FicWad

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin and all other associated characters are owned by Nobuhiro Watsuki.

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Kaoru rolled her eyes as she marched up the stairs to her apartment. She wondered briefly how much longer she could survive before she decided to strangle her roommate. She quickly cast the thought aside. Someone would notice the hyper girl's absence before Kaoru could flee the country and seek asylum in someplace like Ireland. Kaoru unlocked the door and kicked it open, absently listening to Misao's chattering. "Aoshi's promised to help me with English this semester. Did you know he has a four-point-oh? I'm so jealous. Do you think he'll ask me out this semester?"

Kaoru suppressed a sigh. "Misao, the man doesn't smile."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Kaoru shook her head, dropping her duffel on the floor of her bedroom, mumbling, "Nothing."

Misao flounced into the room. "Have you seen Kenshin yet? I hear he's still single."

Kaoru's cheeks flushed and she turned to straighten a few misplaced objects. "No. Besides, he's dense as a rock. He wouldn't notice a girl if she pranced past him wearing only a sultry grin."

"He'd probably ask if she wanted to borrow his coat while turning as red as his hair."

"Misao-"

Kaoru's eyes dropped to the carpet between them, a sudden movement catching her eye. Misao's eyes dropped as well, curious to see what distracted Kaoru. A roach crept between them and a beat of silence passed as their eyes widened before screams split the air. Misao flung herself backward, scrambling to get away from the insect. "Kill it! Kill it!"

Kaoru jumped back, her own screams rising just as loud as her roommate's. Kaoru looked around frantically, seeking something to use as a weapon against this unforeseen foe. Misao scrambled onto the bed, pointing down at the flustered bug. "Use my shoe! Just kill it!"

Suddenly recalling the fact that she wore shoes, Kaoru stomped on the roach, the screams fading briefly in shocked horror. They were on carpet. Thick carpet. The type of carpet that's impossible to kill insects on. Misao drew back, a small shriek escaping while Kaoru's voice grew loud with panic. "I can't kill it!"

Misao gasped, fingers clasped loosely over her mouth as she shrieked, "Kill it!"

"What is it?"

The two dark-haired girls whipped their heads toward the door, momentarily processing their third roommate over their panic.

"It's a roach!"

"I can't kill it!"

Perfectly shaped eyebrows rose as Megumi tried to decipher their screams before she took in Kaoru's frozen appearance and Misao's wide-eyed horror. Pursing her lips, she turned from the bedroom door. "I'll get the vacuum."

Kaoru's shoulders drooped slightly, wailing, "I can't kill it!"

Megumi returned seconds later with the vacuum cleaner in tow. She pushed into the room before retreating to the hallway to watch. "Here, do something with it, Weasel."

Misao glanced uncertainly at the foot Kaoru had on the roach before rushing for the vacuum cleaner, tugging it closer to where Kaoru stood, panting heavily. Misao swallowed, pulling the hose loose and standing as if preparing for a sword fight. "Okay!"

Kaoru didn't move. "Turn it on!"

Misao quickly turn the machine on, cringing when it roared to life and she nodded solemnly to Kaoru. "Okay!"

Kaoru shivered, looking apprehensively at the foot she had over the roach. Bracing herself, she lifted her foot. The roach staggered to its feet and the three roommates shrieked, performing the standard bug-killing dance all females were trained to do. Misao swung the vacuum hose, sucking up the insect and they screamed louder as the bug disappeared. Misao held the hose up as the vacuum continued to run, screaming louder than the other two. Once sure the roach was not clinging to the interior of the hose, Misao shut the vacuum off and the screaming faded. The three young women stared at each other before bursting into hysterical laughter that could be heard through the apartment complex.

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bug killing theory: the bigger the bug, the louder the screams.