"My idea is better."
"No, mine is! Meiko, tell him my idea is better and that we should get a dog instead!"
"Dogs are too loud. Cats are quiet and-"
"-And creepy! They're creepy, right? Meiko, aren't they creepy? We should get a dog instead! Dogs are cool!"
The argument had been going on for at least twenty minutes by now. It was basically impossible to get a word in edgewise. Meiko had tried to interrupt them multiple times, but the twins kept insisting on bickering.
"Cats can be 'cool' too. Have you ever seen a cat try to fit into a small space, like a vase or a cardboard tube? It's amazing how they can pull that off without getting hurt." Len said matter-of-factly.
"So? Who cares that they can squash themselves like that? Dogs save people's LIVES! If we got a dog, we would be safe forever! They could maul anybody who tries to hurt us!" Rin retorted, her eyes sparkling as she imagined it. Meiko sighed and finally managed to successfully interject.
"We are NOT getting a pet of any kind. Sorry, kids. It's hard enough picking up after all of you, but a dog or a cat? Yeah, no thanks. I want to die at a natural age."
Len looked mildly disappointed, while Rin looked as if the entire world was going to end. "Whaaaat?!" she cried out, devastated. "B-but it'll be MY dog! I'll take care of it!"
"Rin, you can't even take care of a plant." Len stated simply, his brow furrowing. "Besides, cats are much easier to train than dogs. They don't even need to go out for walks! They can just go outside whenever they feel like it and come back home all on their own!"
"Yeah, they're soooo easy to train! I can tell by the way they vomit all over the floor 'whenever they feel like it!'"
"Those are called hairballs, and they're a perfectly natural-"
"Guys, shut up!" Meiko yelled, and the twins snapped to attention fearfully. The brunette let out a sigh and rubbed her forehead. "It doesn't matter which one it easier to take care of. We are not getting one, and that's that. End of story, end of discussion."
Rin groaned loudly in protest. "No, this isn't over! I'm sure…" Her eyes darted around, and she perked up when she saw Kaito entering the room. "I'm sure Kaito would like a dog! Wouldn't you, Kai?"
He stared blankly, clearly lost on what was happening. "I...what?"
"Len wants to get a boring old cat, and I want to get a dog, but Meiko says we can't have either! So come on, say you'd like a dog, too!" the blond girl chirped, eagerly waiting for his response.
Kaito chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head. "Eheh...yeeaahh, sorry, but I don't really like animals that much. They seem to hate me, for whatever reason."
Rin rolled her eyes. "Ugghh, just because that dog attacked you that ONE time-"
"It was multiple times." Kaito said sheepishly. "And multiple dogs."
"Whatever! Just because that happened doesn't mean they're all bad!"
"Would you prefer a cat instead?" Len asked, casually butting into the conversation.
"Oh, uh...I don't really like cats either...sorry." The blue-haired man shrugged apologetically and rubbed his arm. "They always hiss at me and try to scratch me whenever I'm near."
"Oh. Well, that's okay." Len said, reaching up to pat Kaito's shoulder reassuringly. "I'm sure that-"
"LUKA!" Rin shouted suddenly, darting towards the tall pink-haired woman that had just passed them to walk into the kitchen. "Luka, Luka, Luka! Which do you prefer? Dogs or cats?"
Luka didn't even look at her. "Don't care." she said flatly.
"Oh, come on! Surely, you gotta want a dog, too! It can be a small, fluffy one or a big one with huge teeth…"
"Why are you talking about dogs when your question included cats, too?" Luka asked suspiciously.
"Well...I mean…" Rin stammered, looking down at her hands and twiddling her thumbs.
"Stop being biased, Rin." Len chimed in. "If you're trying to get her on your side, the least you could do is try to be subtle about it."
"This is ridiculous!" said Meiko, clearly frustrated. "We are not getting any kind of pet, and that's final! Now, will you two please stop this nonsense and-"
"MIKU!" interrupted Rin.
"Hm?" asked the aforementioned girl, looking at the twins innocently. Immediately, they both ran over to either side of her.
"Miku, do you want a dog?"
"Oh, yes!" sang the older girl merrily. "Dogs are so cute! I've always wanted a puppy!"
"YES!" the blond exclaimed, pumping her fist in the air.
"Hey, hold on a second!" said Len. "Miku, what about a cat? Do you want a cat?"
"Oooh, of course I want a cat!" Miku gushed. "I love kittens! I've always wanted one!"
"What?! But that's what you said about the dog!" said Rin exasperatedly. "Come on, which would you rather have? A creepy runt of a tiger with eyes that stare into your soul, or a badass, heroic dog?"
"Um…" Miku said, pondering hard.
"No way. Dogs are too noisy." stated Len, folding his arms. "Miku, wouldn't you like a nice, quiet little kitty who can just sit in your lap and purr?"
"Oh, that sounds-"
"What about a dog, huh? Dogs can sit in your lap AND give you kisses!"
"Well, I-"
"Cats can give kisses, too."
"Yeah, but they totally feel like sandpaper!"
"Uh...I…" Miku looked like she was taking the hardest test of her life.
"Oh, for crying out loud!" cried Meiko suddenly. "Honestly, you two! Can't you tell she wants both?!" She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth.
"BOTH?" all three of them shouted.
"Oh, are we getting both?!" Miku cheered excitedly.
"I didn't know we could do that!" said Rin, clapping.
"That sounds reasonable." Len said simply, nodding his head in approval.
"Oh no…" Meiko groaned, marching off into the kitchen in annoyance as the three teenagers began their conversation anew.
"A dog and a cat sounds like a fun idea!"
"We get a fierce but lovable guard dog!"
"Not to mention a sweet and gentle cat."
Meiko tuned them out as she stormed over to the fridge. Kaito and Luka looked over at her sympathetically.
"So...how did it go?" Kaito asked nervously.
Meiko dug a bottle of sake out of the refrigerator. "What do you think?"