Work Text:
"There! We’re rolling! Today is the twins’ first birthday! It’s already been a year, huh? It really went by in a flash." "You made food for me again."
"Come on! Let’s eat already!"
"I don’t have to eat like Vash does."
"Hey! I’m a plant, too."
"This is such a waste." "It doesn’t matter whether you eat it or not. It’s about making sure everyone gets their share. It’s not a waste at all." "Rem, the recording light is off." "Oh, you’re right!"
"HUH?"
The sound of laughter echoed around.
"Hey you two!"
*Smash*
The halls that had once been filled with the sound of a distant memory were now haunted by silence. Knives glanced down into his hand, the crushed pieces of technology rolling from his palm to the floor. He loathed this day. It was nothing but a reminder that his only family had turned their back on him. Over 100 years of bitter loneliness tears into one's soul, no matter how much he pretends not to care. He raised his hand to allow the rest of the metal parts to land on the ground, sighing gently as he moved around them. It didn’t matter. A little piano would ease his mind. Perhaps the day would go by faster if he submerged himself in the sweet melodies he played.
The door opened in his presence. The once beautifully decorated room is now desecrated with the bodies of his people, a reminder of their fate should he fail. His eyes gazed at a newly placed table in the center of the room. He had no memory of adding it to the room.
He moved towards the table, confused by the contents placed on it. A small, rather crudely made cake that looked as if it had been made by a toddler, and a card made just as poorly. He picked up the card gently, swinging it open with his thumb to glance inside. "Happy birthday, Knives!"
11 different signatures were scribbled randomly around the page, ranging from illegible scribbles to neatly signed names. Knives knew who each belonged to, but why? Why did they care? Did they have an ulterior motive for doing this? His hand trembled gently as he set the paper down on the table.
He brought his finger down and swiped some frosting off the top, placing his digit into his mouth to taste it. He didn’t need food to survive, but Knives found joy in certain tastes. The sweet flavor of chocolate on his tongue made his heart flutter. It tasted like childhood…like home.
A singular tear formed in the corner of his eye as he stared down at the delicacy on the table. There was no expression on his face, yet his heart was alight with a feeling he hadn’t felt since his first birthday. The feeling of family