Valien watched somewhat worryingly as the kitten mewled at Serah and rubbed itself onto the cage, the little girl reaching her fingers in through the bars to try and get at it. This was starting to become a troubling turn of events. If he didn't tread carefully, he was going to walk out of her with either a cat or a very distraught eight-year-old, and neither of those were things he wanted at that moment. He was already rehearsing the set of excuses he would have to give Serah when she asked the question he could already see brewing in the back of her mind, and had finally settled on an answer her liked when Myra decided to go and add fuel to the fire. Serah's eyes lit up at Myra's comment, and she sat back on her heels, her eyes wide with excitement.
"I think he would make a great friend!" she said, looking back at him. "Papa, please?"
We are no longer friends, Valien thought, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Myra in response to her wink. He folded his arms, and did his best to appear understanding as he turned towards Serah.
"Serah, honey," he said. "You know we can't have a cat right now."
"Aww. Why not?" asked Serah, pouting.
"We live in such a small apartment..." Valien began.
"It could sleep on the floor!" said Serah.
"We don't have the money..."
"It's only two silver mizas," said Serah, pointing at the price.
"Pets are a lot of responsibility. Who would feed it and take care of it?" asked Valien.
"I would!" said Serah. "Miss Myra says it's not that hard."
"Would you really?" asked Valien, frowning at her. "Because I have a feeling this would become my cat, and I really don't want a cat." I really, really, don't want a cat. Please, gods, if I have ever done anything worthwhile in my life, please don't let me walk away from this with a cat...
"Mama wanted a cat."
Oh, that was a low blow, thought Valien, shocked into silence by Serah's answer. The girl drew herself up to her full height and folded her arms, unapologetic and defiant as the kitten continued to press itself against the cage wall, clearly unaware that the two of them were discussing its fate.
"I think he would make a great friend!" she said, looking back at him. "Papa, please?"
We are no longer friends, Valien thought, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Myra in response to her wink. He folded his arms, and did his best to appear understanding as he turned towards Serah.
"Serah, honey," he said. "You know we can't have a cat right now."
"Aww. Why not?" asked Serah, pouting.
"We live in such a small apartment..." Valien began.
"It could sleep on the floor!" said Serah.
"We don't have the money..."
"It's only two silver mizas," said Serah, pointing at the price.
"Pets are a lot of responsibility. Who would feed it and take care of it?" asked Valien.
"I would!" said Serah. "Miss Myra says it's not that hard."
"Would you really?" asked Valien, frowning at her. "Because I have a feeling this would become my cat, and I really don't want a cat." I really, really, don't want a cat. Please, gods, if I have ever done anything worthwhile in my life, please don't let me walk away from this with a cat...
"Mama wanted a cat."
Oh, that was a low blow, thought Valien, shocked into silence by Serah's answer. The girl drew herself up to her full height and folded her arms, unapologetic and defiant as the kitten continued to press itself against the cage wall, clearly unaware that the two of them were discussing its fate.
