Character-study drabbles. Rated PG/PG-13 for language. Gen/humor.
I. Seigaku – Echizen Ryoma
Ryoma found Karupin inside a golden hatbox all tied up with red ribbon on his tenth birthday. The hatbox tumbled under the Christmas tree several times before Ryoma was awake enough to notice the commotion - and his mother's barely-concealed excitement - and went to open it. No sooner than had Ryona untied the bow, Karupin jumped out, a tiny fluffy ball of indignant fury, immediately attacking Ryoma's abandoned nightcap. After the shock wore off, Ryoma let out a squeak of delight (which he would deny vehemently for years to come), scooping up the kitten with disbelieving joy. His mother laughed and kissed his father quiet after he muttered something snide, but Ryoma was too stunned to even hear him.
It was probably his mother's way of making up for - whatever things she thought she needed to make up for: not giving him any siblings (dad didn't want any more kids, not since Ryoma turned five), for not being around much (mom worked full-time), or something. He could have told her he didn't really mind any of those, other than maybe not having proper Japanese breakfast every morning. But if her feelings of guilt got him a kitten for Christmas, he wasn't going to complain.
Ten-year-old Ryoma was completely enthralled by the soft kitten with tiny paws, wide blue eyes and the cutest mewing voice, and maybe that was why he missed the way his parents smiled at each other, knowing and maybe a little sad, and moved a little closer to each other while they watched him.