TITLE: Thicker Than Water
SUMMARY: Nanako didn't expect to get a little brother when she entered college.
CHARACTERS: Nanako, Ryoma, eventual light RyoSaku
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Prince of Tennis
NOTES: So sorry for the brevity.

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Nanako and Rinko are pleased with the progress of Ryoma's affiliation when they realize that there are only two weeks left before Seigaku starts its first term. His American accent is now barely noticeable, and he's starting to remember to mind some basic manners.

Their delight is abruptly cut short when Ryoma asks if Sanada Yukimura was a real samurai.

Nanako attempts to get him caught up on Japanese history by dragging him through all the exhibits at various museums and marathoning all of the accurate historical dramas she remembers. Ryoma tolerates this as well as a twelve year old possibly could for three days. (This means that for three days, he grumbles under his breath and scowls, but otherwise goes along with it.) It's only when Nanako realizes that his reading skills are subpar at best and starts quizzing him on various kanji characters that he snaps.

"Yadda," he declares the fourth morning, plopping down onto the steps of the Edo-Tokyo Museum.

Nanako opens her mouth and then closes it again. "Ryoma-san, I didn't even say anything."

"Yadda." Ryoma eyes the brochures in Nanako's hand in distaste and tugs on his hat. "Nee-san, you haven't even been to Harajuku yet, have you?"

She flushes. "I… Ryoma-san's education is much more important!"

Ryoma rolls his eyes–a habit that Nanako suspects he's picked up from her. "Yadda," he says again. "We're going to Harajuku today. And a cat café."

It takes the better part of the hour for her to finally acquiesce, but damn if Nanako isn't going down without a fight. She turns the train rides into opportunities to educate her cousin about J-pop.

"Heh," he says, when Utada Hikaru comes on. "It's good."

Nanako beams. "She's my favorite artist! Ryoma-san, let's go to a concert sometime."

He shrugs, but she doesn't miss the way he looks carefully at the names of the songs for later reference.

Ryoma, in turn, shows her Top 40 American music.

"Who is this?" Nanako asks eagerly when a particular song starts.

"Taylor Swift." And then, "Heh, you would like her, Nee-san."

.

Harajuku is probably the most fun that either Ryoma and Nanako have had in a while.

Ryoma, it seems, has the uncanny ability to find cat cafés because they end up visiting a grand total of three. Nanako's favorite is a relatively unknown one with five cats, who like rubbing their faces against them once they register Karupin's scent. But she is disappointed that none of them have a cat as fluffy as Karupin.

"Duh," Ryoma scoffs. "Karupin's Karupin."

Then he flashes the bobtail in his lap a smirk. "Mada mada dane."

.

In-between the cat cafés, they take the time to see some tourist attractions, like Yoyogi Park, where they watch street dancers.

"Does Ryoma-san dance?" Nanako asks, playfully.

Ryoma snorts dismissively in an all-too-obvious attempt to avoid the question. "Do you?"

There must be something about Harajuku that makes people act uncharacteristically, because she promptly does a stiff wave with her arms, triggering an appreciative look from a nearby street dancer.

Ryoma smirks. "Your first fan."

"At least I have one," Nanako says, shoving him gently. "I think I want to go somewhere peaceful now, Ryoma-san. We can always go to the Meiji Shrine; it's where–"

"Yadda." Ryoma grabs her arm and drags her off in a random direction. "I see another cat café."

.

Ryoma ends up falling asleep on the train ride home, sprawled out shamelessly over half a row of seats. Nanako has to wake him up and lead him out of the train when they reach their stop