Looking For Trouble

A Ranma ½ / Teen Titans Fan Fiction

by

Jeremy Harper

Disclaimer – Ranma ½ is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi. The Teen Titans are the property of DC Comics. Both are used without permission.

Chapter 3

Nabiki Tendo walked down the hallway, a change of clothes slung over her arm. She had come home after spending the morning with her friend Junko and felt hot, tired and miserable. She had been avoiding her entire family since her brief fight with Akane yesterday, not wanting to deal with either of her sisters. It felt bad enough wrestling with the unfamiliar sensations of guilt twisting in her stomach. She did not want to be reminded of it by seeing Akane looking hurt or having Kasumi badger her. She had expected Akane to blow up with anger and indignation in response to the accusation that the youngest Tendo had enjoyed her daily school fights. Nabiki had been totally unprepared for the devastated look on Akane's face – the way she paled ghost-white, how her lips trembled before she spoke, and the hint of tears in her wide, hurt eyes.

Nabiki grimaced; she hated feeling this way and resented Akane for it, which amplified her guilt. Bad enough I'm jealous of her, Nabiki thought sourly. How pathetic is that, a girl like me being jealous of her kid sister?

But it was true. Akane had an ability to effortlessly charm that Nabiki frankly envied. Her sister always attracted attention and admiration, and not merely because of her looks. Akane seemed to have an ineffable quality, a personal charisma that Nabiki did not know how to emulate. It galled her, and she had found a bitter satisfaction in how that charisma had turned on Akane the past three months. A small part of her, which she strenuously ignored, had felt guilty about that petty pleasure. But that guilt exploded during the terrible ordeal of Akane's kidnapping and upon learning Tatewaki Kuno had been manipulated into orchestrating his campaign of harassment. Nabiki felt awful, and when Nightwing returned Akane home, Nabiki swore she would let go of her jealousy.

Then Ranma Saotome, the ward of one of the richest men in the world, had agreed to the engagement arranged between his birth father and Soun Tendo, and had asked Akane to be his fiancee.

Akane accepted, and all those ill-feelings Nabiki thought she buried came bubbling back to the surface.

Why do these things just seem to fall into Akane's lap? Nabiki wondered as she entered the changing room and stripped. She had spotted Akane talking with Ranma in the backyard and felt her jealousy surge fresh in her heart. Not only was Ranma rich, he was very attractive – healthy and fit with broad shoulders and a handsome face. He seemed easy going as well, if a bit reserved. But, just like every other boy in existence, he was smitten with Akane. Nabiki could not miss the look in his eyes as he chatted with Akane. Her little sister seemed oblivious to it, of course. Nabiki had hastily retreated before either of the couple spotted her.

Just once, though Nabiki as she finished undressing and grabbed a towel, I'd like a taste of Akane's luck. She slid open the door to the furo...

Just in time to see a young man step out of the tub.

Nabiki blinked, freezing on the spot, her jaw dropping a little. His short red hair and green eyes declared the young man a gaijin, and he was magnificent, possessing powerful shoulders, muscular arms, and a cut, washboard stomach. The drops of water trailing down his lean body highlighted and enhanced its wonderful definition. She noticed with interest that he had a tattoo on his upper-left arm – two green lines encircling his bicep, connected by alternating triangles. She also saw with greater interest that he was very healthy, and that the rug matched the drapes...

The young man stared back at her, startled, but with obvious admiration growing in his eyes (as well as another place). Nabiki suddenly felt light-headed, and could not stop the mischievous grin curving her lips.

Roy sighed and stretched his back as he sat in the furo, grumbling slightly at the slight soreness bothering him. Akane had thrown him to the floor hard and he was still feeling the impact. That annoyed him, but he was honest enough to admit that he had deserved it. After washing quickly he had decided to use the furo despite the heat of the summer afternoon to try to loosen up his muscles, and he now felt better. He got out to dry off...

Just in time for the furo door to slide open, revealing a beautiful, and very naked, young woman.

Roy fell stock still, stunned by the breath-taking sight. She had a pretty round face framed cutely by brown hair cut in a blunt bob. Her skin was fine and china-pale, and the faint blush coloring her cheeks was slowly creeping down her slender neck to her full, pert breasts. Her stomach looked firm and taut while her legs were very shapely. With his archer's eye for detail, he noted to his embarrassed delight that the young woman waxed.

Roy's face blushed deep red. This must be Nabiki, he thought faintly. Yeah, she's as good looking as her sisters. To his relief his blush started to fade as he recovered from his shock; to his mortification he felt the blood of his face slide down to another portion of his body, one that right now he wished he had better control over.

Nabiki, who had been staring back at him with equal surprise and fascination, suddenly grinned. Roy felt a tickle of pleasurable apprehension chase down his spine. "You know," she said, "if you keep staring at me like that, I'm going to charge you for the show."

Roy blinked. "Say what?" he sputtered.

Nabiki just smirked and shrugged before closing the furo door.

Roy stared at the door for a minute before shuddering hard. His nose twitched, as if it was going to start bleeding. With slow, deliberate steps he went to the bath faucet, filled a bucket with ice-cold water, and dumped it over his head.

Author's Notes: Very short chapter, I know. In all honesty, this should be the last third of Chapter 2, but I got a bit impatient. Anyhow, I personally found this amusing, and Chapter 4 should be more substantial.

Thanks once again to Pursemonger for pre-reading Looking For Trouble and for her enthusiastic support for this series.