Just thought I'd re-post this.
Enjoy!
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Title: Misao's Pet
Fandom: Rurouni Kenshin
Characters: Makimachi Misao, Kamiya Kaoru, Himura Kenshin
Prompt: 012 – Orange
Word count: 807
Rating: G
Summary: Kaoru's not exactly impressed by Misao's new pet.
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As far as pets went, Kaoru couldn't help but agree with what Okina had said. Misao's new pet certainly left a lot to be desired for.
Turning her head to the side, she stared at the googly eyes that had been super-glued on, just beneath orange 'hair' (it was more like something the cat had coughed up) that seemed to have been ripped off of a Troll doll.
"So? Don't 'cha think it's sooo cool!" Misao squealed, her tiny six-year-old body on the verge of bouncing off the walls (a saying she had heard her mother once say about her little baby brother).
Kaoru frowned. From what she understood, pets tended to be living things. Even sea-monkeys lived in the water! But this, it was a cheap toy, an abominamanal – wait, abomin-, abominal, er, - a really bad pet.
"It's a brick."
Misao gasped, running over to the table where the red-clay brick sat, pretending to be a 'pet'. She slapped her tiny hands over the sides of its 'head' and cast Kaoru a dirty look. "Shhh! He might hear you!" she hissed.
Kaoru threw her arms up in the air (once more a thing she had seen her mother often do when talking to her father). "For the love of Elmo! Misao! That brick ain't gonna do nothing 'cept sit there. It's not a pet."
"But Aoshi-kun gave him to me!" the smaller girl protested, her eyes filling with tears and her bottom lip starting to tremble. "He said that 'cause I gots a good 'magination' so huge, anything I want can be a pet," she blubbered, "The he said leave me 'lone!"
Kaoru shifted unsteadily, eyeing the door to her best-friends room. Misao was starting to sniffle, and she just hated it when Misao put on the whole water-works – she got away with anything, especially if her elder brother, Soujiro heard her. Kaoru didn't really want another 'big talk' from him again – the last one was more than enough after accidentally breaking Misao's favourite Barbie doll that was dressed as a ninja.
Kaoru shook her head, sighing when she realised that escape was unpossible. "The brick would be happy if it were somewhere in a wall, ya know? It would have something to do then."
Misao's lip gave a small shake before it stopped, and the tears that had glistened in her eyes, dried. She thought for a while, a hand coming up to tap her lip like the people did on TV. A sudden smile came to her mouth then, her eyes lighting up and a giggle bursting out. "Yea! Then Hiko-chan can have friends to play with!"
If it would be possible, Kaoru started to choke on air. "You named the brick after Ken-nii's uncle?" she asked, her hyper friend scaring her more than that one time she saw Aoshi wearing her older sister's pink tutu.
"Uh-huh! Ken-nii-chan showeded me a picture of Uncle Hiko with orange hair. He looked really funny." She giggled.
"That's because Uncle Hiko was drunk."
Both girls gasped and whirled around to face the door.
Standing there was a lanky teenager of thirteen years, red hair pulled high in a ponytail, and grinning at them both. "But don't let him hear that – I'm keeping that photo for blackmail."
Misao frowned and Kaoru wondered what exactly 'blackmail' meant. They had heard that word a lot coming from their older siblings and their tight group of friends.
Kenshin moved into the room and patted Kaoru on the head. "Got you a present, squirt." Before she could say anything, he had pulled out –
A brick.
"Heard Megumi saying how you wanted a pet for your birthday, just like ninja-girl over hear." He ruffled Misao's bangs and she giggled.
Kaoru frowned. "Mum and Dad said I couldn't have one because I'm not old enough to look after one yet." She took the brick from his hands and looked from him, to the ugly brown rectangle.
"That's why I got you the brick. Your imagination is very, uh, very good. Why would you need a real pet when you could imagine a pet dragon?" he smiled warmly down at her, violet-gold eyes dancing.
"Yay! Now Hiko-chan won't be lonely!" Misao chattered happily, clapping her hands together.
Kaoru said nothing, just turning the brick over and over in her hands.
Kenshin sighed, heading to the door. "Listen girls, I gotta go, so I'll see you 'round, okay? Ja ne!"
"Ja ne, Ken-nii!" Misao laughed, waving as he left.
It was quiet for a very short while, until Kaoru suddenly hugged the brick to her chest. "It is cool, Misao-chan. Our pets are very cool." She giggled.