the rhythmic clinking of a spoon against a ceramic bowl filled the otherwise quiet kitchen. sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air and catching the soft halo of your hair as you meticulously mashed a ripe banana. satoru watched you, his usual easy grin absent, replaced by a shadow of something akin to petulance.

your brow was furrowed in concentration, your focus entirely on the small, sticky concoction taking shape in the bowl. you hummed a tuneless melody, a sound that usually brought a smile to his face, but today it only amplified his feeling of being on the periphery.

"you're spoiling them again."

he pushed off the wall, the slight movement finally drawing your attention. your eyes, usually so bright and welcoming, flickered to him briefly before returning to the task at hand. "spoiling them? they're two, satoru. everything is new and exciting. besides," you added, a hint of a smile finally touching your lips, "aren't you the one who bought them that ridiculously oversized stuffed panda last week?"

"that's different," he retorted, the corners of his mouth turning down. "that was a fun spoil. i'm talking about the constant coddling. the way you drop everything the moment they even whimper. what about me?" the last part was mumbled, almost swallowed by the quiet hum of the refrigerator.

you paused, the spoon hovering over the mashed banana. you finally met his gaze, and the playful light in your eyes softened, replaced by a flicker of something he couldn't quite decipher.