Disclaimer: Ranma ½ belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.
Memories for Tomorrow
by pahlee
No one would have guessed that the empty platter that now sits on the counter was made by her. No one would have had the chance to tell her how good it tasted, that her efforts weren't wasted – that the dish tasted extraordinary. No one would. But, they didn't know that.
Running his hand across the casket at her viewing, the martial artist looked down at her as she laid to rest. Tentatively, he reached out and touched her still hand, the one that had held so much power behind each punch when they sparred now felt lifeless, unmoving. He could feel the tears fighting to break free, but he held them back as he tried to stand strong in front of the girls.
He couldn't let them know that when she died, that a part of him went with her. It'd show that despite all he had led them on, it was she who held the vice grip on him and now that she had passed on he was merely holding on for their own sake at life.
Behind him, the girls' held a grave face, each showing no emotion as he had, but he could see them cracking. They only knew her for a short time that it was no wonder the impact she had on them would be so strong – because it was her who kept them all strong, with or without her knowing.
Unknowingly, the girls would always try to best her at her own, but could never win because she'd always come out on top. But, they didn't know that.
All they knew that she'd be there for them – always.
But that's no longer the case.
Then he heard it, a quiet sob, coming from his youngest daughter. Soun turned around and picked her up, holding her as she clutched onto her father's shirt and cried into the crook of his neck, "I don't want mama to leave."
The other two girls followed suit, tears streaking down their still chubby cheeks as they held onto the pants legs of their father. Soun knelt down and held his kids in an embrace, all three girls hugging onto him as they stared at the casket that held his wife and their mother.
"Don't worry," Soun whispered as the funeral director began to close the casket so they could prepare it for burial, "Mama will watch over us, she loves us a lot."
Akane clutched onto her father harder, the sadness gripping at her small heart, "Her dinner was yummy."
Soun busted into tears as he held his girls', "Yes, baby, and when we see her again, we'll tell her how good it was."
Akane sat down by the kitchen bar with a sad look etched on her face. Soun stopped in his tracks as he caught the sight of his daughter. She was sniffling slightly as Soun sat down beside her on the barstool, turning to look at her.
"What's wrong Akane?" he asked, worried for the baby of the family.
"Nothing," she muttered as she used the back of her hand to wipe the tears from her eyes, "It's nothing."
"Honey," Soun said as he reached out and brushed her bangs aside to look her in the eyes, those eyes that held the same life his wife had, "Those tears don't mean nothing, tell me what's wrong?"
"N-no," she continued on as she broke free from his hold and turned her head away to look at the plate that sat on the countertop, untouched, and more importantly – normal, "It's…."
"Did you cook for Ranma again?" he asked, not waiting for her to finish.
"He didn't even try," Akane replied.
Soun looked up at the dish, knowing the past of his daughter's skill, but he knew in the end if she ever asked him he would. He always would, but since Ranma came along, his youngest would try to please his palate. His eyes softening, he looked at Akane, "Would you let this old man try?"
Her eyes shining brightly, Soun was taken back at how much he forgot how much Akane was like her mother and it brought a smile to his face as she muttered, "Really, daddy?"
Soun struck his chest, laughing jovially as he answered, "Of course! Slab me a piece on a plate!"
Akane's mood changed dramatically as she hopped from the barstool and made her way towards her dish. Taking the knife, she cut it into a small square and brought it out onto a plate and pushed it under her father's nose, "It's red velvet cake!"
Soun laughed at his daughter's antics as he took the plate away from his nose; still a bit apprehensive about it he took the bite anyways. He expected a vile taste, a hard drop to his stomach, but it was surprisingly okay.
Good, if he had to describe it.
It felt like it could be better, but…it was edible and tastes good.
"Ah, Akane," Soun said, surprised at the taste, "It's good!"
Akane clapped her hands together, "Really?!"
Her eyes shone and she gave her well-known smile that made her father feel a sense of happiness swell inside him as he took another bite. Akane stood there, smiling as she watched her father eat the cake.
"Where'd you get the recipe?" Soun asked.
He watched as her smile dropped into a frown as she turned her gaze away from him, she fumbled with the end of her apron.
"Mother's recipe book, it was," her voice got quiet, "The dish she made the night she died."
Soun's fork stopped mid-air as he stared at his daughter, the memories flooding back as he recalled the night his wife passed away. He stared down at the fork that held the cake in his hand and it brought a bigger smile to his face, tears be damned as he felt them build up.
"It's delicious, Akane." He said.
Akane looked up, shocked that her father kept eating and she smiled once more, "Thank you daddy."
A few hours later, Soun was seated out by the veranda playing a game of shoji with Genma. He moved a piece across the board when he saw Ranma trailing behind Akane, his voice in a begging manner as he tried to reconcile with his youngest daughter.
He smirked to himself as he placed down the winning piece and Genma tried switching the board before he could notice.
However, on the other side of the sliding doors, Ranma followed Akane.
"Come on, 'kane, I was just kiddin'," Ranma said as Akane hmphed and turned down the hallway and shook her head.
"Look, 'Ka—Akane!" he said, putting on a tone that made him sound controlling. Turning on her heel, Akane had her arms across her chest, her eyebrows knitted together as she glared at him, "What," she said in an icy tone.
Ranma gulped as he stepped back, seeing the intense emotions relaying in her eyes as she stared him down.
"Look, I-I'm sorry," Ranma said, his voice sincere, "I shoulda just…did what you asked me to do and we wouldn't be in this mess."
"So," her arms dropped to her side, "Did you mean it?"
Ranma blushed, his confidence gone now as his fiancee now had the hold in the situation, scratching his nose he nonchalantly said, "W-well yeah, it's delicious 'kane. Best…best you ever made."
On the other side, Soun couldn't help but smile as he looked up towards the night sky as Genma rattled on. He murmured to himself, "Hear that, honey? It's delicious."
Author's Note
So, did anyone get tricked there in the beginning? Or, was that just a naught? Haha, no this isn't the "grammar" joke one-shot I was talking about, it was something else that rattled in my mind that I wanted to share.