Disclaimer: I do not own Rurouni Kenshin or any of its characters.

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Of Cats and Kids

Written by lolo popoki

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"Daddy, daddy!"

Busy chopping vegetables for dinner, Kenshin smiled down at his wide-eyed son. "What is it, Kenji-chan? Did you find another grasshopper in the garden?"

The five-year-old shook his head, pointing towards the door. "I think the kitty is sick!"

Kenshin frowned.

Cats were no strangers to the Kamiya dojo; they were often seen lazing about, looking cute, and occasionally pilfering a tasty morsel when food was left unattended. Over the years, the yard had been claimed by several generations of feline freeloaders, all of whom were regarded with annoyed affection by the dojo's residents.

Wistfully reminded of another lazy freeloader who was currently off traveling the world, Kenshin was especially fond of the cats and felt as protective towards them as he would for any of his friends or family.

"Show me."

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Kenshin stared at the undulating cat. He felt himself blush slightly as he tried to figure out how to phrase this to his naïve child.

"Ah... Kenji-chan... that kitty is not sick."

"It's not?" Kenji's brows drew together. "Then why is it doing that?"

The cat in question was crouched low to the ground, her rear end raised, howling pitifully as she rubbed up against everything in sight.

"Um," the swordsman coughed uncomfortably. "She's in heat, that she is."

"In heat?" the boy repeated, confused. "Is she going to catch on fire?"

"No," Kenshin sweatdropped. "Well... ah... it's what girl cats go through when they want to be a mommy cat. She's trying to attract a daddy cat, so they can have a family."

"Oh." Kenji thought on this for a moment, studying the squirming cat curiously. "Did mommy wiggle her butt in the air like that to attract you?"

Kenshin collapsed from a massive nose-bleed, overcome by the perverted turn his brain had suddenly taken.

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A few months later:

"So, Himura... how do you like being a father?"

In a rare moment of spontaneity, Shinomori Aoshi had decided on an impromptu vacation, bringing Misao along to visit with them for a few days. The two men were currently sitting, drinking tea out on the engawa while their wives were out shopping.

Kenshin smiled, leaning back against a support post. "I'm finding it very interesting, that I am. I never know quite what to expect." He sipped his tea and grimaced slightly. "Though I'm grateful that he's past his terrible twos..."

The ninja nodded somberly. With a small shudder, he recalled the wake of destruction the child had left behind in Kyoto several years back. Kenji had calmed down considerably since that time.

The aforementioned child suddenly appeared, trudging around the corner with a rather disgusted expression on his face.

"Kenji-chan, what's the matter?" his father asked, concerned.

The little boy blew out an exasperated sigh. "Daddy... the cat's on fire again."

"Ah, I see." Kenshin went back to calmly drinking his tea.

Aoshi's expression was priceless.

There was a long moment of silence, and then:

"Again?"

-Owari-

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Sorry if this is a bit rough... it's just something that popped up in my head the other day. The end is based on something I actually said as a child. The person my dad was talking to pretty much had the same reaction... as if to say, "What, do your cats have the habit of spontaneously bursting into flame?" ;

Anyway, I swear to God, I will try to update "Only the Beginning" and "What Child is This?" before another year passes!