This is ooooollllld. Like, TWO YEARS old. Written for the (now dead) LJ community, pmkurogane100 for the theme "Greenery."
Stubborn
(Word Count :: 100)
Shinpachi has always admired bamboo. He admires its strength and surprising hardiness, the way it bends with the wind instead of snapping. And he admires its stubbornness, the way it persists in growing even when all odds seem against it.
Tetsunosuke-kun is rather like bamboo, Shinpachi reflects as he watches the boy chase Saizou across the yard. He looks like a little kid, but he has already proven that he's far tougher than one would think. Shinpachi has to admire the chibi's resilience and courage.
Although...
"Saizou! Get back here, you stupid pig - itte, that hurts! Temee...!"
Shinpachi grins. Maybe he's just stubborn.