared. No, it was quite the opposite.
Honami nodded once, smiling down at Kanade as her heart clenched in her chest. “I will.”
The corner of Kanade’s lips quirked up as she released Honami’s hands, turning back to the cutting board.
After taking a moment to calm herself, Honami joined her. Together they resumed the task, cutting through the vegetable that had been waiting for them.
Honami’s hand was rough against Kanade’s, but that was okay.
