'Older'

Nabiki walked into her home without announcing her presence. With a smile, she saw Ranma sitting in front of the TV, waiting expectantly on the couch. After slipping off her shoes, she padded into the living room, coming up behind Ranma, and wrapping her arms loosely around his neck from behind, while leaning her chin onto the crown of his head, "What's this all about?"

"Well, I kinda thought that, you know, you might wanna relax today. You've been staying a bit longer at work this whole week." Ranma replied with carefully hidden disappointment.

Nabiki cooed silently, it sounded as if Ranma was pouting because she wasn't spending enough time with him. "Is Happosai around?" She asked, because whenever he was around, she and Ranma avoided any intimacy. Nabiki knew that Happosai was more than suspectant, and probably convinced himself that there was something happening between her and the young man, but they weren't going to confirm it for him.

It wasn't as if Happosai would find it inappropriate, in fact, he would openly encourage it. It was just that he had more than a little tendicy to let secrets slip that had no bearing on him. Nabiki had managed to convince Ranma that they couldn't be too open about their relationship, and the pigtailed boy hesitatingly agreed.

"Na, the old freak of nature's out somewhere. Where, I didn't care to ask."

Nabiki smirked at Ranma open annoyance at the old man. Since she came home a couple of weeks ago to find Ranma the victim of one of Happosai's boisterous moods, the pigtailed boy and sometimes girl attempted to avoid the old martial artist. Shampoo had also done the same, ensuring that he wasn't anywhere in her vicinity at any time. If he was, she loudly proclaimed that she wouldn't be responcible for her actions, which was in part, true.

Sorry, Ranma," Nabiki apologised for the implied neglect, bending down to kiss him on the cheek, before walking around the couch to sit next to him on his left, "I've had a lot to update for the last couple of weeks, so paperwork's been pretty thick. That was pretty thoughtful of you."

"Yeah, well..." Ranma shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

"What movie did you pick?"

"Uh..." Ranma got up, and picked up the DVD jewel case from on top of the PS2. He walked back, and handed the case to Nabiki.

"'Hero'?" Nabiki enquired, before flipping the case over to observe the vibrantly colored scenes from the movie. This wasn't one of her movies. In fact, if she recalled correctly, the movie wasn't even supposed to be out yet in Japanese theaters...

"Yeah. Some guy at this one videostore suggested it, since I told him you were a big samurai movie buff. Said you'll probably like it."

Nabiki looked the DVD over, finding the image of Jet Li as a stoic samurai a bit too far of a stretch. She clarified what the movie was about, reading the Cantonese on the back, and noticed one other thing. "Ranma, hate to break this to you, but this is region three, don't think it'll play in Playstation 2."

"Wha? The guy said we could watch it, no problem! In fact he told me that without me asking!"

Nabiki nodded, putting two and two together, "Ah, bootleg. I guess I won't ask you where you got this then, huh?"

Ranma shifted his eyes to Nabiki, before sighing, and starting the movie. As it began, Nabiki laid down across Ranma's lap with her back against his stomach and her head resting on the arm rest. Unsure of what to do with his hands, Ranma leaned back, and rested his arms on top of the backrest. Groaning in slight irritation, Nabiki reached up, grabbed his left arm, and draped it over her ribs, before resting her own hand on top of his.

"Ranma?"

"Hmm?" the pigtailed boy replied, looking down at the woman in his arms with an innocent and oblivious curiosity.

"I really do appreciate this, it has been pretty rough for the last week or so, but I didn't really think I let on."

"I just felt like doing it, actually," Ranma replied, "I mean, sure we hang out and all when we both get home, but we never really do anything." Ranma looked up to the TV, where men in black robes were bringing out gold and treasures, while setting out a table for the protagonist to kneel at twenty paces before a man dressed in regal armor. "I just felt like... like doing something, well, more with you."

"You just say the sweetest things without knowing it, you know that, Ranma?" Nabiki enquired, reaching her hand up to grab the back of Ranma's head, and pull him down to her. Ranma didn't resist, as she pulled him into a gentle kiss that lasted no more than a second.

"HA! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!!!"

Both Ranma and Nabiki jolted. Unfortunately, in Nabiki's panic to get out of such a damning position, she collided her forehead with Ranma's chin. "Ouch!" Nabiki quipped, as she slumped back into Ranma's lap, resigned to having been caught already.

Happosai dropped from the ceiling to land in front of the two, smiling victoriously at his discovery, "I knew you two were an item!"

"Happosai, what are you doing here?" Nabiki asked, still covering her forehead with her eyes closed in pain.

"I live here, don't I?" the old man returned, "Now don't change the subject! Now, Ranma my boy... have you boffed her, yet?"

"No! And that's none of your business!" Ranma proclaimed, still slightly rubbing his jaw.

"Bashful, isn't he?" Happosai cackled, "Glad to see you're taking my teachings to hear, Nabiki dear! The more teenage, the better, I say!"

"Happosai, I have no intention of becoming a cradlerobber," Nabiki attempted to explain, as if to excuse the paing of guilt she still felt over the matter.

"Sorry Nabiki, but it looks a bit too late for that," Happosai countered, pointing to Ranma arm wrapped protectively around her waist, "Come on, Nabiki! It's not like you're doing anything wrong! Now why were you going through so much trouble to hide this happy relationship from old Granpa?"

"Because, Granpa, we wish to keep it a secret," Nabiki explained, emphesizing the fact as an utmost importance.

"Eh, I can understand descretion. If that's all you wanted outta me, you just needed to ask!" Happosai turned to look behind him to see the TV screen displaying an intricate wire work fight scene, as the sounds of a sword and spear collided and intermingled with the skilled playing of a Chinese harp. "Hmm, looks like an interesting movie you have there... pause it for a sec, will ya?"

Ranma complied, only because he was missing the movie, and not out of any respect for the old man. Happosai leapt onto the back of the couch, and sat down in lotus position. "Ahhh, it does an old man's heart proud to see two of his students sharing forbidden love."

"Yeah, well according to our Pops', it wasn't anything that forbidden," Ranma repli Jerks arranged it for us, saying it was for the preservation of the school."

Happosai blinked, "Those two idiots still dead set on that?"

Both Ranma and Nabiki nodded. "Daddy and Genma even managed to come up with this hair brained scheme to leave me stuck with Ranma, that's why he had been staying with me." Nabiki glanced up at Ranma, who was looking down at her with a confused expression. Favoring him with a smile, she reached up, and patted him on the cheek, "At first, that was the reason he was staying with me." Ranma allowed a satisfied smile to cross his lips and color his eyes.

Happosai's whole contenance changed at the information, "So, the two of you got together for the honor of the schools, is that it?"

"More or less, yeah," Ranma answered; both him and Nabiki wondering where this was all leading to.

"Hmm..." Happosai commented, leaping from the back of the couch, and beginning to head upstairs to his and Ranma's room. "I'm glad the two of you aren't being all that serious about this."

"This... is something I would rather take my time about," Nabiki replied, before quickly adding for Ranma's benefit, "but I don't think either of us has any problems with it."

"Well, I don't at least," Ranma thought to himself, sighing. Nabiki picked up on the sigh, but didn't enquire about it.

"Because," Happosai continued, "I can't condone a marraige between you two."

"WHAT?!?" both Ranma and Nabiki exclaimed at the same time. Nabiki had quickly leapt off of the couch and Ranma, right before Ranma quickly got up to follow. They both paused, and turned to look at each other with a curious expression, realizing the other was just as equally outraged at the potential for union. Nabiki quickly recovered, and stormed after Happosai, leaving Ranma standing there with an important question on his mind.

___________________

"Enough," the tall young man in a traditional kendo outfit commanded, as he brought his bokken from ready position. He stood poised and calm, as if he hadn't been in the midst of a rigerous hour long sparring session. As for the other guy...

"I... I guess it's... it's time for a break..." Kaoru attempted to reply, though his wheezing kept getting in the way. Kuno nodded, understanding the gist of what was replied.

"Very well, my noble colligue in the art. Allow us to retire to the baths, so that we may discuss your progress."

"F-fine... just g-gimme a few m-minutes..."

"I shall await you then." Kuno bowed, and left the school kendo hall. Finding the men's dressing rooms, he calmly shed his clothing, before entering a shower to wash down as several other students watched, confused as to how Kuno could maintain such composure after a heavy workout. It was the first time they had really seen him go at it in the longest time, as him and Kaoru were definitely approaching upper levels of their skill.

"Man, Kuno doesn't even look like he's been doing anything, much less fighting like mad against Kaoru!"

"I can't even remember a kendo match where Kuno had been forced to move that fast!"

"Dang, I knew Kuno was like a god when it came to fencing, but... wow..."

Not even acknowledging the admirable words his classmates whispered about him, the kendoist relaxed himself into large shallow bath, and stared forward, seeming to fall into profound contemplation.

"Hey, Kuno! That was some match you just had with Kaoru. I gotta ask how much were you still holding back against him?"

Kuno perhaps was lost in his thoughts, as he continued to stare ahead.

"Kuno? Okay, I guess it probably was rude of me to ask. But still, you didn't even break a sweat out there!"

Kuno still failed to respond.

"Kuno? Hey... anyone home?" The boy waved his hand in front of the kendoist's face, gaining no response. "Well I'll be, he's out cold!"

Still in the training hall, Kaoru remained kneeling, still fustrated with his performance. Kuno was probably the fastest fighter he knew of before Ranma, and he could tell that his training with the fencer was beginning to pay off. Unfortunately, the young Ono could still feel the blows sneaking through as if he were a seeve, and Kuno was a bucket of water. Not only that, it was all too rare when Kaoru managed to sneak a blow into Kuno's guard.

"Darn, at this rate, I'll probably never catch up with Ranma!" Kaoru sincerely wished his Grandfather were there to give him a few pointers on speed training, but he unfortunately was neglected that. His own father was a great martial artist, but tended to go the route more of precision and subtleness of movement than speed He wasn't sure how much longer he had a chance to finally get by Ranma to get to Ranko. She was only an exchange student staying with Nabiki, which meant she wouldn't be around forever.

With a resigned sigh, Kaoru decided that he would have to think more on it later. For the time being he had some sore, trembling muscles to sooth in some nice hot water.

___________________

"What do you mean you won't allow it?" Nabiki demanded, following Happosai into his and Ranma's room. Happosai stopped short, realizing he forgot something. Nabiki stopped suddenly too, seeing what Happosai had forgotten.

"Hey, the old woman asked you a question, you little frea-" Ranma stopped, and blinked at the sight of his room, "Why in the hell is my room filled with panties?"

"Ah... heh, I meant to put these away..." Happosai mumbled, before waddling up to the pile, and pulling out a couple of numbers, "Nabiki, here you go, Ranma. Picked these out just for the two of you!"

Nabiki looked at the lingerie she was handed in distain, before tossing it back into the pile, "These belonged to another woman. No, thank you..."

Both Happosai and Nabiki turned to Ranma, who was looking at the emerald green slip and panties Happosai handed to him in confusion. Nabiki rolled her eyes, snatched the ensamble from Ranma, and tossed it into the pile.

"Ah... I didn't think you would look good in green, anyways," Ranma finally stated, giving a quick glance to Nabiki, before looking away with a blush.

Nabiki turned away herself, pinching the bridge of her nose, while trying to hold back her laugh, "You're right, it would probably look best on someone with red hair..."

"Oh," Ranma replied in a subdued tone, before catching on, "HEY! YOU LITTLE PERVERT!"

"Anyways, what does it matter to you if we were to get married or not?" Nabiki enquired, bringing the conversation back on track. It wasn't like she actually had intentions of marrying Ranma, but she was rather irked that the old letch would even attempt to dictate over her free choice. Ranma was brought out of his growing anger, and turned to look at Nabiki with an unreadable expression.

"Quite a bit, actually, Nabiki dear," Happosai replied, factually, "Could you bring that ironing board over here, please?"

"What do you have to do with it in the first place?" Ranma followed up.

Happosai produced an iron, and turned it on to allow it to warm up, "First of all, it's my school, Ranma m-boy. That makes it means it has a lot to do with me!"

Nabiki blinked. It wasn't often that Happosai asserted his authority when it came to the school, but when he did it was best to pay attention. "Uh, Grandmaster Happosai, I sincerely don't see why you would be against this."

The old man sighed, as if he were resigned to humoring children, "Nabiki dear, the problem is, even if I act like the fool on occasion, and have my indulgences, I take the Anything Goes School and its businesses *very* seriously." He picked up a pair of panties, laid them on the ironing board, and began to smooth the wrinkles from the cotton fabric, "Anything and anyone that has anything to do with *my* school, I would like to have it taken or them take it just as seriously."

"Yeah, well it's hard to take a panty-thief too seriously," Ranma retorted, looking around the room in disgust.

"Listen, you little punk! You need to show some respect to your elders!"

"Ha! Respect you, you little freak! I-"

Nabiki quickly cut Ranma off with a kiss, stunning him. "Down Ranma, we don't need this right now." More correctly, she didn't want to have to bother having to pay for having her walls repainted, dealing with obnoxious noises, or any other irritation Happosai would come up with for his 'revenge'.

"Back to the subject. You two are students wishing to join branches of my school together, am I right?"

"We're not getting married, Happosai," Nabiki responded, growing annoyed with the conversation that didn't seem to lead anywhere.

Happosai shrugged, as he finished one pair of panties, folded it neatly, and began on another one, "Then why are we even discussing this?"

"Because, *if* I wanted to marry Ranma, it would be my choice," Nabiki stated, firmly.

"In other words, you are arguing because you want the option of a choice, not because you're serious about the young man?"

"What? I... I..." Nabiki studdered, realizing she had been trapped, "It's me AND Ranma's choice! Not yours."

"Guess again, cutie," Happosai replied. He looked at Nabiki and Ranma with a solumn expression, "First, you two wouldn't even show each other proper respect in front of your master when he requested to access your skills. That's not just disrespect for each other, that's disrespect for your master!"

Nabiki looked at Ranma with a helpless expression, seeing that this conversation wasn't going where she expected it to. Ranma came to the save, or at least attempted to, "I ain't about to hit her! What would that prove?"

"That you respect my abilities, Ranma," Nabiki answered, quietly, bowing her head and casting her eyes downward, as realization set in of why Happosai was upset with them earlier.

"But I do, really! It just wouldn't be... well... right if I did!"

"Bah! Soun and Nabiki's mother used to spar all the time, and they both were all too happy about it!" Happosai conter-argued, "Not only that, the two of you aren't even all that serious about each other in the first place! Any marraige between you two would be a complete sham! That is definitely something I won't allow to happen to my school!"

"The little jerk's serious, isn't he?" Ranma whispered in shock.

Nabiki sighed, understanding the futility of continuing this conversation, "Understood... master."

Happosai's stern expression changed to one of cheerfulness, "Aw, cheer up, Nabiki dear! You know I never enjoyed seeing you girls upset! Let ol' Happi give you a hug!"

Ranma managed to pluck him out of the air, before he reached Nabiki's chest. The ancient martial artist thrashed and complained, before Nabiki took the old man from Ranma. She set him in front of a window, and handed him a silk nightgown, to which Happosai cooed, and rubbed adoringly against his cheek. While he was distracted, Nabiki walked to the window, opened it up, returned to standing behind Happosai, and punted him through it.

"I'LL LET THAT SLIDE BECAUSE YOU'RE UNDER DURESSSSSsssss*" Happosai shouted, as he soared over the cityscape.

Nabiki closed the window, and breathed heavily with her hands on the pain and her shoulders slumped. Ranma came up behind her, and hesitated slightly, before putting his hand on her back in support, "Nabiki?"

"He set himself up for that, you know? On purpose." Nabiki stated in as straight a tone as she could manage.

"Set what up?"

"He let you catch him out of the air. It was a subtle way for him to give us some privacy." Nabiki stood back up, and turned to Ranma, leaning her back against the window, "We are going to have to talk about this, Ranma."

"Talk about what? I'm not comfortable with... with the idea of hitting you like that, so you can just forget about it!" Both of them stood there for several moments, before Ranma turned away, and stalked out of the room, kicking a pile of panties as he left. Nabiki sighed once more, and turned to look out where Happosai disappeared to.

___________________

"Welcome to..." Ukyo paused, as she saw who had just walked through the door. She took a second to recover herself, and continued her greeting, albeit at less of an entheusiastic tone, "Ucchans."

"Hey, Ucchan!" Ranma greeted, walking casually up to the bar, "Man, you sure got this place together well."

"Thanks," the young chef replied, "Though I'd been working on it for a while." Ukyo turned away, beginning the preparations for the okonomiyaki, "So, what's your order gonna be?"

"Huh?" Ranma looked at Ukyo, as if she were suddenly speaking a different language.

"Your order? What do you want for your okonomiyaki?" the girl reiterated with a much more terse tone.

"Well, I... I kinda came to, you know, hang out, really," Ranma replied. Even if he definitely had the funds, he was still rather reluctant to spend it, a throwback to bad habits while on the road.

Ukyo gave him an unreadable sideways glance, "I'm pretty busy, Ranma."

Ranma looked around the restaurant, finding a few people inside other than him and Ukyo, and all of them already eating meals. Living with Nabiki and dealing with Shampoo had started gaining Ranma a bit of experience, and realized that Ukyo was trying to give him the cold shoulder.

"Ah... then I'll have a pork okonomiyaki... please."

Ukyo gave him a withering glance, before turning away, "Coming right up."

"Um, Ukyo, are you mad at me for something?"

The young chef paused, before sighing, and putting down her spatula and pitcher of batter, "Ranma, I've spent the last ten years of my life mad at you. I'm still mad at you, and the worst thing about it is I don't want to be mad at you."

"But why? Whad'd I do to you? I mean I know it's been a long time since we last me-"

"Ten years, Ranma, TEN years!" Ukyo interjected, "I gave up ten years of my life because you and your jackass of a father left me on the side of the road like garbage!"

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you, sitting on top of my dad's cart... MY DOWARY, as your dad ran the two of you out of town like the couple of lowlife theives you are!"

"I don't get it, what... wha... aw hell," that was the moment the word 'dowary' came into recognition, as well as the fact that Ukyo actually turned out to be a girl instead of a guy, multiplied by the consideration that his father was a greedy idiot. "Damn it, Pop!"

"You know what it felt like to suddenly have your best friend run off like that? Ranma, I thought the WORLD about you!" Ukyo blinked, and backed away from Ranma, who was leaning back dangerously in his seat from how Ukyo had gotten in his face, "I lost my best friend in the worst way, Ranma, how can you understand that?"

A tense quiet had grown between them. Ranma noticed that the last remaining customers were quietly leaving, apparently respecting their privacy. Ranma then looked back to the girl, and noticing how she was barely fighting a wave of tears.

At that instant, Ranma knew exactly how Ukyo felt. It was true what he said to Nabiki, about Ukyo not being his best friend as she once was. Nonetheless, when Ranma realized how Ukyo truly felt about him, he realized he truly did lose his best friend from so long ago.

In a somber tone, Ranma finally broke the peace, "Yeah... yeah, I kinda do understand that."

Ukyo snorted, finding her anger easier to contend with than her misery, "Don't patronize me, you jackass. There's nothing you can say that will suddenly just put you in my good graces." Ukyo went back to preparing Ranma's meal, "Honestly, I don't know how to deal with you. I don't hate you because... because I guess I still do care about you... a little, and I promised Nabiki that I..."

Ukyo presented Ranma with a tentative smile, as she added the basic toppings to Ranma's order, "Nevermind. Ranma, Don't get any ideas that we can go back to being pals like we were before, but I'm not going to let myself hold this grudge for the rest of my life."

Ranma nodded, not sure what to say about it. He was afraid that Ukyo was about to tell him that it would be best if they never came across each other, and as difficult as it would be for him to accept that she didn't want him a part of his life, he would comply. After all, it wasn't as if he hadn't done it before.

"Cheer up, Ranma," Ukyo commanded, interrupting Ranma's thoughts, "You're at least in the probation stage, and out of the 'death warrent' stage." Ukyo passed him the finished okonomiyaki, "You now have something to look forward to."

Ranma gave a weak smile, before picking up his food, and taking a small bite out of it. He continued to look down at it for over a minute without eating anymore, until Ukyo noticed. "Ranma? Geez, you act like I just told you it's the end of the world or something!"

Ranma sighed this time, and set the food back onto the plate, "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about... something else."

"I'm all ears, sugar," Ukyo replied, wiping down the grill of any crumbs.

"It's about Nabiki. She and I... well... we sorta... like each other... a... lot..."

"Well, I guess your families were pretty close, so that isn't..." Ukyo suddenly shifted her eyes up to Ranma, "Define 'like'."

"She's... I guess you would call my..." the pigtailed martial artist's voice dropped, "...girlfriend."

"Oh..." Ukyo said simply in a way that didn't make it sound like a simple matter, "I... see..."

"Yeah," Ranma replied, not really knowing what to add.

"Well, I guess it isn't all that, well, unusual. I mean old guys get girls younger than them all the time," Ukyo commented, "Not that I can say I agree with that sort of thing."

"Hey, it's not like Nabiki's a pervert or nutt'n, alright?"

Ukyo favored Ranma with a dry stare, "That's something that's in the eye of the beholder, Ranma-hon. But I guess it isn't my business. After all, I spent almost two thirds of my life pretending to be a boy so I could get my revenge on you!"

Ranma stared, before chuckling, "Heh, good one, Ukyo!"

The young lady declined to comment, "Look, Ranma, it's really none of my business if you got the hots for older women... though that would explain why you left an adorable girl like me behind!" Ukyo fluttered her eyes teasingly.

Ranma simply shrugged, "Well, I thought you were a guy."

"I'm going to hit you, you know that?" Ukyo replied with a frown, "Anyways, I'm guessing woman problems."

Ranma nodded, before taking a second bite of his okonomiyaki. "I, I don't know what she wants from me!"

"Well, I'm not exactly an expert on these things, but a woman Ms. Tendou's age would probably only want one thing from a hot young stud like you, Ranma."

"Wuzzat?" Ranma enquired, as his mouth was slightly filled with food.

"I really don't believe you just asked me that," Ukyo replied in a bland tone.

"Hey! I'm new at this relationship thing! Sorry!"

"How about you explain to me what's going on, and I'll try my best to give you an honest answer."

"Alright, I guess. You see, Nabiki keeps saying I don't actually love her, and I guess I gotta find a way to prove it... I guess."

"Ranma, if you have to 'prove it' then she's probably right."

"How do you figure?"

Ukyo leaned against the counter, "Well, if you're in love, aren't the two of you supposed to just *know* it?"

Ranma shrugged, "I dunno, I think I do know, though."

"Well, I'm not an expert, so I'm at a loss with this."

"Geez, things just seem so complicated. First Happosai decreeing we can't marry... not that we were really considering it... for real... plus Shampoo just kissing me out of the blue like she did... Just seems like trouble's trying to brew for me!"

"Well, that's the same ol' Ranma I used to know," Ukyo commented with a chuckle, "Remember that card playing guy when we were younger?"

Ranma thought about it for a while, "Uh, no?"

The young chef internally sighed, deciding to dismiss the anecdote, "Just remember you used to always get into trouble when we were little kids."

"Yeah, and things weren't nearly as complicated back then, either." Ranma shook his head, and stood up, "How much do I owe you?"

Ukyo shook her head, "As long as you take the rest with you and finish it, it's on the house."

"Alright! Thanks!" Ranma handed the plate to Ukyo, who wrapped the leftovers in food preparation paper.

"Ranma, and if you really want to be friends, try stopping in more often than once a month," Ukyo requested with a wry grin.

"Heh," Ranma replied, chagrinned, "I guess I should, huh?"

"Take care, hon, and do the same for that old girl of yours, huh?" Ukyo winked at Ranma, though she already figured that the innuendo would be lost on him.

"Ah, I will," Ranma replied, before giving Ukyo a larger smile, "You can count on it!"

Ukyo waited until Ranma was gone to burst out laughing.

___________________

Nabiki chewed on the tip of the eraser of her pen, studying the paperwork before her. It wasn't as if there was a problem with what she was seeing on them, or that they were all that difficult to comprehend, it was that she remained a little more than slightly distracted.

As bothersome as such a thing usually would be to her, Nabiki didn't mind much at all. She would get done with her work before the necessary time needed, so she wasn't hindered much by it, and what she had on her mind was something she needed to think a great deal about anyhow.

She understood Happosai's reasoning, even if it were a moot issue. She sincerely doubted any chance of her and Ranma getting married, and Happosai seemed more than supportive of any potential relationship between her and the boy... exept a relationship in holy matrimony. Ranma seemed to be taking it a bit harder than she was, though, and that's what was concerning her the most.

As much as she lo-... as much as she greatly cared for him, the middle aged woman attempted her best to curb any notions he had gotten into his head, problem was her influences weren't very productive. Regardless, she found it sweet that he was more than adimant at it being their choice, and theirs alone, and his sincere feelings for her were more than enough to keep her in bright spirits. Ranma would have been ideal husband material... if she were about fifteen years younger or him older.

"It's nice to see the boss with a smile on her face, means less work handed down to us."

Nabiki looked up, and favored the caucasian middle aged man with a sardonic smile, "Charles, and what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"Oh, just bringing you some of the paperwork you had passed to me during your little haitus," the French native replied, strolling up to Nabiki's desk, and laying down a stack of reports.

"It was hardly a vacation, I can assure you," Nabiki replied, "I just had to get some things situated. I hope it didn't inconvenience you too much."

"Well, besides having to contend with my own clients, and your backlogged paperwork... I think I'm at least entitled to who the new man in your life is."

Figured, Nabiki knew that Charles usually tended to put the files away himself, he was a gentleman that way. Much like Ranma, the foreign man would have made great husband material... if it weren't for the fact that he was gay. He wasn't open about it, nor did he act in any way expressive about his preference, but he wasn't in any way going to deny it, as one of the less tactful of Nabiki's women employees learned. Nonetheless, Nabiki supposed that it was what made the man so endearing. Beside Nabiki and Alem, Charles was one of the employees with the most clients under him.

"What makes you think I'm seeing a guy?" Nabiki returned, setting her pen down.

"Because I can smell him all over you," Charles said with a shrug.

Nabiki rolled her eyes, "Please, I would have showered thoroughly if that were the case."

Charles chuckled, "Well, you also have that... that slightest coy smile, the one that you can only recieve when someone you greatly care for extracts it from you. That one you wish to be with."

Charles, if you don't have any other work to do, I would greatly share what I have here on my desk," Nabiki warned. As sweet as the man was, she wasn't comfortable with him prying into her private life.

"Ah, defensive!" Charles nearly chortled, "He must be something special to turn your eye."

Nabiki knew that the further she tried to deny things, the more she would probably end up letting on. The Frenchman had a certain panache when it came to people; he was possibly the best Nabiki had known when it came to reading people. He knew all the correct questions to ask, and knew what to look out for for a responce, wether it was verbal or cue.

Sighing, Nabiki decided it was best to maintain damage control, "Yes, I am seeing someone. His name is Saotome."

The man frowned slightly, realizing that Nabiki was now going to be playing it even tighter against the vest. He only allowed his expression to falter for but less than a second, "That is splendid! Such a charming woman such as yourself shouldn't be without a signifigant other. Tell me, what does the boy do?"

"W-what?" Nabiki studdered, caught unprepared for the way the question was phrased.

"What does he do for a living?" Charles repeated, before his face grew into a smirk, "And how old is he?"

Nabiki winced, just recalling how good Charles was at this sort of thing. He well knew Nabiki was an attentive person, and the question he asked was one she typically asked with talking with others about their new signifigant others. That would only have left a key word to have startled her. Charles probably wasn't even intending to guage her with the question, as it was how he usually spoke, it should be reiterated that he was exellent at reading people.

"He's in school still," Nabiki replied, simply, before staring directly at the man, daring him to show any distain.

"Ah, dating a college student? How daring of you!" Charles responded, sitting in the chair in front of Nabiki's desk, "So, I would sadly have to assume that this is but a small fling?"

"With the age difference, I don't see how it could possibly become anything else," Nabiki answered, folding her hands over her desk. "I trust your comfortable?"

"Oh, quite! I understand why our clients remain at ease when they sit down," Charles returned, smiling in a way that told Nabiki he knew the intent of her question. "Back to the subject at hand. How is it you came across this charming young man? Or did he come across you? It must be said that you are a radiant beauty even for those of your paramour's peer."

"Why, thank you for the compliment," Nabiki replied, separating her paperstack "Anyhow, as pleasant as this conversation is, I have a great deal of work to do, and I believe you do too."

"Oh, but I had already..." he paused, as he noticed Nabiki tapping her finger against the second stack she had made from her own, and looking at him expectantly. "Oh, I see."

"You really are a gentleman, you know that, Charles?" Nabiki replied sweetly, handing him some of her work, "You offering to help out so I could leave that much earlier. My boyfriend will probably thank you for it, too."

"Well, make sure you give the young man a sweet kiss on the cheek for me," Charles responded, a bit more subdued than he was before.

Nabiki chuckled, "I doubt he would appreciate it if I did so. I just won't tell him it's from another guy."

Charles smirked, before leaving Nabiki's office. The middle aged woman almost sighed in relief at his departure, but knew that it was only because the man cared for her that he was prying so deeply. Unfortunately, Nabiki wasn't quite ready to talk about her 'signifigant other' just yet.

___________________

"Yo, Happosai!" Ranma called out, as soon as he entered the house from when he returned from school.

"Ah, Ranma m'boy, come and join me for some prime television entertainment!" Happosai greeted in return.

Ranma stormed into the living room, intending to have words with Happosai on his decree, "Okay, you old freak, about you getting into me and Nabiki's business. This is-"

Ranma stopped, and baulked at what was on the large TV.

"Ahh, the beauty of high definition television, eh, Ranma?" Happosai commented, almost rapt with the images being displayed.

Ranma shook out of his stupor, "Listen, you little letch, if me and Nabiki want to get married, that's *our* business, you got that?"

"Sure, whatever.... oooh! Now that is an amazing outfit!"

Against himself, Ranma looked back up at the television, and gulped down his shock, "Ah... what outfit?"

Happosai picked up the remote that was sitting beside him, and hit the zoom feature on the PS2 DVD player, several times.

"Uh... oh," Ranma replied, beginning to blush severely.

"Now, how would you like to see Nabiki in something like that?" Happosai egged, enjoying the sudden discomfort Ranma was displaying. From the way Ranma was now beginning to shift, he was considering it, and that was the opening he needed.

Before Ranma could respond, Happosai held several pictures up for Ranma's viewing pleasure. It was Nabiki, possibly a few years younger. From the amount of sand around the foldout lounge chair the woman was reclined in, she was at the beach.

"Hot little thing, isn't she?"

Ranma's left eye twitched, before he has to physically restrain himself from annialating Happosai from showing such defiling pictures of Nabiki. He remembered what the woman had told him about Happosai, that he lives to get a reaction out of others. It was best if Ranma learned to keep his cool.

Ranma snatched the pictures from Happosai's grip, not even taking into account how easily he was able to do it, "Where'd you get those, you little pervert?"

"The same place I got these," Happosai replied casually, as he whipped out a stack of pictures, presumably all of Nabiki. Ranma decided that Nabiki would appreciate him for just this once, ignoring her advice, and with a growl, dove at the ancient martial artist.

Happosai cackled, glad for the workout Ranma was about to provide, and evading the conversational topic Ranma had intended to discuss.