: Play along, aniki. :
: What? :
: Just let them jump to
conclusions. :
: But how are you going
to explain to our okaasan if word gets to her, hmmm? :
: Our cousins think these
neighbors are crazy remember? :
: Okay, on your head be
it. But at the first sign of trouble, we're out of here. :
: Yes, 'niichan. :
The Little Fox was projecting so much innocence into the statement that
Ran almost had second thoughts about allowing this charade. Between
the two of them could make the Tendo household forget that this ever happened.
Ran doubted that the Little Fox would care too much of the game if he refused
to participate. Kurama-chan was like that, obedient in some ways
but annoyingly rebellious in some. Though the Little Fox seemed to
be extremely well behaved when their okaasan was concerned, Ran sighed.
Maybe I'm spoiling him
too much.
: Hmm… : Before
Ran could ask what he was up to, the Little Fox turned around to face Ranma
and did his best cat imitation. Tails fluffing out, walking in stiff-legged
gait and a hissing he came near the water. Ranma started from his
preoccupation and began to back away. Kurama loped after the Saotome
kid doing more cat-noises as he did so, on his foxy face was an expression
that could only be called as evil glee.
"I take it that he also fell
into a Juusenkyo spring." Saotome-panda "said".
"Spring of Drowned Fox-Spirit."
Ran said on cue from his little brother.
"Why is he hissing like a
cat at Ranma then?" Akane asked, surprised.
"Hn."
"Huh?"
"Mischief." Ran said
irritated that they didn't get it on their own since it was so obvious.
"Oh."
The Tendo household as good
hosts decided to leave their guests to play without interference.
***
Kurama tired of the game
about an hour later. Hardly panting he decided to find his older
brother. He found Ran sitting with the Tendos over tea and rice cakes.
He plopped onto the latter's lap with a decidedly foxy grin.
: So where's the Saotome
boy? :
"Where's Ranma?" Tendo-san
echoed as he noted the smug fox sitting on Ran's lap.
: Still in the yard, he'll
come in soon. :
True enough the topic of
their mental came trooping in a few moments later.
"Is that freaky cat gone?"
Said Ranma, coming in to grab the hot water in the teakettle probably left
for that purpose, glaring at the grinning kitsune who just snuggled closer
to Ran.
Ran personally liked the
furry critter. The few times the Little Fox had taken to this form
had been happy times. Soft fox fur, tails and ears were fun to stroke.
Besides Kurama-chan snuggled more in kitsune form than when he was human.
"Really Ranma, got problems
with your eyesight? That is not cat." Akane said as he poured tea
to a rather wet and bedraggled male Ranma.
"Well it acted like a cat."
Ranma said keeping an eye out for sudden movements from his current nemesis.
"Aren't you going to get
some hot water too?" Ranma asked the Kurama-chan who just fox grinned
all the wider.
Ran snorted silently.
As if the Little Fox play a trick like that twice, Ran knew the Fox would
find more tricks to play now that that one wouldn't be so effective.
"It's a fox see." Akane
said fed up by Ranma's wary attitude. She looked at Ran and Kurama
as if to ask permission. Ran nodded at that, knowing what she must
be asking. Then she scooped up the fox and shoved it up into Ranma's
face.
Kurama-chan gamely bared
his fangs and twitched his ears with his eyes, twinkling, amber stars.
When he was close enough he gave Ranma a huge lick of apology.
"Ick! I think I liked
you better as a cat." Ranma said but he was smiling and held the
Little Fox who squirmed. It gratified Ran to note that Kurama still
objected to being held by anyone but him and Hiei when being kitsune.
With a gigantic twist, Kurama-chan wrenched himself free and jumped back
onto Ran's lap.
"Hey! I wasn't going to hurt
you, Shuuichi-kun."
"The Little Fox doesn't like
being with anyone but me and his best friend when in this form."
Ran said trying his best not to sound too self-satisfied as he ran fingers
through the soft fox fur ending at one bushy tail.
"He looks like he's nice
to hold." Nabiki said.
"Hn." Refusal was clear
in Ran's voice though he knew that it wasn't going to be the end of it.
He saw the speculative looks of the young mercenary girl.
"I am not one to be
trifled with when the safety of the Little Fox is concerned."
Ran warned Nabiki, giving her one of his patented death glares.
If she was going to do anything that endangered Kurama-chan, she'll have
it coming…
Akane also gave Nabiki a
glare. She knew that money often tempted her sister and suspected
that the latter had a plan to turn this into some kind of moneymaking venture.
Their father didn't take a strong enough hand to Nabiki. The Fujimiyas
were guests and not suppose to be taken advantage of.
Their combined glares cowed
Nabiki at least for the duration of the visit. But they were to learn
later that it didn't cow her enough...
~TBC~