Author's note: Ages: Kai - 18, Ronan - 15

Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts isn't mine, I just like playing with it.

All Kai'd had in mind this morning was to go out to the Maw, take down a few random monsters, and hopefully make enough munny that he could put off finding an actual job for at least one more day. Not that he really needed one; their food and shelter was taken care of with nothing expected in return but chores and good behavior, but after a while he'd begun to feel like they were imposing. They really should've been gone long before this - in his opinion, anyway - but they'd just gotten so comfortable. 'Jem was happy, Ronan was happy, he was happy...to a point. He'd be a lot happier if he was at least attempting to pay for things, which brought him back to the job idea.

Kai didn't have a problem with working, it was just that all he really seemed to be familiar with these days was fighting. That and finishing school since Ronan and 'Jem wouldn't leave him alone about it. Earning munny when you weren't beating it out of Heartless or some other monster seemed weird. Maybe as weird as that...Whatever-it-had-been he'd just dealt with. Really, it might've been a cross between a bug and a raccoon, he wasn't sure. Deciding he'd collected enough for the day, Kai was on his way out when he was suddenly bowled over from behind by something heavy and drooling. Crashing face first onto the ground, he lost his grip on Heart's Star. It spun a few feet away before he called it back, shoving the weight off and rolling over to see-

A dog.

A pale yellow Labrador that looked for all the world like it was laughing at him.

What the hell?

"What're you doing out here?"

The dog didn't answer - not that he expected it to - but pounced on him instead, licking his face. Kai cracked up, dismissing the Keyblade so he could fend off the dog.

"Hey, down boy!"

If it was a boy, but he'd worry about that later. Getting the close to eighty pound hyperactive puppy off him before he drowned was the priority. After another tackle that nearly knocked him flat again, Kai managed to get to his feet, scratching the dog behind the ears while he looked it over. Yep, boy. Okay, now what?

...Well, he couldn't just leave him in the Maw, right?

"Guess you're coming back with me. C'mon boy, let's go."

Barking excitedly, the dog jerked away and ran ahead, stopping frequently to dart back as if making sure that Kai was following. By the time they reached the house, the dog had calmed down enough to trot next to him.

"You know, I never had a pet before. Not a hamster, or a cat, or- hell, not even a goldfish. All I ever really wanted was a dog anyway, but mom always said it'd be like feeding uncle Sora seven days a week instead of the random weekend."

Snickering at the memory, he hurried up the porch steps and reached for the door, only to jump back as it was flung open and his brother stepped out.

"Geeze, Ronan. In a hurry?"

"Um. No."

Ronan tugged the door shut and then just stood in front of it awkwardly, eyeing the dog as it came up to sniff at him.

"Whose dog is that?"

Kai beamed, reaching down to pat the furry head. "Mine."

"...Where'd you get a dog?"

"He knocked me down in the Maw, and he likes me so much I thought I'd keep him."

"You can't!" Ronan looked almost panicked at the thought. Kai stared at him in confusion.

"Why not? I'll ask Mabry, but I'm sure it'll be okay- hey, you're not scared of him, are you?"

His brother fixed him with a look that clearly questioned his sanity.

"No. I was just worried- I mean, he must belong to someone. Wouldn't you be upset if someone found your lost pet and just kept him?"

"Yeah, but look! No collar, no tag...and he really likes me, Ronan! I always wanted a dog, why can't I keep Surge?"

Ronan's eyes widened, and his absent scratching of the dog's head paused.

"You named him already?"

"Well...he really did knock me over like an ocean wave, and I couldn't just keep calling him 'boy', so..."

Embarrassed now, Kai shoved his hands into his pockets and looked away. Surge gave Ronan's hand a nudge before giving up on the scratches, instead moving to throw his weight against Kai's legs. He glanced down at the dog and smiled.

"...Umm...you don't think he's one of those squirrel chasing dogs, do you? Or chipmunks, or..."

"What're you talking about, Ro?"

"Ah- hang on."

Ronan disappeared into the house again, leaving Kai standing there more confused than when he'd first run into him. When his brother emerged the second time, he was holding something small and white close to his chest.

Small, white, and fuzzy, with big blue eyes that were peeking over Ronan's sleeve.

"Wh- a cat?"

"Kitten. She was wandering around near Soren's house and his uncle's allergic, so he asked if I wanted her." Ronan was giving him his best pleading look. "I don't mind Surge, I just don't want him to eat Eira."

"I think he'd rather have kibble- Eira?"

Ronan nodded happily. "It's Welsh for 'snow'."

"That's fitting."

Kai gestured to the door behind the younger boy. "Can my dog and I come in now?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah! Sorry."

Laughing, Ronan stepped aside before following Kai and Surge into the house.