Disclaimer:
I do not own these characters nor do I claim too, this is a simple fan based homage. Their creators and the companies they work for and with own the characters and all that pertains to them. (I.E. Rumiko Takahashi, Viz, Shougakukan). I do not intend on making any profit from making this story but only a writer writing about one of her favourite character, namely Nabiki.
Previously:
Kuno had yet again betrayed Nabiki, Kinnusuke is planning his seduction. Ranma makes his way towards Nabiki and Kuno's Mansion thinking Nabiki is unwell, while Nabiki and Akane have an unwanted confrontation at Kasumi's house.
"Oh my! That was not a very nice thing to say Akane." Kasumi reproached her youngest sister.
"It was the truth and she knows it!" Akane sneered at Nabiki.
Kyoshiro and Himiko looked from one aunt to another. Not understanding why their favourite people were so hostile against each other.
Nabiki seeing the kids distress ignored Akane's snide comment but rather began to turn to the children.
"Why don't you two go inside and play. The adults need to talk for a while." Nabiki said to the two children.
The two kids did not move. They wanted to know why their Aunts are fighting. Kasumi seeing their hesitation decided to accompany the children inside the house and comfort them.
"Come on kids. The your Aunts needs to talk with each other." Kasumi called her children.
"Are you fighting?" Asked Himiko as she looked from one Aunt to the other.
"No sweetheart me and your Auntie Akane just needs to talk." Nabiki answered her distressed niece. She glanced at Akane to see her still simmering in anger.
"There's no need for that. Thank you Kasumi for your company but it will be best if I leave now." Akane said through clenched teeth.
"Akane?" Kasumi said trying to change her sister's mind but before she could, Akane began to walk away.
"I'll be right back." Nabiki said to her older sister as she then chased after a very angry Akane.
"Akane! Akane please wait!" Nabiki ran after her sister.
Akane just ignored her sister's call and kept walking. Finally having enough, Nabiki grabbed Akane's elbow and turned her to face her.
"What the hell is your problem Akane?" Nabiki questioned her, all patience now gone.
"You want to know what my problem is? DO YOU?" Akane replied as her voice began to rise because of the anger and contempt she felt.
"YOU'RE MY PROBLEM!" Akane yelled at Nabiki. A few bystanders by now had stopped and began to look at them.
"I already said I'm sorry Akane what more do you want me to do?" Nabiki replied trying to calm down and not scream at her sister. They need to talk about this before it gets worst.
"SORRY? SORRY? THE GREAT NABIKI IS SORRY? WELL GUESS WHAT NABIKI? SORRY DOESN'T MAKE EVERYTHING RIGHT! SORRY WON'T BRING BACK SAKURA!" Akane yelled at Nabiki. Blaming her for her insecurities. Her shortcomings.
Nabiki finally lost it.
"GROW UP AKANE! HOW MANY TIMES MUST I APOLOGISE! I DID MY BEST DAMNT IT! DON'T BLAME FOR YOUR SHORTCOMINGS OF BEING A WOMAN!" Nabiki replied back angrily, but regretted it as soon as it left her lips.
Akane's eyes grew wide in shock. Then without warning she lifted her hand and slapped Nabiki hard on the face. Akane's eyes were blurred with tears. As she saw her palm print on Nabiki's face.
Nabiki's head was tilted to the side because of the impact of the slap Akane gave her. Her ears ringed. Her face burned with the imprint of her sister's hand.
"AKANE!" Kasumi exclaimed in surprise as she saw what happened. She decided to follow the two when they left the house. She told Kyoshiro to look after her sister and not leave the house while she tries to talk to her sisters. When she heard them began yelling at each other. This made her increase her pace. Only to witness Akane slap Nabiki hard on the face.
Never before had she seen Akane raise her hand against them. Her own family. Only on Ranma.
Nabiki looked at her sister straight in the eyes. Her own eyes are now wet with tears. Not because of physical pain. It was because of the hate she felt from her own flesh and blood. It was her fault. She never should have said that.
"Akane… I'm so…" But before Nabiki could apologise Akane raised her hand. For a moment she thought it was to slap her once again. But saw it was only a gesture to stop her.
"Just… just don't ok?…." Akane said.
"I don't want to hear it… I don't want to hear anything you want to say…" Akane continued as tears kept falling from her eyes.
"Akane…" Nabiki tried to reach out to her sister but Akane avoided her touch and looked her straight in the eye.
"From now on you are no longer apart of me… You are no longer my sister…" Akane said as she began to back and walk away. Slowly at first before she began to run.
Nabiki stood there. Frozen. Her heart breaking. Tears flowed from her eyes. Kasumi approached Nabiki. Tears in her eyes as well. She heard what Akane said. It pained her to see her sisters like this.
"Nabiki?" Kasumi asked her, not really knowing what to say.
"I… I need to go…" Nabiki said to Kasumi as she began to head for her car.
"Nabiki wait…" Kasumi tried to stop her sister.
Nabiki got inside her car and locked it. Her eyes burned with tears. Her heart ached with indescribable pain.
"Nabiki please…" Kasumi begged. At her sister's state she might get into an accident.
But Nabiki paid no heed to Kasumi's pleadings. She jerked her car on reverse before driving back on the road. At high speed towards her house.
Kasumi was left there crying over her sisters fall out.
Akane continued running. To where she didn't know. All she knew was she needed to get out of there.
How dare she say that!
How dare her say those things about her!
It was all her fault!
If she didn't loose Sakura her marriage with Ranma would never be like right now!
It was all her fault!
Her mind screamed.
She continued running as tears blurred her vision. She kept running until she collided to someone.
"I'm sorry are you alright Miss?" the person she collided into apologised.
Akane was about to say that she was alright when she saw the person holding her.
"Akane? What happened?" Asked the stranger.
"Ryoga?" Akane replied.
Ranma walked towards Nabiki's house. He took a quick shower before getting dressed in a white shirt and a pair of slacks. He also decided to buy some chicken soup on the way since he thought Nabiki wouldn't have eaten yet or the time to cook yet. He also heard that chicken soup was good food for anything that ails you.
As he approached the massive gates of the Kuno residence, he was nearly ran over by a silver BMW. He was about to curse the driver only to see who was driving behind the steering wheel. It was Nabiki!
He saw the BMW enter the Kuno compound and he ran after her. Something must be wrong. Nabiki was meant to be home. Why on earth was she driving like a maniac?
He barely reached her at the front entrance. Nabiki was standing by the front door searching feebly for her house keys in her bag.
"Nabiki?" Ranma called tentatively.
Nabiki turned around and saw Ranma's worried expression.
Ranma suddenly felt a sudden urge of protectiveness surge in him as he saw her. She looked haggard. He saw her tear streaked cheeks as well as a hand print that adorned the left side. Her eyes were swollen from crying and her eyes was the most haunting thing of all. Her eyes displayed so much pain and hurt. Full of vulnerability he had never expected to see from her.
Ranma hesitantly approached her. Not knowing what to say or do.
"What happened?" Ranma asked her.
"Ranma!" Nabiki managed to say before she rushed into his arms. Needing comfort. Seeking comfort. She felt so terribly alone and the pain was just too painful for her to bear.
Ranma found himself engulfing Nabiki in his arms. His arms encircled her body as she cried on his chest. He began to try and soothe her.
"It's ok Nabiki. Everything is alright. Please don't cry." Ranma tried to soothe her.
"No… Everything is not alright…" Nabiki sobbed in his chest.
"Why don't we go inside so we can talk about it ok?" Ranma said to her.
Nabiki then let go of Ranma and began to yet again look for her keys. Seeing that Nabiki was having no success in locating the keys, Ranma took the bag from Nabiki's trembling hands and fished out the keys for her. He then opened the door. He held the door open for Nabiki before following her inside.
"What's wrong Akane? What did Ranma do this time?" Ryoga said as he and Akane was now sitting in a nearby Café.
"No.. It's not Ranma. Ryoga." Akane replied back. Wiping the tears from her eyes.
Seeing this, Ryoga handed her one of his bandannas.
"Here." he offered his bandanna to her.
Akane looked at him and then at the bandanna before finally accepting it.
"Thank you." She smiled back at him as she wiped the tears away.
"You are welcome." Ryoga smiled back.
Akane felt butterflies in her stomach when she saw Ryoga smile at her. He was always so nice to her.
"Why are you crying? Who did this to you?" Ryoga said in his most protective tone. He found himself drawn to her once again. It seemed so long ago. Ten years to be in fact. But he was surprise to feel that he still felt something for her. Though it pales in comparison with what he feels for Ukyou.
"Don't worry about it… I just had a little fight with someone." she told him. Trying not make anything too big out of the discussion they were having.
"Who did you have a fight with?" Ryoga asked full of concern.
"It's no one important." Akane said trying to avoid the topic.
"If it wasn't important as you say it is, How come your running at a blind panic crying?" Ryoga asked her. Showing Akane he didn't intend to drop the subject that easy.
"I said It's not important ok? So just drop it!" Akane said rather peevishly. Almost loosing her temper once again.
"Ok. Ok." Ryoga said apologetically. He hasn't seen this side of her. It was mostly shown towards Ranma. For once Ryoga was glad that he wouldn't be in the receiving end of Akane's wayward temper.
"I'm sorry Ryoga. I think I better go." Akane said as she began to get up and leave. Embarrassed about her poor display of outbursts.
"Wait Akane." Ryoga called to her but Akane continued to walk away from him.
Ryoga wanted to chase after her when he heard his phone ringing.
"Hello?" He answered.
"Where are you Sugar?" asked Ukyou worriedly.
"I'm at a Café somewhere in Kyoto." replied Ryoga.
"What on earth are you doing there? Never mind… Have you finished sending out our wedding invitations?" Asked Ukyou.
"Not yet." Replied Ryoga.
"Well hurry it up sugar cause I miss you terribly." Answered Ukyou.
"I miss you too, and I will see you soon." Ryoga said before hanging up on his Fiancée.
"What happened Nabiki?" asked Ranma.
"Everything… Oh Ranma I made such a terrible mess of things! I made things worst!" Nabiki sobbed in his chest.
They were sitting in the formal lounge room. They were sitting in the plush leather couch.
"What do you mean?" Ranma frowned. Could it be that Nabiki and Kuno had a fight? A disagreement?
"Me and Akane had a fight…" Nabiki managed to say as she pushed herself away from his chest. Ashamed that the one comforting her was her sister's husband instead of hers.
Ranma just wiped her tears away. Full understanding in his eyes as he stared into hers. His hand lingered on her flushed cheek. She looked so vulnerable to him. So vulnerable yet so beautiful.
Nabiki covered his hand with hers.
"Thank you for being here for me." Nabiki sniffed as she now got hold of her feelings.
Ranma in the other hand didn't speak another word as he found himself mesmerised by her tear streaked eyes. He found himself drifting closer and closer to her before he realised he had began to brush his lips against hers.
Nabiki saw what was happening. She knew what was happening but she found that she didn't have any strength to stop or fight what was happening between them. In fact she surrendered to it. She closed her eyes as her lips came in contact with his.
It was innocent at first. Just enjoying the feel of each others lips against theirs. But when Nabiki moaned and slightly opened her mouth, Ranma's tongue slipped into her mouth. Tasting her. Then the kiss became more heated and more passionate. Their tongues duelled as they enjoyed a very forbidden kiss.
Ranma leaned into Nabiki, making Nabiki lie on her back onto the couch. Ranma on top of her. It was then that Nabiki came into her senses as she felt his hand began to roam around her body. Her hands matching and mimicking his hands movements on his body.
"Ranma…" Nabiki said breathlessly.
"Nabiki…" Ranma replied in passion.
"We have to stop…" Nabiki said still unable to command her body to do her will.
Ranma painstakingly commanded his wondering hands to stop as he pushed himself away from her.
"I… I'm sorry Nabiki… I don't know what came over me…" Ranma admitted.
"I… I mean we… It's ok…" Nabiki found herself replying trying to fight the quivering in her voice.
Ranma rested his head on his palms, his elbows resting on his knees as he tried to figure out what the hell he was doing.
"Ranma?" Nabiki called out to him as he tentatively reached for him. Her hand resting on his shoulders.
"I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…" Ranma found himself saying.
Nabiki bit her lowerlip. It seems things are just getting worst and worst.
"What happens now?" Asked Ranma. Not knowing what to do.
"We pretend nothing has happened." Nabiki answered him.
Ranma looked up to her in shock. Not knowing what to say.
"I was vulnerable and you are confused. Things just kind of happened." Nabiki explained.
Ranma just looked at her in disbelief.
"Look Ranma, I don't know what happened either but all I know is that I don't want to loose your friendship over something like this. Please try and understand." Nabiki said as she found herself beginning to cry.
Ranma then looked at her sobbing form. Trying to understand. He didn't want to loose whatever friendship they had but it had hurt when she had dismissed what happened to them like it meant nothing. So instead he found himself hugging her. There in the confines of his arms he felt that it was right to have her there. Why? he didn't know. All he knew was things will never be the same again.
Author's Notes:
A brief explanation. Someone had wondered why I chose " Thy Neighbour's Wife" as a title. To be blunt I choose it because of the event that will take course. Can't really say much since it will blow the whole suspense thing I'm trying so desperately to create. Oh well… Please review….
Well what do you think? I now put Ryoga into play.
Who else am I going to drag in this mess?
What sinister plans am I planning for the characters?
What will happen to Ranma, Akane, Kuno and Nabiki?
Please stay tuned.
Ja Ne,