I'm stuck at my current fic so I decided to upload a different one and get back to the previous one at a later time. I had this idea because Ryoga x Ukyo would've been a great pairing.

Ryoga and Ukyo made themselves at home. They won the hot springs battle and now they were settling into their cottage. Atami was not Ryoga's hot spring of choice, but he was swindled by the race committee, and could not find his way to Jusenkyo regardless. They had a private cottage complete with one living room, one bath, and a counter with a stove top and sink over cabinets with cooking supplies on the lower floor. The upper floor was a bedroom with a closet. The living room had a wide doorway opening towards the hot spring. The spring was surrounded by rocks on all sides except the at the cottage. A wall enclosed the spring and cottage for privacy. The hot springs were scattered all around a few hundred yards away from each other.

Ah, Akane if only it is you who is with me... but I'll never be anything more than your pet P-chan... He thought back to all the times he attempted to leave her forever. He would always end up back somehow. It's already been a long time since they've met and yet still they've only been on two dates, and he still hasn't been able to to admit his love for her. Any moments alone with her would be thwarted by Ranma. He bought her gifts and helped and defended her at every moment she needed it. He would've won the race for her if it weren't for those geysers... Perhaps it is a futile effort...

Ukyo's not my first choice but I won the trip to any hot springs I want to go to. And that's all that matters. Even if we're not at Jusenkyo... He recalled the first time he met her. He thought she was a boy, and a friend of Ranma's. They fought and he found out she was a girl when... A flashback of her chest came into mind. He blushed. She was good at pretending to be a boy. But when she was a girl, she was very cute. Maybe cuter than Akane. No, no, what am I thinking? Akane is beautiful. He recalled his dream of them together on a cold snowy night, alone. They both reached for crackers at the same time, halting as their hands touched. "Oh, Ryoga!" said Akane gently. "Akane..." Ryoga whispered back. On the windowsill a flower fell from its stem. His lips arched upward as he blushed. When he missed his chance to ask Akane, he mistakenly invited Ukyo to race with him and had the same dream, with Ukyo replacing Akane. Get it together, Ryoga! Akane's the only one for you! Still, he could not shake the thought of romancing Ukyo.

Ukyo laid her belongings on the floor. It's time to make that tourist money! Then soak in a hot spring! This'll be great! If only I was with Ranma. She looked over at Ryoga, who seemed to be sulking. "If he weren't so emotional, had a sense of direction, and wasn't so much of a coward to tell Akane how he feels about her, he'd be... a pretty hot guy," she admitted to herself. He was gentle and polite to women, unlike Ranma. Wait no, Ranma is my fiance. He's perfect and a real man. I wish I had won with him. Ranma... he left her once. She hasn't even been on a date with him. Just that one time he stayed with her when he was kicked out by Mr Tendo... but he didn't seem too interested. She wondered if he cared. He seemed to be content with Akane, no matter how much he denied it. She was bitter at him for a long time, until she found him again. Yet since then, they have not made progress. She felt some despair. This must be how Ryoga feels... Oh well, a free trip is a free trip, and tourists are tourists, and tourist money is plentiful!

"Oh, look at the hot spring! It's beautiful! I can't wait to get in that tonight. Ryoga," She turned to him. "I'm going out to sell some okonomiyaki. You can either stay here or come, but I want the hot spring for myself tonight.

"Didn't you sell enough today?" She's been selling them since they arrived at Atami a few hours before noon. It was already late in the afternoon.

"As long as there are tourist flocking around, the job's not done. There's money to be made!" She said, a flash in her eyes. "All *you* did was sulk!"

"I wasn't sulking! I was being wistful!" he snapped bitterly.

"Well, I'm going on ahead. You can sulk or wist here all you want. But like I said, the hot spring is mine and mine only tonight."

"Fair enough," Ryoga said, not really caring. He went to to the upstairs area. The bedroom was tiny. A small bed just large enough for two people was by the window. On the windowsill was a vase with flowers. on the other side from the stairs, a closet. "Hmm... there's only one bedroom and one bathroom. There's no couch downstairs, just a table." It was a small cottage. If he were to sleep there, he'd be taking up the entire floor space. There was a small space enough to sleep in a sleeping bag in the livingroom area. Guess I'll sleep there. He showered and went into the hot spring to relax. Ah, what a nice day, even if I'm not with Akane. The sun was setting in the horizon.

Ukyo came back enthusiastically with a large bag of tourist money. "I really made a killing!" She said excitedly. She looked down at the hot spring where Ryoga was still relaxing. The sun had gone down the horizon and only the moonlight revealed his location. This place is really old fashioned. No electric lights, just lamps. "Ryoga, why didn't you light any lamps?" She lit two and a few candles.

Ryoga opened his eyes. The hot water felt so good, he didn't care that he missed dinner.

"I'm going to take a shower. I expect you out of there when I get back."

After her shower, Ukyo came out only in her robe, loosely tied, expecting Ryoga to have left. Instead, he was still in it. "Ryoga, you jackass!" She held up her spatula.

"Alright, alright." He was getting hungry anyway. He picked up his towel, so small it was only large enough to cover his loins. Ukyo looked away. He rummaged through his back pack for new clothes and a cup ramen.

"Don't tell me you're going to eat *that*?" Ukyo said in disbelief. "Is that all you eat? Feel free to make yourself some okonomiyaki." She took notice of his naked body covered only by the towel. The candle light emphasized the ridges and curves of his muscles. She couldn't deny how enticing he looked. Oh, how I'd love to feel... Ah! What am I thinking? He's not Ranma! She waited until he went upstairs to the bedroom to change clothes before undressing and stepping into the hot springs. He better not be peeking. She didn't think he would be a pervert, but she didn't know him that well.

I'll take her up on that offer. Okonomiyaki was a much better dinner than cup ramen. He didn't think much of it before, but as he descended down the stairs, he couldn't help but remember Ukyo standing with just her robe, loosely tied, covering only just below her hips. Her curves lit by the candle light. No... she wouldn't like me thinking about her that way... As he passed through the living room, he didn't dare look towards the spring. He went out to her cart and cooked up some okonomiyaki.

"Oh, Ryoga!" Ukyo said with delight.

"Ukyo..." Ryoga said quietly and looked at her with appreciation.

By the windowsill, a flower fell from its stem.

"How was it?"

"It was delicious! I'm surprised! I didn't know you could cook so well!" The ingredients, batter recipe and sauce recipes were hers, but she didn't expect Ryoga could put them together in such a delicious ratio and cook them to perfection. It was almost as good as her cooking. She was pleasantly surprised, and glad she didn't have to cook for herself for once, especially after a long, tiring day. A man who can cook was a real man in her book.

After dinner, they decided to settle in for the night. It was a long day of traveling and cooking. Ryoga insisted he'd sleep in the living room with his sleeping bag, giving Ukyo privacy.

The next morning, Ukyo came down the stairs. Ryoga was nowhere to be found. His sleeping bag was folded by his back pack. "Hmm... I hope he didn't leave and get lost..." Time to get the day started. First, a shower.

Stepping out of the bathroom, there was a delicious aroma in the air. Ryoga had cooked them a breakfast of eggs, fish, miso soup, and rice. Ukyo was thrilled. Oh, my! Just like when my father cooked breakfast before I woke up. Memories of a normal life with her father and mother long ago filled her thoughts.

Ryoga invited her to have a seat. "Ryoga, you're so sweet!" she happily sat down. I could get used to this!