Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin characters are all owned by someone else.by FitzNotes: I know it’s not the main story, but as this one is so much smaller, it’ll probably be updated a little more frequently than My Life. Not much, but a little.
Okay… Hiko’s turn!
Warnings: WAFF again. A little darkness.
Moments in Time: Chapter 4 - Hiko
It happened one fall day—Saturday, to be more specific. I opened my eyes and stared at the ceiling and wondered if I would survive another day of handling an eight-year-old and a thirteen-year-old.
The girl was surprisingly calm. Most girls her age were bursting with nervous energy that always seemed to blow up in the faces of the adults around them. Tomoe never gave me any problems. She even helped with her little brother, who, I was sorry to say, was far more difficult.
Kenshin was one of those children who had enough energy to wear down the most patient of men. I, on the other hand, was not a patient man. When I told someone I wanted something done, I meant I wanted it done well and immediately. Try telling that to some rambunctious eight-year-old. I told him to go to bed, and he would be bouncing off the walls or demanding a story. I asked him to eat his vegetables, and he hid them under the nearest napkin. At least he listened to his sister when she told him to do something. The kid was going to be the death of me.
My thoughts were along these lines when said brat came running into the room. Needless to say, I was surprised. Usually, I got up before six every morning to avoid moments like this. So when Kenshin took a flying leap and landed on the bed, sliding into my hip and nearly toppling over me in the process, I was not pleased.
^_^
Strong hands reached out and caught the excited boy before he could fall, and Hiko sat up, frowning slightly in irritation. Blue eyes blinked in surprise before lifting to smile brightly at the man.
“‘Morning, Uncle Hiko!” Kenshin chirped. “Why aren’t you up yet?”
“It’s five-forty-five in the morning, kid,” Hiko jerked his thumb to his bedside clock. “On a Saturday.”
“Yeah, so? You’ve got to get up,” Kenshin squirmed out of the large man’s grip, grabbing the blankets and tugging them back when Hiko did not do so immediately. “Get dressed. Come on!”
“What are you doing, kid?” Hiko wondered, baffled at the child’s behavior. The boy had always been outgoing, but never had he gone so far as to enter his guardian’s room without first receiving express permission. That morning, not only had he burst in unannounced, but he was trying to push his uncle around.
“Come on!” Kenshin tugged at the short sleeves of Hiko’s shirt, attempting to get the man to stand up. He frowned, sticking his tongue out in frustrated annoyance. “Tommie said I had to get you up because she couldn’t because you might not be dressed.”
“And why do I have to get up?” Hiko wondered, lumbering out of bed and picking up his nephew in the process. Kenshin yelped and flailed out in alarm as he was swung over Hiko’s shoulder.
“Because it’s… ehhhh… I can’t tell! It’s a secret,” Kenshin laughed, twisting and wrapping his arms around Hiko’s neck.
“Ecckkkkk,” Hiko grumbled. “You’re choking me, kid.”
“Hurry up and get dressed,” Kenshin countered. “I’ll tell Tommie you’re coming.”
With Kenshin’s incessant squirming, Hiko finally let the boy drop, steadying him from the fall. Kenshin laughed again and shoved at Hiko’s hip, then he disappeared through the door, feet pounding against the floor loudly.
“No running!” Hiko bellowed, then sauntered into the bathroom.
^_^
“You think he’ll like it?” The question came from a boy with white speckled red hair. A long-fingered hand reached over and fluffed the hair, dusty white flour flying into the air.
“Sweetie, I guarantee it.”
“Uncle Hiko isn’t so tough as he acts,” a thin girl with dark hair said with a slow smile. “You’ll see. Get the eggs, Kenshin.”
^_^
The cheerful shout of ‘happy birthday!’ was something I never expected. The kids took me to the park. Tomoe was laughing when Kenshin made me sit on the swings and proceeded to knock himself over trying to push me. I was too amused by the situation to help him much.
They later took me out to eat, Tomoe somehow producing the money to pay for dinner—our high class meal at McDonald’s. That night, we went home and ate the cake they made with Tokio the previous day.
It wasn’t bad. If those kids were willing to do that for me, I must not have been doing a half bad job taking care of them.
^_^
The ringing of a phone.
An irritated growl.
Hiko picked up the receiver and put it to his ear.
“What?”
“Is Mr. Seijirou Hiko available?”
Damned telemarketers. Hiko sighed and sat back against the kitchen counter.“You’re talking to him.”
“Mr. Hiko?”
“You feel a need to confirm it?” Hiko snapped. “Who is this, and what are you trying to sell?”
“This is Sergeant Madison, Mr. Hiko, of the Saint Paul police force. I’m calling to inform you that your son is in the hospital.”
Closing his eyes in brief display of shock, Hiko let out his breath slowly.
“Where?”
Where did I go wrong?
^_^
End Notes: Not much to say here. Set entirely before My Life, if that’s hint enough for you.
Okay, and a tiny FAQ section here.
1. Q—Why aren’t the chapters longer?
A—This is not a complete story. These things are meant to supplement My Life, no more, no less. 1-4 pages max.
2. Q—Will Kaoru have more narratives?
A—Not likely. It’s really hard for me to write Kaoru’s perspective, and I avoid her like the plague. My apologies to Kaoru fans.
3. Q—Will you hurry it up and update My Life?
A—I will make an ass out of myself if I answer this one. Just… please be patient.
Okay, that’s it. Thanks all for the reviews. Sorry I don’t really respond to you here, but I do in the main story, and it seems redundant to do it here. I hope the Q&A was somewhat helpful.
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