Caring For Kasumi
By
Himura Alucard
Chapter 1
It was just going to be another normal weekend, or so Ranma thought when he noticed on the kitchen calendar that tomorrow was a Friday. "What?!" he exclaimed when he heard the news being told to him. The cause for his outburst during dinner...was that except for him and Kasumi, everyone would be leaving the Dojo early the next morning and won't be returning until late Sunday evening.
First, old master Happosai had proclaimed that he was going to take his two worthless disciples on a training trip to the coast, but the old lecher just really wanted to get to the beach to ogle at the numerous young female sun worshipers and their luscious Bikini's. Secondly, Nabiki had already enrolled herself into a 'how to get rich' seminar over in Tokyo for the weekend while Akane she had been invited to stay over the weekend at her classmates summer home.
"So that means 3 days without that uncute tomboy Akane, no pops to mess with me, no old pervert to harass me and no Nabiki to extort money from me...sounds like a good weekend to me." Ranma smiled a little when he came to that conclusion but his face dropped a little when he came to realize that he would be left alone with Kasumi. The truth was ... he didn't mind being left alone with Kasumi. It's just that he was too comfortable being together with her as in they don't talk much and don't get in each other business unless needed.
Ranma was more worried about getting bored over the weekend, so he sulked up the stairs and entered his room. Ranma watched his father crying as he packed up his bag for his 'trip'. Later that night Ranma couldn't get any sleep as his mind kept on trying to think of something that would keep him preoccupied, his idea of being busy meant not having to deal with his other fiancées or rivals. He had enough of them already during the weekdays. "Uh...what am I going to do with the time...train? I do that everyday. And I don't like to go wandering around town unless I have something to do there also...Ah!!! Hopeless I'd just wing it and see what comes up I guess..." with that last mental sigh he forced himself to sleep.
As the sun began to rise the whole family gathered around the main gate to say their farewells some willingly while others were a little hesitant to leave. "Ranma please take care of my daughter while I am away..." echoed Soun's trailing voice. His head bowed low mirroring his best friend's Genma stooped posture as the two grown men side by side were slowly dragged by their gi collars by the diminutive figure of Happosai down the road. "Well Ranma...don't destroy the house while I'm gone okay. I don't want to learn how to make a fortune and then waste it on repairs..." winked Nabiki as she got into her waiting cab. This meant leaving only Akane to say her own unique kind of farewell to her fiancée.
"Ranma...you better don't do anything perverted to my sister because if you do and I find out about it you shall pay dearly...you understand?!" she said to the half awake boy. Akane's farewell to Ranma sounded more like a death treat to anyone else but Ranma didn't seem to mind. After all being half asleep all he managed to do was to nod his head and wave weakly and moan "Uh...yeah...good riddance...uncute gorilla butt" Akane heard the last part of his 'farewell' and once again out of thin air her always handy mallet-sama came a crashing down on his head leaving him smashed three feet into the ground amidst a dust cloud.
"Kasumi...if he tries to do anything..." Akane was about to go on about warning how big a pervert she thought of Ranma but her oldest sister simply smiled at her. "Akane...I trust Ranma wouldn't do anything of the sort." Came her simple reply. Akane simply shrugged her shoulders and sneered at his embedded fiance' as she walked down the same road the rest of her family taken earlier, she couldn't understand how could Kasumi put her trust in that pervert.
"Ranma are you okay?" asked Kasumi as she gracefully knelt down by the pile of boy that was embedded into the concrete pathway she knew as Ranma. "Zzzzzzz..." Ranma gently snored back at her. "The boy could sleep anywhere I guess" she sighed with a smile to herself. Kasumi gently dragged the boy to somewhere where he would at least be more comfortable sleeping on, but she had to settle on the front porch as she soon ran out of strength. She thoughtfully brought and placed a small pillow under his head and left him to continue his slumber while she went on with her usual morning chores. It was late morning when Ranma finally decided to open his eyes, an action he would regret later. As soon as his eyelids cracked opened he was boorishly blinded by the bright sun's morning rays.
"Ouch...! Wait a minute why am I sleeping on the porch." He asked himself. The small bump he felt on his head brought back the memories "Oh...I got hammered by that uncute tomboy...again"
"I hope there's still some breakfast left for me...Kasumi always keeps my share if I'd miss it..." Ranma smiled at the thought of Kasumi's breakfast.
Entering the kitchen which was empty Ranma straight away went to check the kitchen cabinets, fridge and sure enough neatly wrap inside a cupboard was his breakfast albeit a little cold. Ranma didn't wait long as with his chopsticks magically appearing in hand devoured it in a flash. Feeling his satisfied tummy he gleefully went back out to the garden. He looked around and he already felt bored. Leaping over the stone wall Ranma decided to see if there was anything worth doing around town.
"The house is quiet with everyone gone ... sometimes I wish we didn't have such a big house." Kasumi thought to herself as she walked into the kitchen carrying the now empty laundry basket. Seeing the empty bowls that Ranma had thoughtfully washed for her in the sink she knew that the boy was now up and about. Looking around the house Kasumi was trying to find Ranma to ask if he would mind accompanying her to the market to help her carry a sack of rice that she had needed to get. But after failing to find the pig- tailed boy she decided that she would manage somehow.
Meanwhile, Ranma had practically walked all the way around Nerima and was getting even more bored to death by the second. He had found nothing worth his attention and he had also intentionally chosen paths that would not lead him to areas of 'high intensity' namely the Cat-Café, Ucchan's and the Kuno Mansion. Looking up as if there was nothing else better to do Ranma noticed a few black clouds had started to gather around the once clear blue sky. "Looks like it might rain...I better get back home fast. I don't feel like walking around town soaked and in my girl form."
With that Ranma took a mighty leap and started to roof hop back to the Dojo. Kasumi also noticed the dark clouds gathering above her but being weight down by the rather heavy bag of rice she wasn't able make much ground then she normally would in case of rain. "Please don't rain until I reach home...I've hung my favorite bed-sheets out to dry today..." Kasumi whispered those words to the heavens. It was almost like her prayer to the Kami's high above her. But on this day the Kami's would not obey her as within five minutes the heavens opened up above her and poured forth rain.
"Ah...made it in time..." heaved Ranma as he made his way into the living room before the rain which was now beating heavily down outside of him had caught him. "Nothing better to do again but since I missed morning practice might well put in some extra hours practicing." Ranma looked outside at the rain and laughed a little before heading off to the Dojo.
Kasumi now heavily soaked through and a little crossed with herself for not bringing an umbrella with her managed put down most of the half soaked afternoon groceries on the kitchen counter. "Oh my...the bed sheets..." she gasped and quickly ran to the garden to quickly bring in the rain soaked laundry. Kasumi was always the one to think of the bright side of things and but today she felt that her day couldn't get any worst but seeing her once pristine clean sheets rained through, she herself having been soaked in the same rain and adding to her worries she was now off her normal schedule. Kasumi felt that today ranked pretty much as being a bad day for her. After only managing to half dry her hair she had began to rewash back the bed-sheets to avoid them staining and that took her almost an hour. She didn't believe in machine washing the delicate fibers she rather did them by hand. Once she had them drying in the laundry room she rushed down to the kitchen to prepare dinner for herself and Ranma.
Kasumi had begun as always to boil the water and take out the main ingredients needed to make their dinner but she oddly felt slightly off. Her head felt a little light and she was feeling unusually warm and if Kasumi had taken the time to notice she was actually breaking into a cold sweat. But being true to her duties Kasumi continued on with her cooking totally ignoring the changes her own body felt. Kasumi didn't know what hit her afterwards as she suddenly felt weak at the knees and faint. Looking down at her hands she noticed her vision began to blur and bit by bit she slowly sank downwards to the floor. She had tried to lean on the kitchen counter to get her balance back but she only managed to cushion her fall. By then Kasumi had slowly slumped to the floor and fainted, her body, limp leaning back against the counter.
While all this was going on Ranma unknowingly continued on with his Kata routines in the nearby dojo unaware of what just happen. Beads of sweat poured down Ranma's face as he finally stopped to get his breathe back. "That's enough for now ... I wonder what Kasumi's doing? I haven't seen her for almost the whole day." Ranma thought to himself as he made his way out of the Dojo and into the kitchen via the wooden walkway.
The once heavy rain had stopped falling leaving behind pools of water on the grass surface. On opening the kitchen door Ranma could see the pots boiling on the stove and the various ingredients on the kitchen counter that were left untouched. "Strange...Kasumi wouldn't leave the kitchen looking like this..." Ranma looked around carefully while slowly entering the room ready to react if someone or something had gotten hold of Kasumi. That thought made him worry with fear for all the various reasons. One he hadn't seen her since morning and second he was supposed to be the one protecting her while the rest of the family was away and all he managed to do was to leave her alone by herself...defenseless.
Ranma carefully walked over to the kitchen counter still weary for any signs of movement when all of a sudden his right leg brushed against something. Ranma's eyes looked down "No...sweet Kami please no..." he gasped as he dropped to the floor and stared at the still figure of Kasumi. "Kasumi!!!...are you okay?" Ranma shouted as he gathered her up and shook her shoulders. Kasumi didn't reply him, all her motionless body managed to do was only to fall limp into his arms. "Her clothes are soaking wet...and her hands feel so cold..." Ranma noticed this as he began to examine Kasumi. He placed a hand on her forehead and it was burning "Oh Kami she has a fever..."
Ranma knew hadn't any time to waste but before doing anything he wisely turned off all the stoves before gently lifting Kasumi up. He draped one arm over her waist while the other around her knees, her head gently rested on his shoulders as he lifted her up. His clothes gradually began to get soaked as her body leaned on him and her full weight began to ring out the rainwater onto his own now damp body. Quickly but gently Ranma swiftly climbed the stairs and went into the changing room. Ranma had to get Kasumi out of her wet clothes somehow and into dry ones quickly. Only one thing stopped him and that was that he would face dire consequences if anyone knew that he had changed her clothes for her. "Only one way to do it then..." he thought. So gently depositing Kasumi on a laid out towel on the floor he went into the bathroom and filled up a bucket with cold water and *Splash* out came Ranma-chan.
Ranma had felt that being Ranma-chan would at least lessen the shock of telling Kasumi later that he had help change her wet clothes. So ever so gently removing her wet dress and her underwear that cling onto her body Ranma-chan managed to change Kasumi into a dry bathrobe. Quite a feat considering Ranma-chan had her eyes closed all the while doing it and Kasumi was a bit larger than her girl form. Once decent Ranma-chan lifted the still unconscious Kasumi back up into her arms and walked into Kasumi's room.
Carefully she rested Kasumi on her bed and pulled her blanket over her. Kasumi was now slightly shivering and her face looked pale. "She's burning up..." Ranma-chan thought aloud to herself when she had touched Kasumi's forehead again. Ranma-chan quickly left the room to get the things that she needed to ease Kasumi's fever. She soon returned to Kasumi's room along with a hand towel soaked in a small basin of cold water, a small bottle of medicine and a glass of water all delicately balance in her hands. "Guess all the time spent waiting tables in the Cat-café paid off."
Ranma-chan sat beside Kasumi's bedside and gently took the cold hand towel, rung it out a little before folding it and placed it on Kasumi's forehead. She then took 2 pills from the bottle having intending to give it to Kasumi to help lessen her fever. "Wait...she's unconscious. How am I going to give these to her?" she looked down at the pills in her hand and stared at Kasumi, her eyes concentrating on her lips. Kasumi wasn't going to just open her mouth for Ranma-chan to allow her to give her the pills now so Ranma-chan thought hard.
Ranma-chan didn't feel that it was right to force Kasumi's mouth open with her hands and all the other ways she could think up of didn't work ether. "I guess there's no other way..." she whispered to herself. Ranma-chan gently placed the pills on the tip of her tongue and gradually lowered her face to Kasumi's. Ranma-chan's lips slowly touched Kasumi's and gently she pushed the pills into Kasumi's mouth. Ranma-chan a blushed deeply to go along with her racing heart then took a drink of the warm water and repeated the process. She sighed in relief when she saw Kasumi instinctively swallowing the water and the pills. Having done her job Ranma- chan tenderly slid off of Kasumi's bed and drew the curtains to hide the now setting sun outside. She then went back to re-rinse the cold compress one more time and replaced it on her head and carefully tucked the girl in before quietly leaving the room.
Ranma turned back to his male form and began cleaning the kitchen. He returned the uncut and unused ingredients that were intended for dinner that night back to their rightful places. "I wonder how did Kasumi got so soaking wet" Ranma asked himself. Ranma felt slightly guilty somewhat for leaving Kasumi alone since that morning and after finding her in her current state his guilt ran even deeper. It was high enough to even override his hunger that was by now reaching its limits as well. After the kitchen was sufficiently cleaned Ranma went back upstairs to the bathroom to take Kasumi's wet clothes and place them in the laundry basket. Looking up he noticed above him the hanging bed sheets.
"Hey...I remember seeing those hanging out by the garden before I left..." He finally realized what had happened as he quietly made it way back into Kasumi's room to check on her condition. She was still asleep when he changed her cold compress again. "Kasumi sure looks awfully pretty when she's sleeping..." he silently thought, Ranma slowly studied the subtly soft and intricate appearance of the eldest Tendo daughter's face. Her cheeks were a rosy red from the fever and her lips slightly off color but to Ranma who had never once dared to get this close to any female before couldn't help but stare at her thoughtfully.
In a mix of feelings, guilt foremost of all, Ranma also felt a little embarrassed for in truth Kasumi would be or was the first girl he or at that time 'she' had ever kissed in his whole teenage life. Well it wasn't a kiss as in a real kiss but his lips had never touched anyone else's until today. The blush that had left his cheeks since he left her room came back again in full force. "No...for goodness sakes...Ranma, you see her as an older sister or even a mother...!" Ranma shook his head side to side hopefully to shake those rather private thoughts of Kasumi from his head. Ranma didn't notice how late the time was but the whole house was dark now but he felt comforted by the fact that Kasumi's fever had began to die down after changing her compress for the ninth time that day.
Ranma had gone down to lock the main doors and made sure the house and Dojo were secured. He made his way back up to her room and resting on his shins, Ranma stood watch over the still sleeping Kasumi, her shivering had stopped and her breathing was now regular but her closed eyes still worried him. In the dark room under the moonlight that crept in on him he had wished so much to see Kasumi's grey eyes. Ranma had faithfully watched over Kasumi, changing her compress hourly and checking her temperature by feeling her head with his hand. He did that until in his own sluggishness and hunger, he fell asleep by her bed, his head resting a few inches from hers.
*Ringgggggggggg* came the loud noise that shot Ranma out of his slumber. Homing in on the source of it, he reached out his hands to quiet Kasumi's alarm clock that was set and reading 5am. "How long have I been sleeping?" he asked himself as he stretched out noticing the first few rays of the morning sun coming in. He was about to stand to check on Kasumi but as soon as he did he lost control of his lower body and almost fell flat on Kasumi's shoulders. Thankfully that didn't happen as Ranma managed to use his hands quickly to stop himself just barely hitting her shoulders. "Damn...what a time to have your legs going numb on you..." Ranma cursed inwardly.
Carefully pushing himself up and managing to stand on his feet he gingerly reached down to remove the compress and recheck Kasumi's temperature. Her forehead felt normal and this brought immense relief to Ranma's worried conscience. "If only she would open her eyes I would feel a lot better..." he wished to himself while closing his eyes. It was almost as if Kasumi had heard his wish and as her eyes slowly quivered opened she carefully reached out to touch the hand that was currently touching her forehead. "Kasumi...?" Ranma gasped almost silently as he felt her hand on his. "Ranma...is that you...what happened? All I remember was ... preparing dinner and then the rest is a blank..." she said softly. Kasumi's voice was a little shaking and hoarse. Kasumi tried to sit up but she fell straight down flopping onto her pillow from the pain that wrenched her head. This made Ranma jump up a little but he soon sat back down on the floor besides Kasumi's bed facing her.
"Well Kasumi...I guess it all started when I came back from the Dojo and found you unconscious lying on the kitchen floor. You're clothes were soaked through and you were having a high fever so ... I had to...." Ranma stopped in mid-sentence and looked down at his hands. "And..." Kasumi asked him to continue. "I carried you up to the changing room then I had to get you out of your wet clothes ... Kasumi please! Don't get the wrong idea! I changed myself into Ranma-chan before I did that and even then I had my eyes closed all the time. I swear on my mother's name...please believe me Kasumi! I didn't have any perverted intentions or thoughts of taking advantage of you. I will understand if you want me to leave ... you're probably disgusted with me right now... I think I'd better leave ..." Ranma blurted out. He got up off the floor and started walking.
Kasumi then did something that Ranma never expected ... she gently reached over to the boy who by now had his back turned to her already to leave. Ranma was expecting to get slapped or something by Kasumi so before she could he thought he'd just go. Instead of a slap he felt her soft hands tugging at his hand, he looked back. Kasumi then gently tugging the young pig-tailed back down and made him sit beside her on her bed. Ranma sat down but didn't dare to look Kasumi in the eye. "What's wrong with the boy? He's so afraid of me. If he didn't do anything wrong then why is he so jumpy?" she thought for the moment looking at him. "Ranma...Did you stay beside me all this time looking after me?" Kasumi titled Ranma's face up for her to see him clearer. Ranma didn't answer her but he didn't really need to as Kasumi could make out the redness of his eyes and the black bags under them even through the weak sunlight. "You did. Didn't you?" Kasumi asked him this time with a bit more vigor. Ranma could see it in her eyes and he replied to her by a nod of his head. The two of them just stayed in silence until a ferocious growl interrupted their calm.
"Oh my I forgot to make dinner for you ... didn't you eat dinner Ranma?" Kasumi asked him as she tried to get out of her bed. "Kasumi don't move...you just get better..." Ranma pleaded as he moved over to her to maybe cushion her fall if she did. This time Kasumi managed to move around a little more with no complications and was now sitting beside Ranma. "Ranma ... you didn't answer my question ..." Ranma simply stood up and smiled at Kasumi and was about to walk out when he answered "Nothing, but I want you to stay here and rest. I'll go down and make something okay ... for our breakfast and then you can take some medicine for the last time okay." Kasumi wanted to say something but stopped when she saw Ranma lifting his finger to his lips showing her that he insisted on her resting. Not wanting to fight him she slowly turned and rested her head again back on her pillow and heard Ranma slowly clicking her door shut. "Medicine?" Kasumi noted as she looked beside her on her beside table at the small bottle of pills and the glass of water. "Then, how ..." She thought.
Ranma stood in front of her room he felt better now, a lot better since the first time since he found her, he smiled a little to himself his exhaustion forgotten. In the kitchen Ranma was looking around the cupboard to see what he could make for breakfast. He managed to find some instant oatmeal and thought that it was the only thing that he could fix up in such a short time. So while waiting for the water to boil he looked around to see if he could at least add some flavor to the bland meal. The water kettle whistled to a boil and after managing to find a few pieces of sweet persevered apricots that he had chopped up. Ranma slowly mixed the hot water and oatmeal into a bowl and after adding in the chopped dried fruit as a topping he took it up to Kasumi along with a cup of milk.
"Kasumi ... I'm coming in ..." Ranma whispered as he slowly opened her room door. Kasumi gently sat back up again with a smile and patted to her side of her bed asking Ranma to sit down beside her again. Sitting down beside her Kasumi's nose gently twitched taking in the rather pleasant smell rising from Ranma's tray. "Kasumi it ain't much but at least its warm and you need to eat something before taking the cold medicine ..." Ranma was gently blowing on a small spoonful of hot oatmeal and offered it to Kasumi. "I can do this by myself Ranma ..." Kasumi pleaded as she took hold of the spoon. But Ranma reluctance of letting it go gave Kasumi no choice but to accept him feeding her so she lightly opened her mouth.
Smilingly Ranma gently fed Kasumi the first spoon of oatmeal which she swallowed delicately. Kasumi found the taste interesting as it wasn't too sweet but it contained a flavor that she recognized. "Dried apricots and fruit ..." she noted out loud. "Yeah ... I thought they might add a little flavor ... I hope you like it ...I ain't much of a cook like you Kasumi" "I like it Ranma and thanks for making me breakfast ..." smiled Kasumi. Ranma blushed at her words of approval of his breakfast. After a few more spoons Kasumi had something in her mind "Ranma, you said after breakfast I'll be taking my medication for the last time but I don't remember taking any medication before?" Her question stunned Ranma into stopping his blowing on her next spoon of oatmeal.
After a few more moments of silence Ranma lifted the oatmeal for Kasumi but this time she didn't open her mouth. "Ranma I want you to answer me ... please." she asked again this time her voice sounded a little more serious. Placing the spoon back into the bowl his two hands held the bowl while he fidgeted with it. "Well ... Kasumi ... you did take some medication while you were sleeping ... well it was the only way I knew of making your fever go down ... I didn't want to use my hands to force your mouth open or anything ... I ..." Ranma stopped and looked away embarrassed from Kasumi trying to hide his obvious flushed cheeks.
"You what Ranma?"
"I while in my girl form ... sorta ... used my lips to push down the pills and I also did the same with some water to help it down ... I'm so sorry." Ranma didn't even finish his sentence when he stood up off her bed. He didn't want to see Kasumi's face right now. After saying those words he found that it would be too painful to watch Kasumi's reaction. So as he was about to take his first silent step forward he heard her call to him. "Don't leave Ranma ... sit back down." Kasumi whispered. Ranma obliged and sat back down beside her but this time with his back facing her. "Ranma ... I want to speak to your face to face, and not to your back." She chided him. Slowly he turned to face her but his eyes did dare to look into hers, and stared down to his lap.
"Ranma ... you did nothing wrong. You did what you had to do to help me right? So I cannot possibly blame you for doing what you did. But I can thank you." Her words meant a lot to Ranma for it helped ease his mind, and his heart. He had already prepared himself for the many consequences that she might throw at him but this definitely wasn't one of them. Ranma was about to look up to Kasumi when his stomach once again broke the silence between them. Kasumi giggled and reached over to take the bowl he left on her table and switched roles. It was now her turn to offer Ranma a rather large spoonful of oatmeal which he gladly accepted. Ranma made short work of the remaining oatmeal and after handing Kasumi the cup of milk and solitary pill Ranma asked "Kasumi why were you soaking wet?" Kasumi stared at her hands for a while before she answered him. "I got caught in the rain on my way back from my afternoon shopping ... I was carrying a large bag of rice so I couldn't walk as fast as I normally would. After I came back I had to quickly take in the bed-sheets and rewashed them so they wouldn't stain and when I had finished it had left me little time to make dinner. I never changed out of my wet clothes so I guess it was sort of my fault for getting sick ..."
"You could have asked me to go along with you to carry the bag of rice Kasumi" said Ranma. "I tried to find you ..." Kasumi silently answered him. Right there and then those words rang inside his head like an echo 'I tried to find you'. "Of course she couldn't find you ... you weren't even home for the better half of the morning and afternoon you dolt!" an inner voice shouted at him. "I'm sorry Kasumi ... It was totally my fault that you got sick" said Ranma, his voice sounded heavy with regret. Ranma's apology was something new to Kasumi when she tried to remember when Ranma had really apologize to anyone she found he never did.
"Why are you apologizing to me Ranma?" Kasumi asked puzzlingly. "I should have been at home looking after you. Everyone expected me to take care of you and what did I do? I left you alone at home ... I even managed to get you sick ... for Kami's sake. I thought I would be bored staying beside you Kasumi. But I was wrong. When I'm with you all I feel is like that I am at peace. You don't bother me with anything not even asking me to help you with your chores. You don't ask much about me so we seldom talk unless if you asking me what I want to eat. I'm sorry Kasumi ... I didn't mean to abandon you all alone ..."
"Ranma ...You got it all wrong ...I didn't mean it like that ..." Kasumi tried to put her hand on his.
"No ... I didn't get it wrong ... Kasumi. I failed you but I won't fail you again ... I promise you Kasumi from now on, I am going to help you with all your chores, your afternoon shopping and anything else that I can help you out with ..." Ranma shouted. Looking down to his hand he saw Kasumi's on his and blushed. By Ranma's face Kasumi knew that he was serious about this. "Ranma ... that's not necessary ... I can manage by my own ... really and how can you help me with my afternoon shopping when you have class." Kasumi reminded him.
"Yes I can ... I'll show you ... what time you normally go for your afternoon shopping?"
"Around noon everyday." she answered.
"I'll meet you in front of the house by 12.00pm. I'd help you during my lunch break." He said to her.
"Bu t..."
"No buts ... Kasumi ... I'm serious about this ... if you don't let me do this I'd guarantee that I would feel guilty about this till the day I die ... so please Kasumi let me do this for you ..." Ranma stared deep into Kasumi eyes as he begged her to agree.
"All right ... Ranma ... I'd allow you to help me." Kasumi reluctantly replied "On one condition ... that when I say that you've help me enough you'll stop."
"I agree but you cannot ask me to stop until I agree with you that I have done enough to rid me of my guilt."
"Done ..." Kasumi answered. But she blinked twice as she realized that Ranma just threw back at her the same condition she had earlier used.
"Ranma ... that was unfair ... how could you take advantage of a sick girl?" insisted a rather pouting Kasumi.
"Kasumi I know that I twisted our agreement a little but I just don't want you to say to me after a day of helping you out that you call the whole thing off. I want to really do enough so you can really say I've done enough okay?"
Kasumi listened to Ranma's albeit a little endless in its loopy logic but she smiled and nodded her head. Ranma had began to pick up the bowl, cups and basin around the room and began to walk out of the door he stopped short "Kasumi I want you to rest today I'd do the rest of your chores okay. If you don't think I can do a good job I'd carry you down myself to look at the drying laundry, the clean kitchen and maybe a little lunch how's that sound ..." he said to her smilingly. Kasumi did indeed feel a little tired after their little talk and she yawned. "Oh my ..." Ranma simply smiled back at her and Kasumi gently laid her head back on her pillow and closed her eyes. "Ranma kissed me?" she thought to herself while her fingertips ran over her lips. The thought brought a smile to her face but inwardly she knew that it was wrong.
There are things about Ranma that he'd never show to people ever and those were his excellent house keeping skills. True he didn't need them but after being on the road for so long he sort of picked up the habit of cleaning after himself. He would when he was little on all those long training trips his dad would drag him Ranma would wash his own clothes, dry them and neatly fold them all away. This little habit do his was done far away from his father's view of course. The old poophead would consider it unmanly. Ranma would also keep his side of the tent very neat and pristine while his father's side would always be in a mess. Ranma had actually managed to do most of last night's laundry which only consisted of a few of his clothes and Kasumi's in little time. While he was drying them out in the garden Ranma couldn't help but feel a little flushed when he hung out to dry Kasumi's intimates on the pole. "Thank The kami Happi's not here" He thought.
Ranma gently pushed opened Kasumi's door with intent to ask her if she preferred anything for lunch but seeing her still sound asleep he decided that he'd skip lunch so that he could take in some practice. "Ranma ... Ranma ... Ranma ... what were you thinking of when you saw Kasumi just now sleeping soundly?" asked a voice inside of his head.
"Nothing I just thought she looked cute..."
"Ha...you admit it then...Kasumi's cute, even ... pretty right!"
"Yeah she's pretty, and if anyone says otherwise I'd break every bone he has!" he shouted at the voice.
"Rather protective of Kasumi now after that little fever thing eh?" smirked the voice.
"What's it to ya, Bub?" Ranma asked, his voice laden with antagonism.
"Nothing ... you just admitted to yourself that Kasumi's cute and pretty. You'd never given a compliment like that to any girl before. Be it Akane, Shampoo Ukyou or Kodachi. But you said without any hesitation that Kasumi's pretty. Here's a piece of advice ... listen to what your gut has to say once in a while ... will ya. Bye"
Ranma's eyes shot open as he had managed to fall asleep while he was meditating after his practice. Ranma still felt sleepy from last's night vigil over Kasumi but he scolded himself for falling asleep anyway. Choosing to ignore the voice Ranma slowly walked back into the house and prepared himself a nice bath before checking back on Kasumi to see how she was doing. "Did I really find Kasumi pretty?" Ranma whispered to himself as he laid nose deep inside the furo. The voice had asked him to listen to his gut once in a while and right now his gut was telling him to check on Kasumi.
Ranma slid the door as quietly as he could and silently crept into Kasumi's room. "She's still asleep ... but to be safe ..." Ranma gently placed his hands on Kasumi's cheeks to check for any signs of the fever. She felt normal to the touch and with that Ranma pulled her blanket up a little bit to her shoulders and left. Ranma didn't turn around to see Kasumi one last time but luckily he didn't for if he had, he would have seen the little smile that formed on Kasumi's lips when he had started to walk away from her bedside.
Kasumi still felt weak and a little tired from her ordeal but she couldn't resist to just stay in bed and let someone else do the things for her and not to mention indulge herself to some tender loving care. Kasumi felt she was always the one to give the care, the loving and the tenderness to those who need it but did anyone return the favor? Well sadly until now, no one even came close. True, Ranma felt guilty about her getting sick and thus resulted in his eagerness to help Kasumi but she didn't want to acknowledge that fact. All she knew was that someone was worried for her and was constantly checking up on her. And deep inside her heart it felt good but it also felt a bad ... bad being that she knew that it would soon all disappear with her family's return from their holidays or forced training. She would be just left with Ranma helping her do her chores. "I'd just think back on this as a sweet cherished memory ..." Kasumi was trying hard not to enjoy herself to much but she couldn't ignore the warm fuzzy feeling her felt all of a sudden.
"How am I going to do this?" thought Ranma. There he stood in front of the fridge looking at what was available for him. He of course had to prepare dinner since Kasumi was resting in her room. "What can I make that won't make my cooking look as bad as Akane's and wouldn't send Kasumi back into a state of unconsciousness or worse." He sighed scratching the back of his head. Ranma to his credit could cook a little but that was only for him and his father in the woods and when hungry enough they would eat anything no matter the taste. This though was a totally different situation as he was cooking for Kasumi, the perfect cook and probably the most delicate of pallet of all Soun's daughters. He knew that he had to go through with it so breathing in a long breath of air he began to make dinner. Ranma figured that if he kept it simple then it wouldn't be that hard and he would have half a chance of making it at least edible. By the time Ranma had finished with 'his' dinner he step back a bit and gave a loud groan "I hope it taste as good as it looks."
Looking out at the garden while cleaning the kitchen mess, Ranma noticed that it was already early late evening and the sun was soon going to set. Stepping out into the soft breeze with an empty basket in hand Ranma carried on finishing the laundry ...taking in the now dried clothes. Returning the basket up to the laundry room Ranma stopped in front of Kasumi's room and gathered himself for a bit. *Knock ... Knock* "Kasumi are you awake? Dinners ready ..." he called to her from behind her door. "Come in ..." came the girl's reply. "Did I wake you ...?" he asked as he slowly inched into her room. Kasumi's slow nod sideways and her smile allowed him to exhale the breath he didn't dare let out. "Dinners ready ... Kasu ... whoa ...let me help you ..." Ranma didn't expect Kasumi to just get out of bed and start walking but there she was walking towards him albeit a little gingerly and slowly. "I'm okay Ranma ... I've been in bed long enough ... I need to stretch my legs anyway ..." Kasumi thought at that time that those were the right words to say to Ranma to ease his worries. At least that's what she had hoped, her feet were obeying her and slowly she walked by her own but as soon as she had walked to Ranma her feet gave out and she started to fall sideways ...
A pair of strong arms soon caught hold of her falling body, one over her waist and the other over her back. She found herself staring up again at his deep blue-gray eyes ... they were beginning to haunt her memories. The eyes of Ranma were drawing her in slowly and clearly until all she could see in them her own reflection looking back. "Kasumi ... you okay? I think I better help you down ..." Kasumi didn't even have a chance to reject Ranma's offer as she found herself resting on his arms. Ranma carried her slowly down the stairs so carefully even to avoid all the objects that her head might bump into. "Ranma ... if I'm heavy or you're tired you can put me down I can walk by myself ..." Kasumi said hesitantly. Ranma stopped halfway going down the stairs and looked down at her. His face was expressionless at first but he soon produced a smile that Kasumi swore she had never seen the boy smile before. It was one of Ranma's rare grins and in this case it was his mischievous one. Even before Kasumi could register it Ranma took one giant leap and jumped over the side of the stairs. He produced such a perfect landing that even Kasumi was surprised that she didn't feel them land. "Kasumi I could carry you all the way to China if you wanted me to ... hehe" Kasumi giggled when she heard Ranma say that but later hid her face in his silk shirt as she started to blush.
Ranma was glad that Kasumi wasn't looking up at that time as he was himself blushing red in the cheeks as he understood what he had just said to her. Settling Kasumi down on her usual cushion they prepared to have dinner. Kasumi was rather surprised at what Ranma had made for dinner. It was simple but it was a dinner that someone had made especially for her and again that was a first for her. This would be the first time she had a dinner that she didn't make for herself. "We better eat before it gets cold eh...?" said Ranma as he handed her a bowl of rice which she accepted with a faint smile. "Kasumi ... it may not taste that good but if you find it hard to eat, I'll go out and buy something for you okay ..." His comment made Kasumi stare straight at the boy ...
"Have some faith in yourself Ranma..." Kasumi took a bite of the rice and well it was a little softer then usual but edible. She took a little of the steam fish and tasted it. "Fish steamed with ginger ..." Kasumi thought even though the taste of the ginger was a little weak but she didn't mind. Then another bite of rice then the last dish...grated radish. At least she knew that was what he wanted it to be. Ranma being a little behind on time had used Chestnut-fist speed to grate the radish but instead he managed to instead of grating it he had almost puréed the radish. Kasumi noted each mistake that she herself knew how to avoid but since it was Ranma she forgave him easily. Kasumi smiled a little and was about to say something when she stopped when she looked at him. Ranma was just sitting there he hadn't touched his food but just staring at Kasumi rather anxiously almost like waiting for an answer from her.
"Ranma...it's a fine dinner but I wouldn't like eating it alone..." Ranma smiled when he heard Kasumi saying those words and started to eat together with Kasumi. After they had finished Kasumi started to get up to bring the empty dishes to the kitchen but she was stopped by Ranma's rather strong cough. "Kasumi ... I started dinner so I'd be the one to finish it" he smiled as he picked up the dinner plates and walked into the kitchen. He soon reappeared again with a cup of tea "I'll show you what I'd done around the place since morning after I'm done with the dishes ..." he smiled at her as he placed the cup on the table. Kasumi took the cup and lightly blew on the hot tea and took a gentle sip hoping that Ranma could end the day on a high note. She also hoped that Ranma was a delicate washer of her plates unlike Akane. After a long pause and one finished cup of tea Ranma came out "All done...so time to show you around ..." Ranma held his hand out to help Kasumi up and with a light but firm grasp he tenderly pulled her up and somehow they both ended up walking together with Ranma taking the lead. Kasumi's hand was absentmindedly nicely tucked into Ranma's as he led them first to the kitchen. The kitchen was in near perfect order as far as Kasumi felt she couldn't have done a better job Ranma noted her smile and moved on.
Walking outside now to garden with the cool evening breeze rusting by Kasumi's hair she noticed that the leaves that she had wanted to rake were done and neatly deposited in a far corner inside disposable garbage bags. The two walked around the house silently and Kasumi began to wonder how did Ranma ever managed to do all the chores in one day. She didn't mind though as she thought Ranma had done an excellent job so far. "One final thing to see before I escort you back to your room." Ranma said looking at her, he now felt rather good with himself as Kasumi hadn't say anything negative about his handiwork. Walking inside to the changing room Ranma showed her the laundry. Inside hung nicely on hangers were her dress and beside it her bed sheets from the day before.
Kasumi walked to her dress and was surprised to see it nicely washed and dried all it needed was a nice iron and it was perfect. Kasumi took the fabric of her dress into her hand and delicately smelled it. It smelled of her favorite detergent not to strong but just right. Then Kasumi caught something out of the corner of her eye, hung on another hanger behind her dress was her underwear. "Ranma ... you washed everything?" she asked him rather embarrassingly. "Yeah Kasumi I had to wash all your wet clothes and mine also ..." Ranma replied her not really noticing what was wrong with it.
Back in Kasumi's room with Kasumi snuggly resting on her bed the two remained silent. "Ranma ... what are you doing?" Her words came as she saw Ranma taking her clock and pressed the off button for the alarm. "You shall be resting tomorrow ... it's going to be your last day of rest before the others come back ... anyway good night Kasumi ..." Ranma's voice was trailing as he had already placed the clock back and was walking halfway out of her room when...
"Ranma ..." she called him
"Yeah ... Kasumi?"
"If you don't mind could you please keep me company for a while? I've already slept the whole day and I don't really feel tired right now but if you feel sleepy I won't ask you ..."
"Sure ... I don't mind staying with you Kasumi" smiled Ranma. He slowly walked back over to her bed and sat down on the floor leaning on her bed as he rested his head on her mattress. Looking at him Kasumi began to feel something stirring inside of her. Kasumi noticed for the first time how Ranma had grown since he first came into her family's life that faithful day almost a year and a half ago. She noticed how he grew taller, how his face had somewhat become older and how his blue eyes were growing more and more deeper.
"Ranma ... did you ever regret coming here?" Kasumi asked breaking the easy silence in her room.
"What made you ask that question Kasumi?" he replied looking at up her.
"Well ... from the first day you came here you've been basically faced with every kind of problem that I could think of. You are always fighting with other people you've been tricked by not only Shampoo, but also Nabiki. Also not to say the least you've gotten more bruises from Akane than from any of your other fights. I can't help but think sometimes Ranma maybe you would be happier if you'd never met us?"
Ranma blinked at Kasumi for a while, he had never heard once of Kasumi asking him how he felt about his life so far let the least anyone else asking him such a complex question before. "I'm sorry Ranma ... If you don't want to talk about it ..." Kasumi stopped her eyes locked onto her hands.
"I have no regrets ... Kasumi. I never once regretted coming here I never have. I guess I was sort of happy that I could have a roof over my head for a while. But after hearing the reason why Pops brought me here I really haven't thought of leaving. What kept me here was probably me wanting to have someplace to call a home at least that out weighed the problems of having a fiancée. Not having to sleep in a tent in the middle of nowhere sort of felt nice anyway ... Actually Kasumi I always wondered why you never kicked me and Pops out. We've somehow or another have managed to destroy most of your stuff, broke down almost all the walls of the dojo and brought more mayhem into this place then it ever had ... why have you never said a single word"
Kasumi was rather taken back at Ranma's blunt confession and his question to her after that. She wasn't really prepared for this but she thought being honest was the best policy. "How could I kick you and Uncle Genma out? You're not only my sister's fiancé you're my father's best friend so that makes you a family guest. You've always managed to repay the damages you've done by allowing Nabiki to get away with those pictures she sells at school."
Ranma merely smiled "I guess so ... but I'm glad I came ... I would never have met you if I didn't ..."
Kasumi's cheeks went a scarlet hue when she heard Ranma's remark. "I'm glad you came here too ...life was just getting too dull for me ... you brought some excitement into my life ... Ranma." Kasumi didn't know why she said that but she did, she just hoped Ranma didn't take it the wrong way. Looking down at him she needn't worry about his reaction as Ranma now with his eyes closed laid asleep sitting by her bed. She took her robe from her bedside and gently draped it over the boy and switched off the lights but not before setting her alarm.
So that night, in the dark with Ranma gently sound asleep next to her, Kasumi had in just a few minutes of conversation, learnt more about Ranma in the last few minutes then in the last one and a half years. She always thought that he was young, well he'll only turned 18 a while ago, and his still considered to be a boy but he had just now sounded to Kasumi like a man in his late 30's. "Funny how his life has forced him to grow up so fast ..." she sighed before closing her eyes to drift into her own slumber.
The End
I hoped you like it. Please wait for next installment. H.A
P.S This is an updated version as dogbertcarroll pointed out my error...thanks.
By
Himura Alucard
Chapter 1
It was just going to be another normal weekend, or so Ranma thought when he noticed on the kitchen calendar that tomorrow was a Friday. "What?!" he exclaimed when he heard the news being told to him. The cause for his outburst during dinner...was that except for him and Kasumi, everyone would be leaving the Dojo early the next morning and won't be returning until late Sunday evening.
First, old master Happosai had proclaimed that he was going to take his two worthless disciples on a training trip to the coast, but the old lecher just really wanted to get to the beach to ogle at the numerous young female sun worshipers and their luscious Bikini's. Secondly, Nabiki had already enrolled herself into a 'how to get rich' seminar over in Tokyo for the weekend while Akane she had been invited to stay over the weekend at her classmates summer home.
"So that means 3 days without that uncute tomboy Akane, no pops to mess with me, no old pervert to harass me and no Nabiki to extort money from me...sounds like a good weekend to me." Ranma smiled a little when he came to that conclusion but his face dropped a little when he came to realize that he would be left alone with Kasumi. The truth was ... he didn't mind being left alone with Kasumi. It's just that he was too comfortable being together with her as in they don't talk much and don't get in each other business unless needed.
Ranma was more worried about getting bored over the weekend, so he sulked up the stairs and entered his room. Ranma watched his father crying as he packed up his bag for his 'trip'. Later that night Ranma couldn't get any sleep as his mind kept on trying to think of something that would keep him preoccupied, his idea of being busy meant not having to deal with his other fiancées or rivals. He had enough of them already during the weekdays. "Uh...what am I going to do with the time...train? I do that everyday. And I don't like to go wandering around town unless I have something to do there also...Ah!!! Hopeless I'd just wing it and see what comes up I guess..." with that last mental sigh he forced himself to sleep.
As the sun began to rise the whole family gathered around the main gate to say their farewells some willingly while others were a little hesitant to leave. "Ranma please take care of my daughter while I am away..." echoed Soun's trailing voice. His head bowed low mirroring his best friend's Genma stooped posture as the two grown men side by side were slowly dragged by their gi collars by the diminutive figure of Happosai down the road. "Well Ranma...don't destroy the house while I'm gone okay. I don't want to learn how to make a fortune and then waste it on repairs..." winked Nabiki as she got into her waiting cab. This meant leaving only Akane to say her own unique kind of farewell to her fiancée.
"Ranma...you better don't do anything perverted to my sister because if you do and I find out about it you shall pay dearly...you understand?!" she said to the half awake boy. Akane's farewell to Ranma sounded more like a death treat to anyone else but Ranma didn't seem to mind. After all being half asleep all he managed to do was to nod his head and wave weakly and moan "Uh...yeah...good riddance...uncute gorilla butt" Akane heard the last part of his 'farewell' and once again out of thin air her always handy mallet-sama came a crashing down on his head leaving him smashed three feet into the ground amidst a dust cloud.
"Kasumi...if he tries to do anything..." Akane was about to go on about warning how big a pervert she thought of Ranma but her oldest sister simply smiled at her. "Akane...I trust Ranma wouldn't do anything of the sort." Came her simple reply. Akane simply shrugged her shoulders and sneered at his embedded fiance' as she walked down the same road the rest of her family taken earlier, she couldn't understand how could Kasumi put her trust in that pervert.
"Ranma are you okay?" asked Kasumi as she gracefully knelt down by the pile of boy that was embedded into the concrete pathway she knew as Ranma. "Zzzzzzz..." Ranma gently snored back at her. "The boy could sleep anywhere I guess" she sighed with a smile to herself. Kasumi gently dragged the boy to somewhere where he would at least be more comfortable sleeping on, but she had to settle on the front porch as she soon ran out of strength. She thoughtfully brought and placed a small pillow under his head and left him to continue his slumber while she went on with her usual morning chores. It was late morning when Ranma finally decided to open his eyes, an action he would regret later. As soon as his eyelids cracked opened he was boorishly blinded by the bright sun's morning rays.
"Ouch...! Wait a minute why am I sleeping on the porch." He asked himself. The small bump he felt on his head brought back the memories "Oh...I got hammered by that uncute tomboy...again"
"I hope there's still some breakfast left for me...Kasumi always keeps my share if I'd miss it..." Ranma smiled at the thought of Kasumi's breakfast.
Entering the kitchen which was empty Ranma straight away went to check the kitchen cabinets, fridge and sure enough neatly wrap inside a cupboard was his breakfast albeit a little cold. Ranma didn't wait long as with his chopsticks magically appearing in hand devoured it in a flash. Feeling his satisfied tummy he gleefully went back out to the garden. He looked around and he already felt bored. Leaping over the stone wall Ranma decided to see if there was anything worth doing around town.
"The house is quiet with everyone gone ... sometimes I wish we didn't have such a big house." Kasumi thought to herself as she walked into the kitchen carrying the now empty laundry basket. Seeing the empty bowls that Ranma had thoughtfully washed for her in the sink she knew that the boy was now up and about. Looking around the house Kasumi was trying to find Ranma to ask if he would mind accompanying her to the market to help her carry a sack of rice that she had needed to get. But after failing to find the pig- tailed boy she decided that she would manage somehow.
Meanwhile, Ranma had practically walked all the way around Nerima and was getting even more bored to death by the second. He had found nothing worth his attention and he had also intentionally chosen paths that would not lead him to areas of 'high intensity' namely the Cat-Café, Ucchan's and the Kuno Mansion. Looking up as if there was nothing else better to do Ranma noticed a few black clouds had started to gather around the once clear blue sky. "Looks like it might rain...I better get back home fast. I don't feel like walking around town soaked and in my girl form."
With that Ranma took a mighty leap and started to roof hop back to the Dojo. Kasumi also noticed the dark clouds gathering above her but being weight down by the rather heavy bag of rice she wasn't able make much ground then she normally would in case of rain. "Please don't rain until I reach home...I've hung my favorite bed-sheets out to dry today..." Kasumi whispered those words to the heavens. It was almost like her prayer to the Kami's high above her. But on this day the Kami's would not obey her as within five minutes the heavens opened up above her and poured forth rain.
"Ah...made it in time..." heaved Ranma as he made his way into the living room before the rain which was now beating heavily down outside of him had caught him. "Nothing better to do again but since I missed morning practice might well put in some extra hours practicing." Ranma looked outside at the rain and laughed a little before heading off to the Dojo.
Kasumi now heavily soaked through and a little crossed with herself for not bringing an umbrella with her managed put down most of the half soaked afternoon groceries on the kitchen counter. "Oh my...the bed sheets..." she gasped and quickly ran to the garden to quickly bring in the rain soaked laundry. Kasumi was always the one to think of the bright side of things and but today she felt that her day couldn't get any worst but seeing her once pristine clean sheets rained through, she herself having been soaked in the same rain and adding to her worries she was now off her normal schedule. Kasumi felt that today ranked pretty much as being a bad day for her. After only managing to half dry her hair she had began to rewash back the bed-sheets to avoid them staining and that took her almost an hour. She didn't believe in machine washing the delicate fibers she rather did them by hand. Once she had them drying in the laundry room she rushed down to the kitchen to prepare dinner for herself and Ranma.
Kasumi had begun as always to boil the water and take out the main ingredients needed to make their dinner but she oddly felt slightly off. Her head felt a little light and she was feeling unusually warm and if Kasumi had taken the time to notice she was actually breaking into a cold sweat. But being true to her duties Kasumi continued on with her cooking totally ignoring the changes her own body felt. Kasumi didn't know what hit her afterwards as she suddenly felt weak at the knees and faint. Looking down at her hands she noticed her vision began to blur and bit by bit she slowly sank downwards to the floor. She had tried to lean on the kitchen counter to get her balance back but she only managed to cushion her fall. By then Kasumi had slowly slumped to the floor and fainted, her body, limp leaning back against the counter.
While all this was going on Ranma unknowingly continued on with his Kata routines in the nearby dojo unaware of what just happen. Beads of sweat poured down Ranma's face as he finally stopped to get his breathe back. "That's enough for now ... I wonder what Kasumi's doing? I haven't seen her for almost the whole day." Ranma thought to himself as he made his way out of the Dojo and into the kitchen via the wooden walkway.
The once heavy rain had stopped falling leaving behind pools of water on the grass surface. On opening the kitchen door Ranma could see the pots boiling on the stove and the various ingredients on the kitchen counter that were left untouched. "Strange...Kasumi wouldn't leave the kitchen looking like this..." Ranma looked around carefully while slowly entering the room ready to react if someone or something had gotten hold of Kasumi. That thought made him worry with fear for all the various reasons. One he hadn't seen her since morning and second he was supposed to be the one protecting her while the rest of the family was away and all he managed to do was to leave her alone by herself...defenseless.
Ranma carefully walked over to the kitchen counter still weary for any signs of movement when all of a sudden his right leg brushed against something. Ranma's eyes looked down "No...sweet Kami please no..." he gasped as he dropped to the floor and stared at the still figure of Kasumi. "Kasumi!!!...are you okay?" Ranma shouted as he gathered her up and shook her shoulders. Kasumi didn't reply him, all her motionless body managed to do was only to fall limp into his arms. "Her clothes are soaking wet...and her hands feel so cold..." Ranma noticed this as he began to examine Kasumi. He placed a hand on her forehead and it was burning "Oh Kami she has a fever..."
Ranma knew hadn't any time to waste but before doing anything he wisely turned off all the stoves before gently lifting Kasumi up. He draped one arm over her waist while the other around her knees, her head gently rested on his shoulders as he lifted her up. His clothes gradually began to get soaked as her body leaned on him and her full weight began to ring out the rainwater onto his own now damp body. Quickly but gently Ranma swiftly climbed the stairs and went into the changing room. Ranma had to get Kasumi out of her wet clothes somehow and into dry ones quickly. Only one thing stopped him and that was that he would face dire consequences if anyone knew that he had changed her clothes for her. "Only one way to do it then..." he thought. So gently depositing Kasumi on a laid out towel on the floor he went into the bathroom and filled up a bucket with cold water and *Splash* out came Ranma-chan.
Ranma had felt that being Ranma-chan would at least lessen the shock of telling Kasumi later that he had help change her wet clothes. So ever so gently removing her wet dress and her underwear that cling onto her body Ranma-chan managed to change Kasumi into a dry bathrobe. Quite a feat considering Ranma-chan had her eyes closed all the while doing it and Kasumi was a bit larger than her girl form. Once decent Ranma-chan lifted the still unconscious Kasumi back up into her arms and walked into Kasumi's room.
Carefully she rested Kasumi on her bed and pulled her blanket over her. Kasumi was now slightly shivering and her face looked pale. "She's burning up..." Ranma-chan thought aloud to herself when she had touched Kasumi's forehead again. Ranma-chan quickly left the room to get the things that she needed to ease Kasumi's fever. She soon returned to Kasumi's room along with a hand towel soaked in a small basin of cold water, a small bottle of medicine and a glass of water all delicately balance in her hands. "Guess all the time spent waiting tables in the Cat-café paid off."
Ranma-chan sat beside Kasumi's bedside and gently took the cold hand towel, rung it out a little before folding it and placed it on Kasumi's forehead. She then took 2 pills from the bottle having intending to give it to Kasumi to help lessen her fever. "Wait...she's unconscious. How am I going to give these to her?" she looked down at the pills in her hand and stared at Kasumi, her eyes concentrating on her lips. Kasumi wasn't going to just open her mouth for Ranma-chan to allow her to give her the pills now so Ranma-chan thought hard.
Ranma-chan didn't feel that it was right to force Kasumi's mouth open with her hands and all the other ways she could think up of didn't work ether. "I guess there's no other way..." she whispered to herself. Ranma-chan gently placed the pills on the tip of her tongue and gradually lowered her face to Kasumi's. Ranma-chan's lips slowly touched Kasumi's and gently she pushed the pills into Kasumi's mouth. Ranma-chan a blushed deeply to go along with her racing heart then took a drink of the warm water and repeated the process. She sighed in relief when she saw Kasumi instinctively swallowing the water and the pills. Having done her job Ranma- chan tenderly slid off of Kasumi's bed and drew the curtains to hide the now setting sun outside. She then went back to re-rinse the cold compress one more time and replaced it on her head and carefully tucked the girl in before quietly leaving the room.
Ranma turned back to his male form and began cleaning the kitchen. He returned the uncut and unused ingredients that were intended for dinner that night back to their rightful places. "I wonder how did Kasumi got so soaking wet" Ranma asked himself. Ranma felt slightly guilty somewhat for leaving Kasumi alone since that morning and after finding her in her current state his guilt ran even deeper. It was high enough to even override his hunger that was by now reaching its limits as well. After the kitchen was sufficiently cleaned Ranma went back upstairs to the bathroom to take Kasumi's wet clothes and place them in the laundry basket. Looking up he noticed above him the hanging bed sheets.
"Hey...I remember seeing those hanging out by the garden before I left..." He finally realized what had happened as he quietly made it way back into Kasumi's room to check on her condition. She was still asleep when he changed her cold compress again. "Kasumi sure looks awfully pretty when she's sleeping..." he silently thought, Ranma slowly studied the subtly soft and intricate appearance of the eldest Tendo daughter's face. Her cheeks were a rosy red from the fever and her lips slightly off color but to Ranma who had never once dared to get this close to any female before couldn't help but stare at her thoughtfully.
In a mix of feelings, guilt foremost of all, Ranma also felt a little embarrassed for in truth Kasumi would be or was the first girl he or at that time 'she' had ever kissed in his whole teenage life. Well it wasn't a kiss as in a real kiss but his lips had never touched anyone else's until today. The blush that had left his cheeks since he left her room came back again in full force. "No...for goodness sakes...Ranma, you see her as an older sister or even a mother...!" Ranma shook his head side to side hopefully to shake those rather private thoughts of Kasumi from his head. Ranma didn't notice how late the time was but the whole house was dark now but he felt comforted by the fact that Kasumi's fever had began to die down after changing her compress for the ninth time that day.
Ranma had gone down to lock the main doors and made sure the house and Dojo were secured. He made his way back up to her room and resting on his shins, Ranma stood watch over the still sleeping Kasumi, her shivering had stopped and her breathing was now regular but her closed eyes still worried him. In the dark room under the moonlight that crept in on him he had wished so much to see Kasumi's grey eyes. Ranma had faithfully watched over Kasumi, changing her compress hourly and checking her temperature by feeling her head with his hand. He did that until in his own sluggishness and hunger, he fell asleep by her bed, his head resting a few inches from hers.
*Ringgggggggggg* came the loud noise that shot Ranma out of his slumber. Homing in on the source of it, he reached out his hands to quiet Kasumi's alarm clock that was set and reading 5am. "How long have I been sleeping?" he asked himself as he stretched out noticing the first few rays of the morning sun coming in. He was about to stand to check on Kasumi but as soon as he did he lost control of his lower body and almost fell flat on Kasumi's shoulders. Thankfully that didn't happen as Ranma managed to use his hands quickly to stop himself just barely hitting her shoulders. "Damn...what a time to have your legs going numb on you..." Ranma cursed inwardly.
Carefully pushing himself up and managing to stand on his feet he gingerly reached down to remove the compress and recheck Kasumi's temperature. Her forehead felt normal and this brought immense relief to Ranma's worried conscience. "If only she would open her eyes I would feel a lot better..." he wished to himself while closing his eyes. It was almost as if Kasumi had heard his wish and as her eyes slowly quivered opened she carefully reached out to touch the hand that was currently touching her forehead. "Kasumi...?" Ranma gasped almost silently as he felt her hand on his. "Ranma...is that you...what happened? All I remember was ... preparing dinner and then the rest is a blank..." she said softly. Kasumi's voice was a little shaking and hoarse. Kasumi tried to sit up but she fell straight down flopping onto her pillow from the pain that wrenched her head. This made Ranma jump up a little but he soon sat back down on the floor besides Kasumi's bed facing her.
"Well Kasumi...I guess it all started when I came back from the Dojo and found you unconscious lying on the kitchen floor. You're clothes were soaked through and you were having a high fever so ... I had to...." Ranma stopped in mid-sentence and looked down at his hands. "And..." Kasumi asked him to continue. "I carried you up to the changing room then I had to get you out of your wet clothes ... Kasumi please! Don't get the wrong idea! I changed myself into Ranma-chan before I did that and even then I had my eyes closed all the time. I swear on my mother's name...please believe me Kasumi! I didn't have any perverted intentions or thoughts of taking advantage of you. I will understand if you want me to leave ... you're probably disgusted with me right now... I think I'd better leave ..." Ranma blurted out. He got up off the floor and started walking.
Kasumi then did something that Ranma never expected ... she gently reached over to the boy who by now had his back turned to her already to leave. Ranma was expecting to get slapped or something by Kasumi so before she could he thought he'd just go. Instead of a slap he felt her soft hands tugging at his hand, he looked back. Kasumi then gently tugging the young pig-tailed back down and made him sit beside her on her bed. Ranma sat down but didn't dare to look Kasumi in the eye. "What's wrong with the boy? He's so afraid of me. If he didn't do anything wrong then why is he so jumpy?" she thought for the moment looking at him. "Ranma...Did you stay beside me all this time looking after me?" Kasumi titled Ranma's face up for her to see him clearer. Ranma didn't answer her but he didn't really need to as Kasumi could make out the redness of his eyes and the black bags under them even through the weak sunlight. "You did. Didn't you?" Kasumi asked him this time with a bit more vigor. Ranma could see it in her eyes and he replied to her by a nod of his head. The two of them just stayed in silence until a ferocious growl interrupted their calm.
"Oh my I forgot to make dinner for you ... didn't you eat dinner Ranma?" Kasumi asked him as she tried to get out of her bed. "Kasumi don't move...you just get better..." Ranma pleaded as he moved over to her to maybe cushion her fall if she did. This time Kasumi managed to move around a little more with no complications and was now sitting beside Ranma. "Ranma ... you didn't answer my question ..." Ranma simply stood up and smiled at Kasumi and was about to walk out when he answered "Nothing, but I want you to stay here and rest. I'll go down and make something okay ... for our breakfast and then you can take some medicine for the last time okay." Kasumi wanted to say something but stopped when she saw Ranma lifting his finger to his lips showing her that he insisted on her resting. Not wanting to fight him she slowly turned and rested her head again back on her pillow and heard Ranma slowly clicking her door shut. "Medicine?" Kasumi noted as she looked beside her on her beside table at the small bottle of pills and the glass of water. "Then, how ..." She thought.
Ranma stood in front of her room he felt better now, a lot better since the first time since he found her, he smiled a little to himself his exhaustion forgotten. In the kitchen Ranma was looking around the cupboard to see what he could make for breakfast. He managed to find some instant oatmeal and thought that it was the only thing that he could fix up in such a short time. So while waiting for the water to boil he looked around to see if he could at least add some flavor to the bland meal. The water kettle whistled to a boil and after managing to find a few pieces of sweet persevered apricots that he had chopped up. Ranma slowly mixed the hot water and oatmeal into a bowl and after adding in the chopped dried fruit as a topping he took it up to Kasumi along with a cup of milk.
"Kasumi ... I'm coming in ..." Ranma whispered as he slowly opened her room door. Kasumi gently sat back up again with a smile and patted to her side of her bed asking Ranma to sit down beside her again. Sitting down beside her Kasumi's nose gently twitched taking in the rather pleasant smell rising from Ranma's tray. "Kasumi it ain't much but at least its warm and you need to eat something before taking the cold medicine ..." Ranma was gently blowing on a small spoonful of hot oatmeal and offered it to Kasumi. "I can do this by myself Ranma ..." Kasumi pleaded as she took hold of the spoon. But Ranma reluctance of letting it go gave Kasumi no choice but to accept him feeding her so she lightly opened her mouth.
Smilingly Ranma gently fed Kasumi the first spoon of oatmeal which she swallowed delicately. Kasumi found the taste interesting as it wasn't too sweet but it contained a flavor that she recognized. "Dried apricots and fruit ..." she noted out loud. "Yeah ... I thought they might add a little flavor ... I hope you like it ...I ain't much of a cook like you Kasumi" "I like it Ranma and thanks for making me breakfast ..." smiled Kasumi. Ranma blushed at her words of approval of his breakfast. After a few more spoons Kasumi had something in her mind "Ranma, you said after breakfast I'll be taking my medication for the last time but I don't remember taking any medication before?" Her question stunned Ranma into stopping his blowing on her next spoon of oatmeal.
After a few more moments of silence Ranma lifted the oatmeal for Kasumi but this time she didn't open her mouth. "Ranma I want you to answer me ... please." she asked again this time her voice sounded a little more serious. Placing the spoon back into the bowl his two hands held the bowl while he fidgeted with it. "Well ... Kasumi ... you did take some medication while you were sleeping ... well it was the only way I knew of making your fever go down ... I didn't want to use my hands to force your mouth open or anything ... I ..." Ranma stopped and looked away embarrassed from Kasumi trying to hide his obvious flushed cheeks.
"You what Ranma?"
"I while in my girl form ... sorta ... used my lips to push down the pills and I also did the same with some water to help it down ... I'm so sorry." Ranma didn't even finish his sentence when he stood up off her bed. He didn't want to see Kasumi's face right now. After saying those words he found that it would be too painful to watch Kasumi's reaction. So as he was about to take his first silent step forward he heard her call to him. "Don't leave Ranma ... sit back down." Kasumi whispered. Ranma obliged and sat back down beside her but this time with his back facing her. "Ranma ... I want to speak to your face to face, and not to your back." She chided him. Slowly he turned to face her but his eyes did dare to look into hers, and stared down to his lap.
"Ranma ... you did nothing wrong. You did what you had to do to help me right? So I cannot possibly blame you for doing what you did. But I can thank you." Her words meant a lot to Ranma for it helped ease his mind, and his heart. He had already prepared himself for the many consequences that she might throw at him but this definitely wasn't one of them. Ranma was about to look up to Kasumi when his stomach once again broke the silence between them. Kasumi giggled and reached over to take the bowl he left on her table and switched roles. It was now her turn to offer Ranma a rather large spoonful of oatmeal which he gladly accepted. Ranma made short work of the remaining oatmeal and after handing Kasumi the cup of milk and solitary pill Ranma asked "Kasumi why were you soaking wet?" Kasumi stared at her hands for a while before she answered him. "I got caught in the rain on my way back from my afternoon shopping ... I was carrying a large bag of rice so I couldn't walk as fast as I normally would. After I came back I had to quickly take in the bed-sheets and rewashed them so they wouldn't stain and when I had finished it had left me little time to make dinner. I never changed out of my wet clothes so I guess it was sort of my fault for getting sick ..."
"You could have asked me to go along with you to carry the bag of rice Kasumi" said Ranma. "I tried to find you ..." Kasumi silently answered him. Right there and then those words rang inside his head like an echo 'I tried to find you'. "Of course she couldn't find you ... you weren't even home for the better half of the morning and afternoon you dolt!" an inner voice shouted at him. "I'm sorry Kasumi ... It was totally my fault that you got sick" said Ranma, his voice sounded heavy with regret. Ranma's apology was something new to Kasumi when she tried to remember when Ranma had really apologize to anyone she found he never did.
"Why are you apologizing to me Ranma?" Kasumi asked puzzlingly. "I should have been at home looking after you. Everyone expected me to take care of you and what did I do? I left you alone at home ... I even managed to get you sick ... for Kami's sake. I thought I would be bored staying beside you Kasumi. But I was wrong. When I'm with you all I feel is like that I am at peace. You don't bother me with anything not even asking me to help you with your chores. You don't ask much about me so we seldom talk unless if you asking me what I want to eat. I'm sorry Kasumi ... I didn't mean to abandon you all alone ..."
"Ranma ...You got it all wrong ...I didn't mean it like that ..." Kasumi tried to put her hand on his.
"No ... I didn't get it wrong ... Kasumi. I failed you but I won't fail you again ... I promise you Kasumi from now on, I am going to help you with all your chores, your afternoon shopping and anything else that I can help you out with ..." Ranma shouted. Looking down to his hand he saw Kasumi's on his and blushed. By Ranma's face Kasumi knew that he was serious about this. "Ranma ... that's not necessary ... I can manage by my own ... really and how can you help me with my afternoon shopping when you have class." Kasumi reminded him.
"Yes I can ... I'll show you ... what time you normally go for your afternoon shopping?"
"Around noon everyday." she answered.
"I'll meet you in front of the house by 12.00pm. I'd help you during my lunch break." He said to her.
"Bu t..."
"No buts ... Kasumi ... I'm serious about this ... if you don't let me do this I'd guarantee that I would feel guilty about this till the day I die ... so please Kasumi let me do this for you ..." Ranma stared deep into Kasumi eyes as he begged her to agree.
"All right ... Ranma ... I'd allow you to help me." Kasumi reluctantly replied "On one condition ... that when I say that you've help me enough you'll stop."
"I agree but you cannot ask me to stop until I agree with you that I have done enough to rid me of my guilt."
"Done ..." Kasumi answered. But she blinked twice as she realized that Ranma just threw back at her the same condition she had earlier used.
"Ranma ... that was unfair ... how could you take advantage of a sick girl?" insisted a rather pouting Kasumi.
"Kasumi I know that I twisted our agreement a little but I just don't want you to say to me after a day of helping you out that you call the whole thing off. I want to really do enough so you can really say I've done enough okay?"
Kasumi listened to Ranma's albeit a little endless in its loopy logic but she smiled and nodded her head. Ranma had began to pick up the bowl, cups and basin around the room and began to walk out of the door he stopped short "Kasumi I want you to rest today I'd do the rest of your chores okay. If you don't think I can do a good job I'd carry you down myself to look at the drying laundry, the clean kitchen and maybe a little lunch how's that sound ..." he said to her smilingly. Kasumi did indeed feel a little tired after their little talk and she yawned. "Oh my ..." Ranma simply smiled back at her and Kasumi gently laid her head back on her pillow and closed her eyes. "Ranma kissed me?" she thought to herself while her fingertips ran over her lips. The thought brought a smile to her face but inwardly she knew that it was wrong.
There are things about Ranma that he'd never show to people ever and those were his excellent house keeping skills. True he didn't need them but after being on the road for so long he sort of picked up the habit of cleaning after himself. He would when he was little on all those long training trips his dad would drag him Ranma would wash his own clothes, dry them and neatly fold them all away. This little habit do his was done far away from his father's view of course. The old poophead would consider it unmanly. Ranma would also keep his side of the tent very neat and pristine while his father's side would always be in a mess. Ranma had actually managed to do most of last night's laundry which only consisted of a few of his clothes and Kasumi's in little time. While he was drying them out in the garden Ranma couldn't help but feel a little flushed when he hung out to dry Kasumi's intimates on the pole. "Thank The kami Happi's not here" He thought.
Ranma gently pushed opened Kasumi's door with intent to ask her if she preferred anything for lunch but seeing her still sound asleep he decided that he'd skip lunch so that he could take in some practice. "Ranma ... Ranma ... Ranma ... what were you thinking of when you saw Kasumi just now sleeping soundly?" asked a voice inside of his head.
"Nothing I just thought she looked cute..."
"Ha...you admit it then...Kasumi's cute, even ... pretty right!"
"Yeah she's pretty, and if anyone says otherwise I'd break every bone he has!" he shouted at the voice.
"Rather protective of Kasumi now after that little fever thing eh?" smirked the voice.
"What's it to ya, Bub?" Ranma asked, his voice laden with antagonism.
"Nothing ... you just admitted to yourself that Kasumi's cute and pretty. You'd never given a compliment like that to any girl before. Be it Akane, Shampoo Ukyou or Kodachi. But you said without any hesitation that Kasumi's pretty. Here's a piece of advice ... listen to what your gut has to say once in a while ... will ya. Bye"
Ranma's eyes shot open as he had managed to fall asleep while he was meditating after his practice. Ranma still felt sleepy from last's night vigil over Kasumi but he scolded himself for falling asleep anyway. Choosing to ignore the voice Ranma slowly walked back into the house and prepared himself a nice bath before checking back on Kasumi to see how she was doing. "Did I really find Kasumi pretty?" Ranma whispered to himself as he laid nose deep inside the furo. The voice had asked him to listen to his gut once in a while and right now his gut was telling him to check on Kasumi.
Ranma slid the door as quietly as he could and silently crept into Kasumi's room. "She's still asleep ... but to be safe ..." Ranma gently placed his hands on Kasumi's cheeks to check for any signs of the fever. She felt normal to the touch and with that Ranma pulled her blanket up a little bit to her shoulders and left. Ranma didn't turn around to see Kasumi one last time but luckily he didn't for if he had, he would have seen the little smile that formed on Kasumi's lips when he had started to walk away from her bedside.
Kasumi still felt weak and a little tired from her ordeal but she couldn't resist to just stay in bed and let someone else do the things for her and not to mention indulge herself to some tender loving care. Kasumi felt she was always the one to give the care, the loving and the tenderness to those who need it but did anyone return the favor? Well sadly until now, no one even came close. True, Ranma felt guilty about her getting sick and thus resulted in his eagerness to help Kasumi but she didn't want to acknowledge that fact. All she knew was that someone was worried for her and was constantly checking up on her. And deep inside her heart it felt good but it also felt a bad ... bad being that she knew that it would soon all disappear with her family's return from their holidays or forced training. She would be just left with Ranma helping her do her chores. "I'd just think back on this as a sweet cherished memory ..." Kasumi was trying hard not to enjoy herself to much but she couldn't ignore the warm fuzzy feeling her felt all of a sudden.
"How am I going to do this?" thought Ranma. There he stood in front of the fridge looking at what was available for him. He of course had to prepare dinner since Kasumi was resting in her room. "What can I make that won't make my cooking look as bad as Akane's and wouldn't send Kasumi back into a state of unconsciousness or worse." He sighed scratching the back of his head. Ranma to his credit could cook a little but that was only for him and his father in the woods and when hungry enough they would eat anything no matter the taste. This though was a totally different situation as he was cooking for Kasumi, the perfect cook and probably the most delicate of pallet of all Soun's daughters. He knew that he had to go through with it so breathing in a long breath of air he began to make dinner. Ranma figured that if he kept it simple then it wouldn't be that hard and he would have half a chance of making it at least edible. By the time Ranma had finished with 'his' dinner he step back a bit and gave a loud groan "I hope it taste as good as it looks."
Looking out at the garden while cleaning the kitchen mess, Ranma noticed that it was already early late evening and the sun was soon going to set. Stepping out into the soft breeze with an empty basket in hand Ranma carried on finishing the laundry ...taking in the now dried clothes. Returning the basket up to the laundry room Ranma stopped in front of Kasumi's room and gathered himself for a bit. *Knock ... Knock* "Kasumi are you awake? Dinners ready ..." he called to her from behind her door. "Come in ..." came the girl's reply. "Did I wake you ...?" he asked as he slowly inched into her room. Kasumi's slow nod sideways and her smile allowed him to exhale the breath he didn't dare let out. "Dinners ready ... Kasu ... whoa ...let me help you ..." Ranma didn't expect Kasumi to just get out of bed and start walking but there she was walking towards him albeit a little gingerly and slowly. "I'm okay Ranma ... I've been in bed long enough ... I need to stretch my legs anyway ..." Kasumi thought at that time that those were the right words to say to Ranma to ease his worries. At least that's what she had hoped, her feet were obeying her and slowly she walked by her own but as soon as she had walked to Ranma her feet gave out and she started to fall sideways ...
A pair of strong arms soon caught hold of her falling body, one over her waist and the other over her back. She found herself staring up again at his deep blue-gray eyes ... they were beginning to haunt her memories. The eyes of Ranma were drawing her in slowly and clearly until all she could see in them her own reflection looking back. "Kasumi ... you okay? I think I better help you down ..." Kasumi didn't even have a chance to reject Ranma's offer as she found herself resting on his arms. Ranma carried her slowly down the stairs so carefully even to avoid all the objects that her head might bump into. "Ranma ... if I'm heavy or you're tired you can put me down I can walk by myself ..." Kasumi said hesitantly. Ranma stopped halfway going down the stairs and looked down at her. His face was expressionless at first but he soon produced a smile that Kasumi swore she had never seen the boy smile before. It was one of Ranma's rare grins and in this case it was his mischievous one. Even before Kasumi could register it Ranma took one giant leap and jumped over the side of the stairs. He produced such a perfect landing that even Kasumi was surprised that she didn't feel them land. "Kasumi I could carry you all the way to China if you wanted me to ... hehe" Kasumi giggled when she heard Ranma say that but later hid her face in his silk shirt as she started to blush.
Ranma was glad that Kasumi wasn't looking up at that time as he was himself blushing red in the cheeks as he understood what he had just said to her. Settling Kasumi down on her usual cushion they prepared to have dinner. Kasumi was rather surprised at what Ranma had made for dinner. It was simple but it was a dinner that someone had made especially for her and again that was a first for her. This would be the first time she had a dinner that she didn't make for herself. "We better eat before it gets cold eh...?" said Ranma as he handed her a bowl of rice which she accepted with a faint smile. "Kasumi ... it may not taste that good but if you find it hard to eat, I'll go out and buy something for you okay ..." His comment made Kasumi stare straight at the boy ...
"Have some faith in yourself Ranma..." Kasumi took a bite of the rice and well it was a little softer then usual but edible. She took a little of the steam fish and tasted it. "Fish steamed with ginger ..." Kasumi thought even though the taste of the ginger was a little weak but she didn't mind. Then another bite of rice then the last dish...grated radish. At least she knew that was what he wanted it to be. Ranma being a little behind on time had used Chestnut-fist speed to grate the radish but instead he managed to instead of grating it he had almost puréed the radish. Kasumi noted each mistake that she herself knew how to avoid but since it was Ranma she forgave him easily. Kasumi smiled a little and was about to say something when she stopped when she looked at him. Ranma was just sitting there he hadn't touched his food but just staring at Kasumi rather anxiously almost like waiting for an answer from her.
"Ranma...it's a fine dinner but I wouldn't like eating it alone..." Ranma smiled when he heard Kasumi saying those words and started to eat together with Kasumi. After they had finished Kasumi started to get up to bring the empty dishes to the kitchen but she was stopped by Ranma's rather strong cough. "Kasumi ... I started dinner so I'd be the one to finish it" he smiled as he picked up the dinner plates and walked into the kitchen. He soon reappeared again with a cup of tea "I'll show you what I'd done around the place since morning after I'm done with the dishes ..." he smiled at her as he placed the cup on the table. Kasumi took the cup and lightly blew on the hot tea and took a gentle sip hoping that Ranma could end the day on a high note. She also hoped that Ranma was a delicate washer of her plates unlike Akane. After a long pause and one finished cup of tea Ranma came out "All done...so time to show you around ..." Ranma held his hand out to help Kasumi up and with a light but firm grasp he tenderly pulled her up and somehow they both ended up walking together with Ranma taking the lead. Kasumi's hand was absentmindedly nicely tucked into Ranma's as he led them first to the kitchen. The kitchen was in near perfect order as far as Kasumi felt she couldn't have done a better job Ranma noted her smile and moved on.
Walking outside now to garden with the cool evening breeze rusting by Kasumi's hair she noticed that the leaves that she had wanted to rake were done and neatly deposited in a far corner inside disposable garbage bags. The two walked around the house silently and Kasumi began to wonder how did Ranma ever managed to do all the chores in one day. She didn't mind though as she thought Ranma had done an excellent job so far. "One final thing to see before I escort you back to your room." Ranma said looking at her, he now felt rather good with himself as Kasumi hadn't say anything negative about his handiwork. Walking inside to the changing room Ranma showed her the laundry. Inside hung nicely on hangers were her dress and beside it her bed sheets from the day before.
Kasumi walked to her dress and was surprised to see it nicely washed and dried all it needed was a nice iron and it was perfect. Kasumi took the fabric of her dress into her hand and delicately smelled it. It smelled of her favorite detergent not to strong but just right. Then Kasumi caught something out of the corner of her eye, hung on another hanger behind her dress was her underwear. "Ranma ... you washed everything?" she asked him rather embarrassingly. "Yeah Kasumi I had to wash all your wet clothes and mine also ..." Ranma replied her not really noticing what was wrong with it.
Back in Kasumi's room with Kasumi snuggly resting on her bed the two remained silent. "Ranma ... what are you doing?" Her words came as she saw Ranma taking her clock and pressed the off button for the alarm. "You shall be resting tomorrow ... it's going to be your last day of rest before the others come back ... anyway good night Kasumi ..." Ranma's voice was trailing as he had already placed the clock back and was walking halfway out of her room when...
"Ranma ..." she called him
"Yeah ... Kasumi?"
"If you don't mind could you please keep me company for a while? I've already slept the whole day and I don't really feel tired right now but if you feel sleepy I won't ask you ..."
"Sure ... I don't mind staying with you Kasumi" smiled Ranma. He slowly walked back over to her bed and sat down on the floor leaning on her bed as he rested his head on her mattress. Looking at him Kasumi began to feel something stirring inside of her. Kasumi noticed for the first time how Ranma had grown since he first came into her family's life that faithful day almost a year and a half ago. She noticed how he grew taller, how his face had somewhat become older and how his blue eyes were growing more and more deeper.
"Ranma ... did you ever regret coming here?" Kasumi asked breaking the easy silence in her room.
"What made you ask that question Kasumi?" he replied looking at up her.
"Well ... from the first day you came here you've been basically faced with every kind of problem that I could think of. You are always fighting with other people you've been tricked by not only Shampoo, but also Nabiki. Also not to say the least you've gotten more bruises from Akane than from any of your other fights. I can't help but think sometimes Ranma maybe you would be happier if you'd never met us?"
Ranma blinked at Kasumi for a while, he had never heard once of Kasumi asking him how he felt about his life so far let the least anyone else asking him such a complex question before. "I'm sorry Ranma ... If you don't want to talk about it ..." Kasumi stopped her eyes locked onto her hands.
"I have no regrets ... Kasumi. I never once regretted coming here I never have. I guess I was sort of happy that I could have a roof over my head for a while. But after hearing the reason why Pops brought me here I really haven't thought of leaving. What kept me here was probably me wanting to have someplace to call a home at least that out weighed the problems of having a fiancée. Not having to sleep in a tent in the middle of nowhere sort of felt nice anyway ... Actually Kasumi I always wondered why you never kicked me and Pops out. We've somehow or another have managed to destroy most of your stuff, broke down almost all the walls of the dojo and brought more mayhem into this place then it ever had ... why have you never said a single word"
Kasumi was rather taken back at Ranma's blunt confession and his question to her after that. She wasn't really prepared for this but she thought being honest was the best policy. "How could I kick you and Uncle Genma out? You're not only my sister's fiancé you're my father's best friend so that makes you a family guest. You've always managed to repay the damages you've done by allowing Nabiki to get away with those pictures she sells at school."
Ranma merely smiled "I guess so ... but I'm glad I came ... I would never have met you if I didn't ..."
Kasumi's cheeks went a scarlet hue when she heard Ranma's remark. "I'm glad you came here too ...life was just getting too dull for me ... you brought some excitement into my life ... Ranma." Kasumi didn't know why she said that but she did, she just hoped Ranma didn't take it the wrong way. Looking down at him she needn't worry about his reaction as Ranma now with his eyes closed laid asleep sitting by her bed. She took her robe from her bedside and gently draped it over the boy and switched off the lights but not before setting her alarm.
So that night, in the dark with Ranma gently sound asleep next to her, Kasumi had in just a few minutes of conversation, learnt more about Ranma in the last few minutes then in the last one and a half years. She always thought that he was young, well he'll only turned 18 a while ago, and his still considered to be a boy but he had just now sounded to Kasumi like a man in his late 30's. "Funny how his life has forced him to grow up so fast ..." she sighed before closing her eyes to drift into her own slumber.
The End
I hoped you like it. Please wait for next installment. H.A
P.S This is an updated version as dogbertcarroll pointed out my error...thanks.