telephonesecrets

You thought it would be simple. The cookie recipe was unassuming, something you'd found while scrolling through Pinterest. All you had to do was mix the ingredients, add the chocolate chips, scoop the dough onto the tray, and slide it into the oven.

Except, somehow you'd forgotten to set the timer. Now, the kitchen smelled like it was burning down. Frantically, you shut off the oven and reach to pull out the tray.

Shoot.

In your panic, you'd neglected to slip on the oven mitt. You yelp as you pull away your hand, fingers throbbing after the contact with the hot metal.

Just my luck. You sigh, grabbing the oven mitts and carefully removing the browned, crispy cookies.

"I'm home!"

Satoru's voice cuts through the air, followed immediately by his presence. He beams at you, completely oblivious to the fact that you were cradling a baking disaster in your hands. You set the tray down and pull off the gloves, wincing a little when you feel the fabric rub against your affected skin.

"How was your day?" you ask, but Satoru doesn't hear you. His bright eyes have already zoned in on the raw patches of skin along your fingertips.

And he gasps, hands clutching his heart, as if it wasn't you in pain, but him.

"My poor baby," he pouts, taking your hands in his, lifting your arm to inspect the damage. "Did you burn yourself?"

"It's not too bad," you say. It isn't a complete lie. It's only a small burn, even if it does hurt a bit.

But Satoru's already gone. He returns only seconds later, first aid kit in hand. He gently grabs your wrist and guides you to the kitchen sink like a man with an important mission. He turns on the faucet, adjusting the settings until the water is cool. He then guides your fingers beneath the stream of water and holds them there.

"Satoru, really, I'm fine," you say, but you secretly find his excessive concern adorable.

His body is positioned right behind you, pressing you into the counter as his head dips between your neck and shoulder blade, lips kissing the area just below your ear.

"You need to take better care of yourself," he mumbles. You find yourself relaxing in his embrace, and after a few moments, he turns off the faucet and reaches for the bandages in the first aid kit.

Carefully, as if he was handling fragile glass, he wraps your fingertips one by one, even though you insist that there's no need, that you're pretty sure burns aren't supposed to be bandaged. He doesn't listen. And when he's finished, he holds your hand up, admiring his work.

Then he brings your fingertips to his lips and kisses each one gently.

"There," he says proudly, pulling away to beam at you. "All better."

"I just wanted to surprise you," you say, remembering the burnt cookies cooling on the kitchen island. "But I guess baking isn't my strong suit."

Satoru grins, pulling you close to him. "I don't care. I'll eat anything you make me. Especially if you worked so hard that you injured yourself. It'd be a shame to let the cookies go to waste after that."

You shake your head, pulling away. "Satoru, I am not letting you eat burnt cookies."

He pouts, as if he had truly been looking forward to it.

You giggle. "Wanna help me make another batch? This time they'll be perfect."

The pout disappears instantly, replaced with a smile bright as sunshine. "Of course I'll help. And this time, you'll have me to make sure you don't injure yourself."

The cookies burned again, thanks to Satoru completely forgetting about them as he peppered you with kisses.