Silence is a Strange Thing
When Hitomi started saying his words, Nowaki relieved its wasn't some of the curse word that Hiroki sometimes slip out from his mouth. The professor try to keep the word 'child proof' in the apartment, one or two words sometimes came out from his mouth. Her first words is surprisingly says something about feminine nickname for her older parent. From that day, Hitomi seems to insist the nickname appear on their apartment. On that day forward, ever the doting parents, Nowaki always coaxing Hitomi to speak. Hiroki sometimes tempted to coaxing Hitomi, along his partner. But uh-really? The devil Kamijou talking the baby-talk? What will people say?
Her second word, as we known, she spoke them on the day she learn to stand by groping the coffee table. Its seems Hitomi know the meaning behind the word 'up'. Hiroki suspect that he'll blame it to his tall partner. Nowaki seems to always talkative and enthusiastic to speak for Hitomi, and Nowaki always says 'Up we go.' or 'Up?' or maybe, 'Do you want to pick up by me or your ma, Hitomi?' before Nowaki pick up Hitomi and hold her towards his broad chest. Maybe Hitomi always heard in every Nowaki's word which always contain 'up' its means she got held by her parents, so she associate the words 'up'. The words 'look' which Hitomi spoke too, Hiroki also suspect it's from Nowaki again. When they taking a walk at the park or outside, if there's something interesting along their recreational walk, Nowaki always says 'Look at those pretty leaves, Hitomi!' or showing the fish pond in front of the hospital which Nowaki work at 'Look, Hitomi, its fish. Can you say fish?'.
Back at the present time, Hitomi's now sitting on the baby chair. Certainly enjoying her meal by her own. Hiroki decided that maybe now its the time where he let his daughter learn to eat her own meal. Don't expect it will be neat and clean, sigh Hiroki a few weeks ago. He typing on his laptop, finishing grading his student paper. The apartment is now silent mostly, but sometimes accompany with the sound blunt tinkling of small spoon and bowl, soft shuffle by Hitomi on her chair and her mumble of excitement. Hiroki take a glance to Hitomi and cringed at the mess Hitomi got from her supper. He just hoping many years later, her daughter isn't messy-eater. His hazelnut eyes take a look at the small bowl and found its almost empty. Another scoop from his daughter and the bowl is clean enough.
"Ma!"giggled Hitomi
Her pleasant giggle break Hiroki stare at her food and look for his daughter.
"Ma! Ma!" said Hitomi, enthusiastically pointing her pudgy finger to the small bowl
"Yes, Hitomi. Finish your meal then?" sigh Hiroki, raise from his seat and walk to Hitomi
"Ma! 'ook!" said Hitomi, walk to the kitchen
"I can see that. Let me wipe your mouth." said Hiroki with a glance to the napkin on Hitomi's chest. Thanks god the napkin wasn't too dirty, so he can wipe with it.
Hitomi grunted a dislike while Hiroki keep his mouth in a tight line. Hitomi's feet began drumming upon on the baby-chair, demanded to get down
"I know, I know, Hitomi. Stop making noise!" said Hiroki, half in annoyed tone.
He lifted up the small table and pick up Hitomi from his chair. Hitomi trotted down, stumbled happily leaving the high baby-chair. Hiroki put down the bowl and spoon on the sink. He started to wash while once in a while he glance to Hitomi who walk to the carpeted living room and disappear behind the couch. Hiroki tried to remember perfectly that there's no dangerous thing on the living room. He heard a soft thud, guessing Hitomi sat down on the carpet. While Hitomi started to learn to walk, she develop some sort of drunken-man walking. Hiroki once again multi-tasking between washing dishes and sharpened his ear for Hitomi. There was a silence that Hiroki must be aware of. The brunette learn that within months Hitomi living with him, silence is strange thing.
"Hitomi?" said Hiroki wipe his hand to towel and peeking on the living room. But there's no one.
He heard a soft shuffle and saw where is Hitomi. The female baby currently sitting down on the balcony. And thanks god the balcony is made in high height, so Hitomi won't fall off. Hitomi didn't even glance at him when he heard his father calling her name. She usually does, frowned Hiroki.
"Hitomi, what are doing?" said Hiroki, about to finding out what seems to occupy his daughter attention and walk next to her.
He spot a spider perching on the frame of sliding door and crawling down to the wooden floor. The professor pressed his urgent panic to keep his daughter away from the spider when he notice it was just an ordinary stray spider. And its not too close to his daughter after all
"Ma?" said Hitomi, giving a questioning look on his so-called-mother, before returning his violet eyes to grey small spider
"That is a spider Hitomi, or an Arachnids. They have fangs, eight legs and some other have poison. Apparently I think it just ordinary spider. Unlike insect, spider don't have antenas. They live in their self-made spider webs. Various in size, amount and shape of webs, I suppose. Spiders use a wide range of strategies to capture prey: trapping it in sticky webs, catch it with sticky round shape , mimicking the prey to avoid detection, or running it down. They give birth in eggs..." explain Hiroki, rattle on with is memory from old animal kingdom book he used to read as light reading weeks ago.
"...Some of their poison used as medicine. As for medicine which made from spider's venom, maybe Nowaki could explain you more... HITOMI, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"
-0o0-0o0-0o0-0o0-
Some minutes later, when Nowaki emerged from his bath, he heard a weird slapping noise like a hard thing being thumped down on their wooden floor repeatedly. The doctor must held his laugh for his frantic partner who tried to explain that their daughter trying to grab and eat spider with her bare hand, and a damaged aluminium lamp stand clattered on the floor.
Got these idea from actual experience.
When my little sister on her toddler phase, I found out she wanted to eat a stray spider on our garden.