.
Fun and Games
by: MrFoshizzlePro
Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is proudly owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki :) I claim no rights to his genius creation.
The morning sun climbed up in the sky, showering the area with luminate rays. Kenshin was fast asleep, snoring softly next to the sleeping form of his beautiful wife, Kaoru. The patter of childish feet stumbled across the floor to where Kenshin and Kaoru lied.
It was little Kenji.
The child hovered above his father's face silently staring at him. Kenji noticed Kenshin's bangs shift as his father moved slightly and fell back into slumber. Temptation caused him to reach over and tug on one of the longer of his father's bangs.
Instantly, Kenshin's eyes flew open. "Ouch!" he yelped, sitting upright faster than a shooting bullet. Kenji giggled, still holding onto his father's bang. Kenshin's nerves relaxed when he realized it was only his four-year-old. Sighing, he picked the child up and said calmly, "Kenji, can you please let go of daddy's bangs?"
Kenji nodded hastily and released the bang with a fit of giggles. "Daddy, your funny!" he chirped.
Kenshin sat Kenji on the floor, his face stern. "Kenji, what has daddy told you about pulling hair?"
The boy cocked his head to the side. "That it's bad?"
Kenshin nodded.
"That's right. It is very bad, that it is." He rose up from the covers with a yawn. Kenshin checked over his shoulder to be certain his wife was still asleep. Then, he asked in a hushed whisper, "Is there something you need, Kenji?"
"I wanna play!" exclaimed Kenji.
"Shh!" Kenshin pressed his index finger to his lips. "Mommy is sleeping." He bustled the child out of the room as quietly as he was able to manage. "Now, let us leave mommy alone so she can get some rest, okay? Daddy will play with you as long as you keep quiet. How does that sound?"
Kenji threw his hands up high and bellowed, "Yay!"
Kenshin sweatdropped.
"Kenji, please do not do that again."
"Alright-"
Kenshin took his seat across from Kenji in his bedroom. He continued on with a question: "-what would you like to play?"
Kenji beamed brightly at this. He said, "I wanna play hide-and-seek!"
Good, thought Kenshin with relief washing over himself. At least that is quiet.
"Okay, Kenji," he agreed, standing up, smiling. "Let's play hide-and-seek!"
"Yeah!" The little boy raced out of the room in a heartbeat. Kenshin blinked, puzzled. Am I suppose to find Kenji or is it the other way around...?
Just then, Kenji returned with a scowl on his youthful face. "Daddy," he whined. "Your suppose to be finding me now!" Kenshin hit his fist into his open palm, realization finally striking him. "Oh! You wanted daddy to find you, didn't you?" Still scowling, Kenji nodded his auburn head.
Kenshin ruffled the boys hair good-naturedly, apologizing. "This one is sorry, that I am. Daddy will sit and count while you go and hide, okay?" It seemed the child's anger didn't last for long, for his face suddenly lightened and he briskly dipped his head to his father and scampered out.
Kenshin sighed, shaking his head. Kenji is quite a handful, he is. Clearing his mind of all thoughts, Kenshin shut his eyes and counted aloud to ten.
"...8...9...10...!" His violet eyes flashed open. "Ready or not, here I come!"
The first place Kenshin checked was the kitchen. It seemed a likely place for a toddler to hide considering all the nik-and-cranny's a child Kenji's size would go to. He opened up the cupboards and cabinants, looked into the big pots and even took a quick look in the sink, but the child was no where to be found in the kitchen.
His next ideal spot to check was the bedrooms. He slid open shouji door after shouji door (minus his and Kaoru's room) but once more, Kenji was no where in sight.
Now Kenshin was worried the child must have gone somewhere outside.
Quickly, Kenshin sprung out the door and into the yard, looking around tree trunks and among nearby shrubs. Still, Kenji did not show. He was close to cracking under anxiety when suddenly, he heard just the slightest giggle from above his head.
Above me...? Kenshin's eyes looked upward into the green tree towering above. And, perched and keeping hidden among the branches, was Kenji.
Kenshin's eyes stretched and he gaped in shock.
"Kenji!"
The boy poked his head out from among the shelter of the leaves. He grinned. "You found me!" Kenji exclaimed. Kenshin was to stunned to speak. All he could manage to do was gawk upward at his four year old hanging from the tree branches. Finally, he found his voice and spoke shakily, "K-Kenji! How...when...why?"
"I climbed up!" Kenji seemed proud of this accomplishment. Kenshin was far from being proud of his son's situation. Kenshin stammered, "I-I-I want you to come down this instant! Uh - carefully, I mean."
Kenji's smile began to faulter. He murmured, "I can't."
Kenshin blinked. "What do you mean, you can't?"
"I just can't. I'm scared of heights."
"Then why did you climb the tree in the first place?" Dismay flashed in Kenshin's stretched violet eyes. He didn't know what to do. My own son...stuck in a tree!
"Erm..." Kenshin tried hard to find a solution to this problem. Suddenly, an idea sprouted in his mind. He looked up at Kenji and told him hurriedly, "W-wait right there! D-daddy will be back in a second!"
He zipped away faster than light, leaving Kenji sitting boredly in the tree.
The sound of objects sliding across the floor forced Kaoru's eyes open. Drowsily, she sat up in bed and looked in the direction of the noise. She was fully awoken when her eyes caught sight of Kenshin hunched over a wooden box. By the look on his face, Kenshin was gravely searching for something.
"Honey...? Is everything alright?" Kaoru rubbed her eyes and stared at his back, perplexed. "Yes, everything is fine!" was Kenshin's hasty reply. "Ah! Here it is!"
"Kenshin, wait-"
But Kenshin was already gone. Kaoru realized with horror the box was empty. What does Kenshin plan on using the sakabatou for...?
"Now hold on tight Kenji. Daddy is going to lower you down nice and gently, okay? Just stay calm...stay calm..."
Kenshin's entire body trembled with nervousness. He was sweating perfusely as he started the task of lifting his son from the tree branch and to the ground where he belonged. Kenji arched a brow quizzically at his father. "Daddy?" he asked. "Are you okay? You don't look calm at all!"
"Y-y-yes...Kenji...daddy is f-f-fine...!"
Please Buddha, make this plan work!
"Kenshin Himura, what are you doing?"
"Oro!"
Kenshin jumped with fright, causing Kenji to fly clear off the end of the sheathed sakabatou and into the arms of his startled mother.
Bonk!
The sakabatou slammed down hard upon Kenshin's head. He toppled backwards onto the ground, swirly eyed with his mouth hanging open. Kenji was in a laughing fit and clapping his hands together.
"Haha! Your funny daddy! Let's do that again!"
"Orooooo!"
Owari