"Playing House"
"I had to go pick up some salves from Dad." They all jumped and looked at the doorway, seeing Shino standing fully dressed and holding a plastic bag of stuff. "While I was out I picked you up some things, Hotaru-chan. And mom sent you something over." He walked over to her, handing her the plastic bag as she beamed and handed him a plate of food.
"You made it just in time for breakfast!" She giggled as he walked over to the table and pulled some chopsticks out of the container in the center of the table. She walked over and sat a plate on the floor for Akimaru, then sat one in front of Kiba, running her fingers through his hair as she did. Kiba turned and pulled some chopsticks out too, tucking in almost immediately. It had been too long since he had tasted Hotaru-chan's food.
"Awww, Shino, that's so sweet. I'll have to send your mom something back, this was too nice!" Both boys glanced up, seeing Hotaru digging through the bag on the counter, holding up a bracelet. Wide, silver chain lengths glittered in the soft lighting of the kitchen, a polished and smoothed piece of glass hanging from the center of the links. Encased in it was a firefly, its backside still brightly lit, as if trapped in its dying breath. Kiba tilted his head a little as he regarded the strange trinket.
"How'd you get its ass to stay lit?" He looked at Shino who shook his head and sighed as Hotaru giggled and put the bracelet on.
"Family trick." Shino muttered dryly and Kiba shrugged, going back to what was most important-food.
Zetsu yipped at Hotaru's feet, making her look down and smile. "What? Do you wanna see what Shino got me too?" She giggled and picked the little dog up, holding it beneath one of her arms lightly as she let the glass piece dangle in front of its face. Zetsu pawed at it for a moment before trying to bite it, not liking the sound or feel of the glass against his teeth, but determined to eat the shiny thing dangling in front of him. She laughed and kissed the top of his head, turning back to the counter and pulling out what was left in the bag.
"Oh you picked up dinner! That's perfect!" Kiba glanced up again, this time Akimaru did too, Shino failing to take the same interest. He nodded absentmindedly, finishing off the tamagoyaki she had fixed for him. Sweet for Shino and salty for Kiba and Akimaru, that was why it had taken her so long. "Look, Kiba-baby, Shino-kun picked up stuff for Oden! We'll have to bring out the kotetsu!" She beamed and Kiba grinned, turning back to Shino and nudging him a little.
"Goin' all out for that family thing, aren't yah, buddy?" He smirked, but Shino flicked his arm, his signal to lay off.
"I simply thought it'd be good for Hotaru. It'll keep her entertained seeing as I didn't know what you would be doing today, and I'm going to be in and out of the house." Kiba shrugged again, polishing off his own plate and sighing in content.
"That's right, Kiba-baby, I'm gonna get started on making this so I don't bother y'all all day." Hotaru walked over and took their plates, refilling their coffee cups as she did and kissing the top of Kiba's head.
"Well, I don't have anything to do today. I was gonna go home tomorrow and mess with Sis and the dogs, but so far as today I wasn't doin' anythin'." He shrugged and she smiled, putting the dishes in the sink.
"Alright then, we'll keep each other company. How does that sound?" She glanced at him and he nodded, muffing the top of Akimaru's head as he did. Zetsu ran over to him yapping and wagging his tail, trying to jump into his lap, but failing and falling onto his back on the floor. Kiba looked down, flicking Akimaru's ear as the bigger dog growled at the little mutt.
"C'mere, buddy. What's up?" He picked the little dog up and lifted him into his lap, stroking the puppy's back as it padded around on his legs and sniffed at him. Zetsu grinned up at him, bouncing against his chest and yapping, his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth as he waited. Kiba frowned, "You know...he's the weirdest dog I've ever met." He looked up at Hotaru, who shrugged, failing to look over at him.
"Yes, I meant to ask you what the circumstances were with your little friend, Hotaru-chan. He's very strange." Shino sipped at his coffee, not wanting to get up and on the go again for the time being. She shrugged again, washing the dishes from breakfast and getting ready to start on dinner, as said.
"He's just a puppy. I found him and am keeping him till I can adopt him out." Shino nodded and looked over at the puppy that Kiba was playing keep-away with. He was tapping the end of his chopstick on the dog's nose, riling him up, making him bounce all over his lap in effort to get the utensil, but Kiba wasn't letting him.
"He sounds weird when he talks. Did you notice it?" Hotaru shook her head without looking at them.
"No...I-I didn't notice anything like that." She muttered, turning and brushing her hands off on her apron. "I'm uh, I'm gonna go change into something more suited for housework. I'll be right back." With that she pulled off the apron, tossed it over the back of a chair, and ran out of the room. Shino watched after her, frowning behind his collar as he did. He glanced over at Kiba, who glanced over at him, both locking eyes for a moment.
"Yeah, I'm wondering too. But, I'm not sayin' anythin' till I get some solid proof." Kiba grumbled, putting the chopstick down and gently nudging the puppy off his lap and to the floor. Shino nodded, sitting still for a moment as he thought.
"Then I will remain silent as well. I will help in anyway I can." He rose to his feet, Kiba looking up at him as he leaned against the table, thinking also.
"Wanna use one of those critters of yours?" He had noticed the little dog had fallen still and seemed to be listening to them, but he couldn't tell, it also looked like the animal had just settled down beneath his legs.
"Perhaps." Shino walked out of the room, leaving Kiba nodding slowly and wondering where and when Shino would decide to use one of his little spy bugs.
"Hey, Hotaru-chan," Kiba rose to his feet, both dogs following after him as he walked into the foyer and to the bottom of the steps. Hotaru paused mid-way down the steps, working her hair into a messy bun atop her head, the left over curls tumbling down around it and scattering atop her head. "Hotaru, you call THAT house work clothes?" He lifted a brow as she made a face at him, dropping her hands and smoothing out her skirting as she started down the steps towards him again.
"Anything can be housework clothing, but this is a little better than what I had on before, yes. It gets warm in the kitchen, that sweater dress was stifling." She passed by him, lightly running her hand over her chest as he watched her, then sighed and shook his head.
"Yeah well, you shouldn't have any problem being too warm now." He grumbled, running his hand through his hair and glancing over his shoulder at the door, almost tempted to tell Shino to stay out all day instead of coming and going like he planned. Zetsu ran ahead of him, basically launching himself into the back of Hotaru's legs. She stopped in the kitchen doorway and giggled, kneeling down and picking him up off the floor, then starting over to the oven again. "You know, you're gonna spoil him that way." Kiba grumbled as he walked over to the counter with her
