[[Its Bloom Week snd yet the only thing I can conjure up is this.

Spoilers: For Azran Legacy.

Set: Before the Bronev family are spilt up.

Disclaimer: Do not own]]

The Old Barrel Roll

All was calm in the Bronev household. Leon was working hard in his study, Hershel was sat reading at the kitchen table and Rachel was preparing dinner with the help of young Theodore. That evening the family had invited their neighbour Raymond to join them for pasta drenched in tomato and basil sauce.

Rachel stirred the hot red mixture, until there was a knock at the door. "Probably Mr Raymond..." She said thoughtfully. "Leon! Please can you get that?"

"Can't right at this moment, sorry!" Was her husband's response. "I'm in the middle of an Azran puzzle."

"Hershel, can you answer it?"

The older boy didn't look up from his book. "But Muuuum, I'm in the middle of a really exciting chapter!"

Rachel sighed, wiped her hands on a tea towel and muttered, "Fine, I'll let poor Raymond in. Honestly, you and your father are going to be the death of me one day." She stormed out into the hall.

Theodore didn't understand why she hadn't asked him. He was always willing to offer assistance...His chance to shine came when he noticed the pasta sauce had started bubbling. He informed Hershel, who was irritated at having been interrupted again.

"Just give it a stir," Hershel said shortly.

Picking up the wooden spoon his mother had left, Theodore stood on his tip-toes by the stove. However, he dipped the spoon into the saucepan with too much force. The saucepan tipped off the stove. Time seemed to slow. Hershel heard the clatter, glanced up, saw the boiling hot sauce go flying. Right towards his baby brother.

"THEEEEEEOOOOOO!"

Hershel dropped his book, vaulted over the table and threw himself at Theodore. He caught him tightly and they rolled to the other side of the kitchen just in time. Mere inches from missing their heads, the sauce landed on the floor with a sizzle. Hershel sat up, panting heavily. "Are you ok, Theo? I'm sorry- I should've told you to be more careful. I should've stirred it myself. No, I should've just got up and answered the door!"

Theodore was trembling, but appeared unscathed. "I-I-I'm fine, I think..."

Rachel burst back into the kitchen, followed by their old neighbour Raymond and Leon, still fiddling with his puzzle.

"What on Earth happened?" Rachel all but shrieked. "Boys, you didn't burn yourselves, did you?"

"It was an accident!" Theodore cried. "I was just trying to stir the sauce and then it spilled- but Hershel saved me! He grabbed me and rolled us away."

"Ah, you must mean the old Barrel Roll," Raymond approved. "Never fails."

"I was just copying the hero in the story I'm currently reading," Hershel explained.

"As long as neither you are hurt..." Rachel breathed with relief, catching her two boys in a hug. She glared from Leon- who had the decency to look guilty- to their disarrayed dinner. "From now on, there'll be no cooking without my supervision. Would you mind cleaning up that mess and making us something else, Leon?"

Raymond quipped, "You know what they say. No point in crying over spilt sauce."

The legendary Barrel Roll would prove useful to the Bronev brothers in later life. However, Alfendi Layton would never comprehend his father's preference for purely plain pasta.