'Older'
Nabiki was absolutely, positively livid, as she stormed into her home, and turned to allow Ranma passage, pointing towards the interior, "Get in here, *now*."
Those had been the first words Nabiki had said to him since they left the training hall. At the hostility, venom, and fury in them, Ranma was immidiate in his obedience. Even with his quick compliance, the pigtailed martial artist still had to respond, "What's got you so ticked off? I didn't harm him in any way, just like you wanted!"
"Damn it, Ranma!" Nabiki nearly shouted, and was about to continue, before she thought enough to shut the front door, "Ranma, what the HELL were you thinking back there?"
"Hey! I didn't beat the tar outta him like I promised! I didn't even leave a bruise or anything! Why you getting so bent out of shape for?"
"You didn't just 'beat the tar out of him', Ranma," Nabiki seethed, "YOU ABSOLUTELY HUMILIATED HIM!"
Ranma blinked, "Well... he has a long way to go, that's all."
Nabiki nearly screamed at his obliviousness, and chose instead to storm into the rest of the house. The pigtailed boy followed, still wanting to make his point. "Really, that's how my Pops started on me! How is he supposed to be motivated if he doesn't know how far he needs to go?"
Nabiki turned sharply at Ranma, "Oh? Could that be the reason you're also so damn obnoxious at times?"
That brought Ranma up short, causing him to almost stop in mid-stride. His expression shifted for the merest of seconds, before he turned away, and headed upstairs without another word.
Nabiki watched him leave, still exeedingly angry for the crass display towards her nephew, but concerned dearly about hurting Ranma's feelings.
Ranma refrained from slamming the western style door, and sulked onto his bedding. He just didn't understand what got her all up in knots over this. Come to think of it, Nabiki had been getting a lot more snippity about things lately, starting with sparring with Kaoru in the first place. The whole week since then, she had been knit-picking at small things, but fortunately not with any sincere malice. It was still irritating, but he complied. Not knowing what else to do about it, he decided another perspective was best.
____________________
Nabiki wasn't sure how to take Ranma avoidance of her for the rest of the day, even if she understood his reason. She knew that it would be best if they took a bit of time to cool down, even if it wasn't what she considered a major disbute. As much as Ranma and she knew they loved each other, a single confrontation isn't going to do any harm in the long run.
Regardless, the middle aged woman decided it would be a good idea to pick a little something up for the two of them when she came home from work today. Maybe a trip to the Cat Cafe, even if it was a bit out of her direction, would show him some of her appreciation. She was still going to have to talk to him about his conduct with her nephew, and get him to apologise to Kaoru.
Disregarding the potentially taxing task she had in store for her, Nabiki concentrated on her work. She hadn't quite fallen behind, but she had a larger workload than usual. The clients she had for that day had already left, making it for a rather conventional day. And other than the work, everything seemed just as it ever was.
Nobody seemed to notice any changes she might have had over the past week, and in one way, she was grateful, yet a bit dissappointed. Maybe it was how she simply managed to retain control over her emotional stature in her professional enviorment; maintaining her friendly contenance that seemed unnaffected by anything outside the office. But, even if she was sure her mystery relationship was now common knowledge around the office (fortunately, no one seems to have known about the incident at the attic restaurant), she had thought she might have seemed a bit... happier, possibly even relaxed. She certainly had been feeling that way, after all.
Placing her ind back into the paperwork before her, she didn't even notice Charles walk into her office until he was comfortably seating himself in the chair opposing her at her desk. Nabiki glanced up, and favored the French native with a greeting smile; a mixed blessing, she was sure, and more than positive she would regret his current visit one way or another. "Hello Charles, is there something I can help you with?"
Charles shrugged, "Oh, I apologise, I just simply missed this chair. Perhaps I shall aquire it at some point?"
"if it goes missing, I assure you that you wouldn't be able to hide long enough from me," Nabiki retorted with false menace, undermined by the humorous smile she wore.
"Well, that being the case, perhaps I can indulge you with some light conversation, while I enjoy this seat. I must reiterate how comfortable this is."
"I sincerely have a lot of work," Nabiki replied, turning back down the reports in hand.
"I'd be more than willing alleviate a signifigant portion of you work, in exchange for some friendly conversation," the Frenchman graciously offered.
Nabiki stared at him, as all sorts of alarms went off in her head. He was offering to do some of her work volitarily, something was definitely up, "These are my direct clients. Thanks for the offer, but I'm afraid you wouldn't be much help with these."
"Which means about half that pile will not be due until next week," Charles said, factually, as he calmly reached over, and took the pen from Nabiki's hands.
The middle aged woman's expression went neutral and business like, "What do you know?"
Charles tilted his head to the side, and folded his hands over his lap, "What I know? Nothing, of course." Nabiki remained silent, knowing there was more to what he wanted to add, she didn't wait too long.
"But..." Charles continued, "I was interested in how you have been today."
"And why the sudden interest?"
Charles looked out the window behind Nabiki, almost as if favoring her with the privacy of the emotions she would not be able to shield in her eyes, "Well, for the past week, you had been... shall we say... much more outgoing? Perhaps it was that you were spending more time in the breakroom when much of the staff was present. Or maybe the fact that you held a pleasant conversation with Reiko."
"And why wouldn't I have one with a co-employee?" Nabiki enquired, knowing he had a point to this.
"Because up until then, Mrs. Haji had thought you disliked her for some reason," Charles replied easily, "Yet you were conversing with her as if you had been old friends. She is thankful for the restaurant suggestion, by the way. Her husband enjoyed it emmensely for their anniversary."
"I have nothing against her," Nabiki quipped. She didn't have any animosity towards Reiko at all, it was just that she had little in common with the woman, and even if Nabiki was easy going, she never attempted to force a conversation, preferring them to go easily. She had overheard the married woman chatting with a few other co-workers about her anniversary, but didn't have any idea what they wanted to do for it. Nabiki decided that she had one possible suggestion, particularly since the restaurant she had taken Ranma to was rather new and exellent, yet not overly crowded.
"And she'll be happy to hear that, I can assure you," Charles said, nodding. "Today, you've been holed up in your office, and the last couple of times that you had exited, you barely even gave a greeting to anyone. Mr. and Mrs. Nashi, am I correct on their names?" Nabiki nodded, confirming the names of her clients for today that had left an hour ago. At the confirmation, the Frenchman continued, "Mr. and Mrs. Nashi seemed a bit concerned for you. You rarely become so curt with your clientelle."
That surprised Nabiki, she hadn't even thought she had been acting in such a differential manner, "Hmm, I can't honestly say how I managed to give them such an impression, but there may be some things preoccupying my mind, I'll admit."
"Yes," Charles agreed, "It does seem that way. Anything you want to discuss?"
The way he had said it, it sounded as if he knew she needed to talk about it. Nabiki wasn't under such an impression about herself, "It's nothing I can not work out by myself."
"Ah, you are a capable and strong woman, but it is much easier to spell things out to a third party, no? If only to hear it yourself out loud."
"You're pressing your luck," Nabiki commented, "You really are being nosy, even for you."
"I'm bored," Charles said, simply.
"Then why don't you go on home?"
"I would just be bored there, too," Charles countered, "As it were, tell me, what did you presume me to know?" At the tight lipped expression Nabiki was giving him, he guessed she wasn't going to be forthcoming, and spoke on suspicion, "Did something happen to conclude you trist with the admirable young boy you had been seeing? You apparently had grown more enamored with him, according to what I was told about your date a week ago."
Nabiki paled, not shockingly pallored, but enough to state her reaction. Her face also firmed a bit more, as she withheld any anger from it, "You said you didn't know anything."
Charles was rather surprised by her reaction, and the venom in her voice, "I just know what you told Mrs. Nashi. You *did* share a romantic dinner with the young man, or had you been there with another?"
Nabiki realized she may have let on more than necessary. Charles, from the sound of his prying, was under the impression that she was seeing someone new, and was trying to get details. "It's beyond your business, but I haven't broken up with Ranma."
"So you are still with Mr. Saotome even now?" Charles asked, still curious and concerned about Nabiki's attitude today, though knowing he had gained a great deal of information, regardless of Ms. Tendou's attempts at keeping quiet.
Nabiki internally swore. Charles now knew Ranma's full name. That definitely was too much information, should he choose to investigate out of 'boredom'. "Please, leave before I am forced to make grievences against you."
That brought the French Native short, as he looked at Nabiki in mild shock. With a curt nod, he stood up, and bid her a pleasant day, before exiting her office. Nabiki kept her eyes downcast, before reaching for her pen, before retracting her hand, and pounding her fist into her desk. Ignoring the dent she left in the wood, she stood up, and turned to look out the window. "Damn it, Ranma..."
____________________
"Welcome to Ucchan... hi Ranma," Ukyo quickly amended her greeting, upon noticing the distress expression her latest potential customer was wearing.
Ranma attempted a weak smile for her benefit, "Hey Ucch... Ukyo. How's business?"
The young chef's smirk was far from falsified, reflecting her pride, "It's doing alright, sugar. Of course, when you make the greatest okonomiyaki in Japan, you can expect it."
Ranma chuckled lightly, though it was distracted and mirthless. It wasn't lost on the girl, as she poured some batter onto the grill, "So, what will it be?"
"Ah... whatever's fine."
"You betcha, one liverworst and coffegrind special coming up," Ukyo replied, before reaching under the counter.
"Ukyo, can I ask you something?"
Internally sighing that Ranma hadn't called her bluff, Ukyo finally acknowledged his mood, "I had a feeling that you were here to talk, but I have to admit I'm a bit surprised you came to me."
"There... aren't many girls that I can talk to about this," Ranma commented in a subdued manner. "The only other girl is Shampoo, and she'll probably just tell me how stupid I'm acting."
Ukyo was about to answer, before looking around the restaurant in irritation. Her eyes rested upon where she had heard a faint comment from, but disregarded it. ukyo turned back to Ranma to continue the conversation, "Ms. Tendou?"
It was more of a factualization than a question. Ukyo was already sure of the subject, and trying to hide her discomfort towards it. Ranma nodded, "I guess I ticked her off something fierce yesterday. We... I guess we got into a fight."
"I'm sorry to hear that hon," even if she didn't really understand the relationship between them, she was sincere in her apology. It was painfully obvious that Ranma took it seriously, and stating her personal opinion on it again wouldn't be the best idea. "What happened?"
"She's upset that I sparred against her nephew. I think he goes to Furinkan, too. Kaoru Ono?"
Ukyo schooled her expression, hiding the mild shock, "Would this have anything to do with the way he was moping at school all day?"
Ranma didn't directly answer, "Geez, I didn't think he would take it that bad. Hell, if I held back any further, I would have been standing still!"
"I see," Basically, he demoralized him like Ranma used to do her when they were kids, he really was an insensitive jerk. "Nabiki has a jewel with you, you know that, sugar?"
"What?" Ranma asked, oblivious to her sarcasm.
Ukyo shook her head, "Ranma, you try apologising to Nabiki?"
"I..." Ranma recalled his retreat from the confrontation, "...didn't get the chance to."
Ukyo frowned deeper, adding the toppings for a regular okonomiyaki to the partially cooked batter, "Things got that bad, huh?"
"Yeah... hell, I dunno," Ranma admitted. He wasn't sure how to contend with Nabiki's direct assault, but knew by now that his usual responce would not have helped the situation at all. The very fact that Nabiki compared him to his father, a man she didn't have much respect for from what he figured, and not being far from the truth, even if he didn't see the big deal with the problem; that probably stung harder than any retort Nabiki had made at him.
"What do you mean, you don't know?" the young entreprenuer enquired, favoring Ranma with a sceptical look, "I mean, if you're tore up enough to have to come all the way up here to talk about it to someone, it obviously made an impact on you."
"I don't understand her sometimes. When I think we see eye to eye, she goes and jumps at something like this. It's not like Kaoru's hurt or anything..."
"Excluding his pride," Ukyo amended for him.
Ranma gave Ukyo a puzzled expression, before continuing, "He'll get over it. I didn't become the best by people taking it easy on me. I mean pops ran me through the roughs... literally."
"Ranma-hon, taking into account the fact that the two of you abandoned me on the side of the road, then he just up and left you with a woman twice your age that you claim to be in love with, when you're also supposed to be MY fiance..."
Ranma winced at each point the chef made, and decided it probably wasn't the most thinking move to bring his father into this. Ukyo continued, seeing Ranma properly cowered, "...you may want to think of a better example than the big jerk. As with Nabiki, I have no idea what she wants from you, really. But I would suggest an apology is the least you can do." Ukyo scooped up the entree from the grill with a subtle flourish, and presented it to Ranma, "I'm not in her age group, Ranma. Who know what's going through her head at that age."
"What about her age?"
Ukyo blinked at the sharp and obvious defense in his tone, "Well, she's a lot older than me, Ranma, I'm pretty sure she sees things from a much more evolved perspective."
"So you're saying she's smarter than you?"
"Wiser... sugar, wiser than me," Ukyo corrected, trying not to take offense, "There's probably a lot more she's considering about this." As well as there being a good amount Ukyo figured Ranma wasn't telling her.
"You're right, sorry," Ranma apologised, "Guess this whole thing's got me on edge." Ranma absently took a bite out of the food offered to him, barely noting the taste.
"You know? It probably wouldn't hurt to... well... apologise to Kaoru-hon, too," Ukyo suggested.
"Huh, I should?"
"Call it a hunch it may help you get back into Ms. Tendou's favor," Ukyo replied, before once again looking out into the rest of her restaurant, this time glancing in the same general direction a few other women were.
Ranma missed Ukyo's derisive snort, "Well, I guess it couldn't hurt. I don't want her staying mad at me, even if I don't know the reason."
"That's the spirit, hon!" Ukyo congradulated, "Oh... and it may be best if a certain redhead did it..." At Ranma sceptical look, Ukyo explained, "He may not be in the best of moods to talk with you directly, sugar. I would suggest a middleman... or middlegirl, in this case."
Ranma still didn't see what the big deal was, but if both Nabiki and Ukyo saw it as such, he was pretty sure he was missing something important about it, "I guess it would be a good idea."
"Yeah," Ukyo quipped, controlling her humor, "Why don't you meet him somewhere, like a restaurant. You can bring him by here, if you want." The young chef once again briefly looked outward, becoming fed up, "Jerks..."
Ranma nodded, as he finished up the last few bites of his okonomiyaki, and missed Ukyo's comment, "Thanks, I appreciate the help."
Ukyo shrugged, "What are friends for?"
Nodding in agreement, Ranma pulled out his wallet, before Ukyo waived him off, "It's on the house, hon."
With a grin, Ranma pulled out a thousand yen note, and laid it oun the counter, "Consider it a tip, then."
Ukyo shook her head, chuckling to herself. She went ahead and pocketed the money, since she was sure Ranma wouldn't take it back, no matter what. Just as the pigtailed young man was turning to leave. "Ranma... wait..."
Turning almost on pivot, Ranma responded, "Yeah?"
In a more serious tone, Ukyo gave him a little more advice, "Tonight, when you talk with Nabiki, you might want to get her something. Something she'll appreciate so you know you appreciate her."
Ranma gave her a smile, one that was wholly more sincere than the one he walked in with, "Thanks again."
"Don't mention it."
Ranma turned to leave, feeling a little less unsure of himself, and a bit more eager than before to face Nabiki. Just as Ranma was reaching the door, he paused, and turned to see a couple of girls get up with a disgusted looks on their faces, head to the counter, pay, and then briskly stride out of Ucchan's.
Confused about the commotion, Ranma followed Ukyo's heated glare from the counter, towards a couple of guys about a decade older than Ranma.
"About six years, man."
"Heh, that much older? Damn man you were scraping!" The second one stated, mocking his pal for his apparent low.
The first one laughed along with the second one, "Well, what can I say? Women are like dogshit, the older they are, the easier they are to pick up!"
The next thing everyone in the restaurant registered was the wall they were against shaking. The man that had been speaking then noticed he was being held against said wall, one handed and upside down.
"What. Did. You. Say?" Ranma asked in furious, controlled syllables. When no answer came, Ranma started pressing Ukyo's customer harder against the wall, proving that he expected an answer, and the wrong one would be whatever came out of his mouth.
"Ranma, let him go."
The pigtailed martial artist went rigid, when he felt the edge of Ukyo's battle spatula against his neck. With a growl, Ranma began to release the man at his mercy.
"Let him down gently, Ranma," Ukyo commanded, trying her best not to allow a violent incident to occur in her establishment.
Pursing his lips, Ranma complied, before turning to Ukyo with an expected explanation. "Why?"
"Ranma, I'm not about to have you beating up jerks in my restaurant... no matter how deserving they are." Ukyo then turned to the guy, as he was dusting himself off, smirking in victory, "And I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave. In the future, I am sure you will find plenty of other establishments that may be to your liking."
At the subtle allusion that he was no longer welcomed at Ucchan's, the man began to make a retort, just before Ranma fixated a glare on him that he was sure he just 'felt'. Without another word, he motioned his compatriot to follow him out of Ucchan's.
Once the incident was over, Ukyo looked back at Ranma, "Maybe it would be best if you cooled down before you went and apologised to anyone, too."
With a single nod, Ranma also left Ucchan's.
____________________
Ranma didn't return until late, having felt like he practically traversed all over Tokyo in that day after school. From Shibuya to Nerima to talk with Ukyo, and from Nerima to Azabu to act on Ukyo's advice. His trek proved fruitless, having been turned away by the gate guard at the New Sanno Hotel, after being informed that the woman he wished to speak to was no longer located there.
Defeated, he returned, not needing to see the white BMW parked out front to know that Nabiki was already home. He hoped she wasn't too upset about him being out so long without even giving knowledge of his whereabouts, he didn't want another fight with her over something so trivial.
Opening the door, Ranma announced his arrival, "Hey, Nabiki, sorry I'm late."
"Where've you been, Ranma?"
The voice from the living room didn't sound at all hostile, which allowed Ranma to relax, "I had some things to think about, and I... wanted to apologise to you."
Ranma paused in taking his shoes off, when he heard Nabiki's footsteps across the carpet, heading towards him. He looked up to see the woman standing at the entryway to the living room, looking at him curiously and expectantly. After a couple seconds of silence, Nabiki allowed a wry grin to cross her face, "And you had to stay out past ten to do that?"
Ranma blinked, not realizing he had been out that late, "Ah, I didn't notice the time. I kinda took my time getting back here from Azabu."
"Azabu?" Nabiki enquired, before dawning struck on her. Motioning Ranma to come all the way into the house, Nabiki headed back to the couch, "So, what did you want to talk to Jesse about?"
"I was... I was going to pick up some more of those chocolates you liked so much," Ranma replied in a subdued tone, "She's not there anymore, though."
Nabiki stopped behind the couch, laying her hands against the backrest, and looked at the TV with an unregistering gaze, "I know."
Ranma could sense that Nabiki was rather upset about it, and concluded that Ms. Summers was never coming back. He knew they were good friends, so Nabiki was probably hurt by the American woman's absence. Carefully approaching Nabiki, Ranma grasped her shoulders gently from behind, "I'm sorry she's gone."
Nabiki nodded, reaching up to pat one of Ranma's left hand with her right. She broke away, and walked around the couch to sit down. Ranma joined her, and held the silence between them for several minutes. Nabiki appreciated it, as she was working to get her own feelings on the matter in check. She wasn't going to break down and cry, or anything, she simply needed to compose herself.
Finally, Ranma spoke again, "Listen, I guess I can see your point about Kaoru..." Nabiki's expressionless stare signaled her slight dissapproval, forcing Ranma to submit, "Alright, I understand why you're mad about it. I just didn't see anything wrong with it... at the time, I mean."
"Ranma, I know you meant well, and you were only following our school. But-"
"I know, I know, alright?" Ranma interrupted, attempting to avoid a lecture, "I'm also going to apologise to Kaoru when I get the chance." Ranma didn't even have to look back at Nabiki to know she wasn't satisfied with his answer, "As soon as possible, I mean."
Nabiki relented, and snuggled against him, "That's good to hear, Ranma-hon. I'm glad we agree on this."
"I'll probably talk with him in my girl form, since he might still be mad at me personally."
The middle aged woman raised her head and looked at Ranma, "Why? Where'd you get a silly idea like that?" Even if Ranma had a point, if Kaoru were to see 'Racheal', he would go too far to pieces to make a good conversation. Not only that, if his unrequited redheaded love were to show that she knew about his humiliation, who knows what that would do to Kaoru's self esteem.
"Ah... Ukyo suggested it... that I probably talk to him on a bite to eat, like at her restuarant."
"She suggested you take him out on a date?" Nabiki enquired, very unamused at the suggestion.
"Uh... it's not a date..." Ranma paused, thinking about it, "M-maybe it does sound like a date... a little."
"Ranma," Nabiki began to chide, sighing against him, "all of that won't be necessary. I'm sure if you just approach him respectfully, he'll be willing to hear you out."
Ranma internally glowed at the feel of Nabiki against him, and the deliciously savory sensation as she increased and relinquished the pressure between them when she inhaled and exhaled. He squeezed his arm closest to her around her back, and hugged her to him. His worries were proving to be unfounded, as he was almost certain that the whole ordeal was going to turn out into a bigger fiasco than it really warrented. He saw her perspective, but he still thought she was being a bit overzealous about it, but he was willing to sacrifice his own point of view so that she was happy, deities knew how often she had done that for him.
Looking down at her, he found Nabiki studying his face idly instead of watching the television. Neither of them were really interested in what was on it, in fact, Ranma hadn't even really looked at it at all. Feeling a twinge of discomfort, Ranma finally spoke, "Something wrong?"
Nabiki blinked, not realizing that she had been staring at Ranma, "No, nothing's wrong. Just curious to what you were just thinking about."
As much as he hated admitting any of his fears or insecurities, he felt obligated to do so before the woman in his arms, "I was kinda worried that you were gonna stay mad at me again."
"Ranma," Nabiki shifted to make herself a little more comfortable, "I'm not going to stay mad at you, alright? I'm not going to say we can't have our disagreements, but I can promise they shouldn't last."
"So you're not mad at me anymore?" Ranma asked, starting to feel lighter with hope.
Nabiki fixed him with a stern expression, "I haven't quite forgiven you, at least not until you straighten it out with my dear nephew, but you're within my good graces right now."
Ranma smiled, now wholly relieved, "I'll talk to him, first chance I get, promise."
"I'll hold you to that, hon," Nabiki quipped, after leaning up to kiss him on the nose.
Ranma affectionately rubbed her side with the arm hooked around her, and took his time studying her smiling face. He didn't think he would ever get tired of just looking at her, and berated himself for all those times he tried his best not to. True, he had full permission from her to do so, but he still felt those instances past were sadly missed. "Thanks, Nabiki."
The woman relaxed back against him, "For?"
"I guess, just thanks for understanding me," Ranma continued, allowing his eternal gratitude to vent through his words, "I know I hadn't been the easiest guy in the world to contend with, so i just wanna tell you, I appreciate it."
Nabiki chuckled, causing the subtle jostle of her frame to build a mild excitement in the pigtailed young man. "That goes two ways, Mr. Saotome." Ranma could just feel Nabiki becoming solumn, "I... I have to admit you gave me quite a few chances that I didn't deserve. If not for you, I'm pretty sure I would end up alone in the end." The middle aged woman easily suppressed her emotion, keeping the tears from budding and shedding from her.
Ranma remained silent at that, and though she hadn't been expecting a response from him, Nabiki wasn't sure how to take his quietness, "Ranma?"
"It-it's nothing."
Nabiki noticed the distracted tone he had in his voice, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, I was just thinking about something."
"Care to share?"
Ranma remained silent for several moments, before responding, "It's nothing, alright?"
"If you feel so, Ranma," Nabiki responded, deciding to let the topic drop.
"Nabiki, why is it you decided you loved... cared about me?"
"Why I came to love you?" Nabiki stated, resolutely. She began to speak, whistfully, "It had a great deal with you just being yourself, Ranma. But honestly, I don't know. Desperation to have someone in my life, maybe just hormones running rampant at the right moments. I guess I have no answer for that."
"So, you might have just been desperate... it could have been any guy?"
Nabiki looked at Ranma, almost hurt by the inquiry, "No, it wouldn't have been 'just any guy' Ranma."
"How do you know? I mean, at first, it didn't seem like you even really cared for me other than maybe some concern for my welfare. Were you really going to just stay alone?"
Nabiki thought about it, "I don't know, I honestly don't know, Ranma. I might have found someone else, maybe I might have gotten desperate enough to go looking for someone, probably any guy, or I may have just remained content-"
As she was speaking, she looked back at Ranma, and realized he had stopped listening, "Ranma..."
"Any guy?"
Nabiki leaned away from Ranma, "Ranma, what's this all about?"
The pigtailed young man sighed, turning to look away, "So if it were any other guy, some guy around your age at least, they would have-"
"No, they would not have," Nabiki cut him off. She didn't even know what he was about to say, but knew she better stop him before he got into trouble.
"How do you know that? You said you didn't!" Ranma responded, undeterred, but irritated at her cutting him off and her presumptuousness."
"Because I haven't given a single guy a chance since... since..." Nabiki pulled herself off of the couch. "It's getting late, time for us both to go to bed."
Ranma didn't take the subtle hint that things might be getting out of hand, "But what makes you think that you wouldn't have finally given up, and just settled for whatever's available? ...."
Nabiki paused, and turned. She had heard what Ranma said, as he began to trail off; the final sentence he uttered just under his breath. "Ranma, I didn't 'just settle' for you, don't ever think that." She was more angry over the fact that he presumed that she simply grew needy for someone, than anything else.
"But you'll just give up if someone pushed hard enough?"
That stung. Scrunching her face up, Nabiki turned away, "Go to bed, Ranma. That's the end of this conversation." Without another word, she headed for her room, no longer interested in whatever Ranma would add after that. The pigtailed boy stood there, fuming at his dismissal, before closing his eyes, and sighing.
____________________
Nabiki combed her fingers through her hair, attempting to manage it a little before she went to practice then take her morning shower. The scent that drifted through the house, arriving in her presence to tempt her nose forced her to rework that plan; Ranma was cooking, and she was more than eager to break her sleep imposed fast.
padding into the kitchen quietly, she found her stealth was unnecessary, as Ranma was apparently waiting for her, with three places set for breakfast. Nabiki knew that Shampoo would first insist on her shower, before coming to breakfast, so it was never necessary for them to wait up for her. Apparently Ranma had the same idea, too. From the way he was staring at Nabiki, expectant and hopeful, he had some things to say to her.
Nabiki greeted Ranma with a smile, which managed to throw him somewhat, before she took her seat opposite of Ranma at the dining table. "Good morning, Ranma."
"Good morning," Ranma said faintly, puzzled but glad that Nabiki wasn't showing any signs of irritation from the previous night.
Nabiki looked down at her meal, and then around it, noticing something was missing. Ranma already knew what she was looking for, and with a chagrinned expression, stood up from the table, and went to the cabinet to get one of Nabiki's mugs for her. He then went to the coffee maker, and poured her a cup. "Sorry, I forgot to start it earlier." After mixing in her customary two half squeezes of liquid sweetner from a plastic bottle, and a bit of cream from the fridge, Ranma brought it to her, and set it by the side of her plate.
The middle aged woman already guessed that he was wanting to apologise for last night. Thankfully she had the grace to quickly break he conversation off before it became seriously problmatic, but she was endeared by the effort he was putting forth for her. "Thank you Ranma." Taking a quick sip of her coffee, Nabiki fought down a slight grimace, it was a bit thick, as Ranma probably left it on longer than he thought was necessary, but it wasn't unbearable.
Ranma fidgeted after sitting down, waiting for the moment when he could start speaking. Nabiki was almost cherishing his nervousness, as she pretended to be oblivious towards his discomfort. Finally, she picked up a morsel of food, a piece of the fish. Ranma made a traditional breakfast, which Nabiki did enjoy, regardless of her rather non-traditional views. "Mmm, good!"
"I'm... glad you like it," Ranma replied, testing for an opening much like he would test the defenses of an opponent.
Nabiki finally had mercy on Ranma, even if she found his agitation adorable, "Something on your mind?"
Ranma held a pause for a few moments, wondering if she really forgot last night. He considered dropping the apology, but immidiately decided that he needed to follow through with it. "I wanted to say sorry... for last night. I don't even know why I asked you about... well..."
"About how sincere I was about you?" Nabiki finished for him, unable to stop the tiny bit of emotion from filtering through.
Ranma felt even more of a heel, trying not to sink lower into his chair, "Uh, yeah... that." He realized Nabiki was waiting for him to continue, and that he was past the point of no return. "It ain't true, I know why I asked, I guess."
Nabiki was slightly surprised at that, "Go on..."
Ranma folded his hands behind his plate, looking down at his cooling breakfast, "It's just... just that I... don't..."
"You can't help but have doubts about us, can you?" Nabiki once again finished for the pigtailed young man, this time empathetically.
Ranma looked up at Nabiki with a helpless expression, "Is there ever going to be a time when... you... decide that I... and you..."
"Ranma," Nabiki said, getting up from the table, and walking around to stand next to the young man she loved, "I've had the same doubts since I found out how I felt about you. Don't believe that two people in love won't have them, and it would be foolish not to even consider it once or twice."
Ranma's lips pursed at that, "So, you're saying that it's alright for me to doubt you?"
Nabiki knelt before Ranma, and hugged him, "I'm saying have some faith in me. It... it scares me just as much as you he idea of you leaving me, but I trust you, Ranma." Admitting it just as much to herself as she did to Ranma, it was as if she came to a realization. She had full faith in Ranma, that nothing would bring him to betray her in any way. The notion was as frightening as it was thrilling to her, that she was willing to invest so much of herself in someone again.
She hugged him tighter, determined to reinforce her feelings on the matter. She knew Ranma had his faults; he was often flippant, careless with his words, oblivious to others, and even unnecessarily hostile given the situation. Beyond those and the many minor ones that she got with the young man, his caring, ofttimes affection, his resolute loyalty drowned out the negatives like a fly in the ocean.
"I trust you, Ranma, because I know since the day we met, you would never willingly choose to hurt me. And given the choice, you would probably go through a great deal of pain to prove it." She finally broke the embrace, and pulling out the unused chair that was next to Ranma, Nabiki sat down beside him, "Remember? When we did first meet how you came up just to apologise to me?" Nabiki favored him with a wry smirk, "Most guys wouldn't give a wick about an 'old woman' they didn't know crying her eyes out."
Ranma sighed at the memory, "I didn't mean it, call'n you an old lady then. I was just mad about the whole thing. Pops had been scheming ever since i could remember, but he rarely used me as the focus of them." Ranma gave a mirthless chuckle, "Well, at least I didn't know if I was being used or not. I just saw it as nother one of his schemes, that's all. At that time I only wanted to go back to China, and get a cure for my curse."
"You don't seem bothered by your curse anymore," Nabiki pointed out, realizing he no longer complained about it, or when he was forced into his female form by circumstance.
Ranma nodded, "Well... I guess it was since we were on Spring Vacation..."
Nabiki blinked, "How do you figure?"
"Well, you... kissed me..." Ranma shifted his eyes away, growing a bit blush in his face.
"Ranma, I've kissed you severa... sev... oh..." Nabiki immidiately understood what he was referring to, and was surprised herself that she hadn't even thought twice about it, "I guess I did, didn't I?"
"I mean, if you like me both as a guy and a girl..." Ranma turned back to look at Nabiki, "I decided that China will always be there, if I... if we decide we needed a cure."
Nabiki wasn't so sure about liking Ranma as a girl. She didn't mind it, but she didn't feel anything for him as a girl. For his true form, she felt lust, yearning, and even possesiveness. Towards his female form, she felt admiration, envy, and affection. But, in it all, when she thought about Ranma, she felt love, devotion, and yes, even more lust. The conclusion, she didn't see any reason for Ranma to get a cure at all, other than for strictly convenience.
"I'm not in a hurry to let you run off to China, Ranma," Nabiki said in a bemused tone.
Ranma chuckled, this time in a livelier fashion, "Well, I ain't in a hurry to go anywhere."
"Glad to hear it, Ranma-hon," Nabiki replied, patting Ranma on the leg affectinately. "Where's Shampoo? I thought she would have been in here by now?"
Ranma only could shrug, "Beats me, maybe she slept in?"
With a sigh, Nabiki got up from the table, "Go ahead and finish your breakfast and get ready for school, I'll go wake her up then." Nabiki got up, and kissed Ranma on the cheek, before heading for the living room and the staircase. Just as she was about to go upstairs, she heard the shower running in the bathroom. "Well, I guess there's no reason to let a good breakfast grow cold," Nabiki commented to herself, going back into the kitchen.
Shampoo waited to make sure Nabiki wasn't going to check in the bathroom, before sighing. Fortunately Ranma did follow Shampoo's advice from last night. She swore that she would not let him get any sleep until he knew what the problem was, and apparently he understood it more than just academically.
Once again, she helped to keep them together with little strain on their relationship. It was time to admit it, there was no way she could in good concience follow her own laws. At that thought, Shampoo wiped a tear, realizing that she now had much to prepare for; the rest of her life.
____________________
Ranma watched Kaoru walking back to the Tendou home after working with his father in the clinic afterschool. The redheaded girl decided Ukyo's idea was just too much like a date for his own tastes, but figured she was still right about meeting him in his girl form. Taking a deep breath, Ranma called out to the morose looking boy, "Hey, Kaoru!"
The boy paused, before looking up at the girl of his dreams standing on a nearby wall, "Rachael?"
Ranma jumped from the wall, and strode over to the surprised boy, "Hey, long time no see! And for once you're not acting all goofy." Ranma smirked at the boy, intending humor, but earned an even longer face from him. At the young Ono's silence, the pigtailed girl became solumn, "Look, Ranma apologises for the sparring match. He wasn't really thinking all that much. I... he didn't think you'd take it so hard."
Kaoru cast his eyes downward, "So, you know about it too?"
Ranma's eyes widened a bit, realizing her folly, "Ah... yeah... but don't let it get you down, alright? I... er... he was trained the same way by Pops... his Pops."
"Tell him I want a rematch."
"Uh, sure," Ranma replied, blinking, "If that's what you want."
"I'll let him know when I'm ready," Kaoru then added, "I got to get home now. It was nice to see you again, but I have a lot of things on my mind." Like taking a spoon, and frantically digging out the despair he was feeling in his heart, as his very goddess also knew about his complete humiliation. He was no longer worthy of her.
Ranma felt she had to say something, as the boy turned to leave, "Wait... Kaoru..."
Pausing, but not turning to look back, Kaoru responded, "Y-yes, Rachael?"
"Would you like it... if I helped you train?"
Nabiki was absolutely, positively livid, as she stormed into her home, and turned to allow Ranma passage, pointing towards the interior, "Get in here, *now*."
Those had been the first words Nabiki had said to him since they left the training hall. At the hostility, venom, and fury in them, Ranma was immidiate in his obedience. Even with his quick compliance, the pigtailed martial artist still had to respond, "What's got you so ticked off? I didn't harm him in any way, just like you wanted!"
"Damn it, Ranma!" Nabiki nearly shouted, and was about to continue, before she thought enough to shut the front door, "Ranma, what the HELL were you thinking back there?"
"Hey! I didn't beat the tar outta him like I promised! I didn't even leave a bruise or anything! Why you getting so bent out of shape for?"
"You didn't just 'beat the tar out of him', Ranma," Nabiki seethed, "YOU ABSOLUTELY HUMILIATED HIM!"
Ranma blinked, "Well... he has a long way to go, that's all."
Nabiki nearly screamed at his obliviousness, and chose instead to storm into the rest of the house. The pigtailed boy followed, still wanting to make his point. "Really, that's how my Pops started on me! How is he supposed to be motivated if he doesn't know how far he needs to go?"
Nabiki turned sharply at Ranma, "Oh? Could that be the reason you're also so damn obnoxious at times?"
That brought Ranma up short, causing him to almost stop in mid-stride. His expression shifted for the merest of seconds, before he turned away, and headed upstairs without another word.
Nabiki watched him leave, still exeedingly angry for the crass display towards her nephew, but concerned dearly about hurting Ranma's feelings.
Ranma refrained from slamming the western style door, and sulked onto his bedding. He just didn't understand what got her all up in knots over this. Come to think of it, Nabiki had been getting a lot more snippity about things lately, starting with sparring with Kaoru in the first place. The whole week since then, she had been knit-picking at small things, but fortunately not with any sincere malice. It was still irritating, but he complied. Not knowing what else to do about it, he decided another perspective was best.
____________________
Nabiki wasn't sure how to take Ranma avoidance of her for the rest of the day, even if she understood his reason. She knew that it would be best if they took a bit of time to cool down, even if it wasn't what she considered a major disbute. As much as Ranma and she knew they loved each other, a single confrontation isn't going to do any harm in the long run.
Regardless, the middle aged woman decided it would be a good idea to pick a little something up for the two of them when she came home from work today. Maybe a trip to the Cat Cafe, even if it was a bit out of her direction, would show him some of her appreciation. She was still going to have to talk to him about his conduct with her nephew, and get him to apologise to Kaoru.
Disregarding the potentially taxing task she had in store for her, Nabiki concentrated on her work. She hadn't quite fallen behind, but she had a larger workload than usual. The clients she had for that day had already left, making it for a rather conventional day. And other than the work, everything seemed just as it ever was.
Nobody seemed to notice any changes she might have had over the past week, and in one way, she was grateful, yet a bit dissappointed. Maybe it was how she simply managed to retain control over her emotional stature in her professional enviorment; maintaining her friendly contenance that seemed unnaffected by anything outside the office. But, even if she was sure her mystery relationship was now common knowledge around the office (fortunately, no one seems to have known about the incident at the attic restaurant), she had thought she might have seemed a bit... happier, possibly even relaxed. She certainly had been feeling that way, after all.
Placing her ind back into the paperwork before her, she didn't even notice Charles walk into her office until he was comfortably seating himself in the chair opposing her at her desk. Nabiki glanced up, and favored the French native with a greeting smile; a mixed blessing, she was sure, and more than positive she would regret his current visit one way or another. "Hello Charles, is there something I can help you with?"
Charles shrugged, "Oh, I apologise, I just simply missed this chair. Perhaps I shall aquire it at some point?"
"if it goes missing, I assure you that you wouldn't be able to hide long enough from me," Nabiki retorted with false menace, undermined by the humorous smile she wore.
"Well, that being the case, perhaps I can indulge you with some light conversation, while I enjoy this seat. I must reiterate how comfortable this is."
"I sincerely have a lot of work," Nabiki replied, turning back down the reports in hand.
"I'd be more than willing alleviate a signifigant portion of you work, in exchange for some friendly conversation," the Frenchman graciously offered.
Nabiki stared at him, as all sorts of alarms went off in her head. He was offering to do some of her work volitarily, something was definitely up, "These are my direct clients. Thanks for the offer, but I'm afraid you wouldn't be much help with these."
"Which means about half that pile will not be due until next week," Charles said, factually, as he calmly reached over, and took the pen from Nabiki's hands.
The middle aged woman's expression went neutral and business like, "What do you know?"
Charles tilted his head to the side, and folded his hands over his lap, "What I know? Nothing, of course." Nabiki remained silent, knowing there was more to what he wanted to add, she didn't wait too long.
"But..." Charles continued, "I was interested in how you have been today."
"And why the sudden interest?"
Charles looked out the window behind Nabiki, almost as if favoring her with the privacy of the emotions she would not be able to shield in her eyes, "Well, for the past week, you had been... shall we say... much more outgoing? Perhaps it was that you were spending more time in the breakroom when much of the staff was present. Or maybe the fact that you held a pleasant conversation with Reiko."
"And why wouldn't I have one with a co-employee?" Nabiki enquired, knowing he had a point to this.
"Because up until then, Mrs. Haji had thought you disliked her for some reason," Charles replied easily, "Yet you were conversing with her as if you had been old friends. She is thankful for the restaurant suggestion, by the way. Her husband enjoyed it emmensely for their anniversary."
"I have nothing against her," Nabiki quipped. She didn't have any animosity towards Reiko at all, it was just that she had little in common with the woman, and even if Nabiki was easy going, she never attempted to force a conversation, preferring them to go easily. She had overheard the married woman chatting with a few other co-workers about her anniversary, but didn't have any idea what they wanted to do for it. Nabiki decided that she had one possible suggestion, particularly since the restaurant she had taken Ranma to was rather new and exellent, yet not overly crowded.
"And she'll be happy to hear that, I can assure you," Charles said, nodding. "Today, you've been holed up in your office, and the last couple of times that you had exited, you barely even gave a greeting to anyone. Mr. and Mrs. Nashi, am I correct on their names?" Nabiki nodded, confirming the names of her clients for today that had left an hour ago. At the confirmation, the Frenchman continued, "Mr. and Mrs. Nashi seemed a bit concerned for you. You rarely become so curt with your clientelle."
That surprised Nabiki, she hadn't even thought she had been acting in such a differential manner, "Hmm, I can't honestly say how I managed to give them such an impression, but there may be some things preoccupying my mind, I'll admit."
"Yes," Charles agreed, "It does seem that way. Anything you want to discuss?"
The way he had said it, it sounded as if he knew she needed to talk about it. Nabiki wasn't under such an impression about herself, "It's nothing I can not work out by myself."
"Ah, you are a capable and strong woman, but it is much easier to spell things out to a third party, no? If only to hear it yourself out loud."
"You're pressing your luck," Nabiki commented, "You really are being nosy, even for you."
"I'm bored," Charles said, simply.
"Then why don't you go on home?"
"I would just be bored there, too," Charles countered, "As it were, tell me, what did you presume me to know?" At the tight lipped expression Nabiki was giving him, he guessed she wasn't going to be forthcoming, and spoke on suspicion, "Did something happen to conclude you trist with the admirable young boy you had been seeing? You apparently had grown more enamored with him, according to what I was told about your date a week ago."
Nabiki paled, not shockingly pallored, but enough to state her reaction. Her face also firmed a bit more, as she withheld any anger from it, "You said you didn't know anything."
Charles was rather surprised by her reaction, and the venom in her voice, "I just know what you told Mrs. Nashi. You *did* share a romantic dinner with the young man, or had you been there with another?"
Nabiki realized she may have let on more than necessary. Charles, from the sound of his prying, was under the impression that she was seeing someone new, and was trying to get details. "It's beyond your business, but I haven't broken up with Ranma."
"So you are still with Mr. Saotome even now?" Charles asked, still curious and concerned about Nabiki's attitude today, though knowing he had gained a great deal of information, regardless of Ms. Tendou's attempts at keeping quiet.
Nabiki internally swore. Charles now knew Ranma's full name. That definitely was too much information, should he choose to investigate out of 'boredom'. "Please, leave before I am forced to make grievences against you."
That brought the French Native short, as he looked at Nabiki in mild shock. With a curt nod, he stood up, and bid her a pleasant day, before exiting her office. Nabiki kept her eyes downcast, before reaching for her pen, before retracting her hand, and pounding her fist into her desk. Ignoring the dent she left in the wood, she stood up, and turned to look out the window. "Damn it, Ranma..."
____________________
"Welcome to Ucchan... hi Ranma," Ukyo quickly amended her greeting, upon noticing the distress expression her latest potential customer was wearing.
Ranma attempted a weak smile for her benefit, "Hey Ucch... Ukyo. How's business?"
The young chef's smirk was far from falsified, reflecting her pride, "It's doing alright, sugar. Of course, when you make the greatest okonomiyaki in Japan, you can expect it."
Ranma chuckled lightly, though it was distracted and mirthless. It wasn't lost on the girl, as she poured some batter onto the grill, "So, what will it be?"
"Ah... whatever's fine."
"You betcha, one liverworst and coffegrind special coming up," Ukyo replied, before reaching under the counter.
"Ukyo, can I ask you something?"
Internally sighing that Ranma hadn't called her bluff, Ukyo finally acknowledged his mood, "I had a feeling that you were here to talk, but I have to admit I'm a bit surprised you came to me."
"There... aren't many girls that I can talk to about this," Ranma commented in a subdued manner. "The only other girl is Shampoo, and she'll probably just tell me how stupid I'm acting."
Ukyo was about to answer, before looking around the restaurant in irritation. Her eyes rested upon where she had heard a faint comment from, but disregarded it. ukyo turned back to Ranma to continue the conversation, "Ms. Tendou?"
It was more of a factualization than a question. Ukyo was already sure of the subject, and trying to hide her discomfort towards it. Ranma nodded, "I guess I ticked her off something fierce yesterday. We... I guess we got into a fight."
"I'm sorry to hear that hon," even if she didn't really understand the relationship between them, she was sincere in her apology. It was painfully obvious that Ranma took it seriously, and stating her personal opinion on it again wouldn't be the best idea. "What happened?"
"She's upset that I sparred against her nephew. I think he goes to Furinkan, too. Kaoru Ono?"
Ukyo schooled her expression, hiding the mild shock, "Would this have anything to do with the way he was moping at school all day?"
Ranma didn't directly answer, "Geez, I didn't think he would take it that bad. Hell, if I held back any further, I would have been standing still!"
"I see," Basically, he demoralized him like Ranma used to do her when they were kids, he really was an insensitive jerk. "Nabiki has a jewel with you, you know that, sugar?"
"What?" Ranma asked, oblivious to her sarcasm.
Ukyo shook her head, "Ranma, you try apologising to Nabiki?"
"I..." Ranma recalled his retreat from the confrontation, "...didn't get the chance to."
Ukyo frowned deeper, adding the toppings for a regular okonomiyaki to the partially cooked batter, "Things got that bad, huh?"
"Yeah... hell, I dunno," Ranma admitted. He wasn't sure how to contend with Nabiki's direct assault, but knew by now that his usual responce would not have helped the situation at all. The very fact that Nabiki compared him to his father, a man she didn't have much respect for from what he figured, and not being far from the truth, even if he didn't see the big deal with the problem; that probably stung harder than any retort Nabiki had made at him.
"What do you mean, you don't know?" the young entreprenuer enquired, favoring Ranma with a sceptical look, "I mean, if you're tore up enough to have to come all the way up here to talk about it to someone, it obviously made an impact on you."
"I don't understand her sometimes. When I think we see eye to eye, she goes and jumps at something like this. It's not like Kaoru's hurt or anything..."
"Excluding his pride," Ukyo amended for him.
Ranma gave Ukyo a puzzled expression, before continuing, "He'll get over it. I didn't become the best by people taking it easy on me. I mean pops ran me through the roughs... literally."
"Ranma-hon, taking into account the fact that the two of you abandoned me on the side of the road, then he just up and left you with a woman twice your age that you claim to be in love with, when you're also supposed to be MY fiance..."
Ranma winced at each point the chef made, and decided it probably wasn't the most thinking move to bring his father into this. Ukyo continued, seeing Ranma properly cowered, "...you may want to think of a better example than the big jerk. As with Nabiki, I have no idea what she wants from you, really. But I would suggest an apology is the least you can do." Ukyo scooped up the entree from the grill with a subtle flourish, and presented it to Ranma, "I'm not in her age group, Ranma. Who know what's going through her head at that age."
"What about her age?"
Ukyo blinked at the sharp and obvious defense in his tone, "Well, she's a lot older than me, Ranma, I'm pretty sure she sees things from a much more evolved perspective."
"So you're saying she's smarter than you?"
"Wiser... sugar, wiser than me," Ukyo corrected, trying not to take offense, "There's probably a lot more she's considering about this." As well as there being a good amount Ukyo figured Ranma wasn't telling her.
"You're right, sorry," Ranma apologised, "Guess this whole thing's got me on edge." Ranma absently took a bite out of the food offered to him, barely noting the taste.
"You know? It probably wouldn't hurt to... well... apologise to Kaoru-hon, too," Ukyo suggested.
"Huh, I should?"
"Call it a hunch it may help you get back into Ms. Tendou's favor," Ukyo replied, before once again looking out into the rest of her restaurant, this time glancing in the same general direction a few other women were.
Ranma missed Ukyo's derisive snort, "Well, I guess it couldn't hurt. I don't want her staying mad at me, even if I don't know the reason."
"That's the spirit, hon!" Ukyo congradulated, "Oh... and it may be best if a certain redhead did it..." At Ranma sceptical look, Ukyo explained, "He may not be in the best of moods to talk with you directly, sugar. I would suggest a middleman... or middlegirl, in this case."
Ranma still didn't see what the big deal was, but if both Nabiki and Ukyo saw it as such, he was pretty sure he was missing something important about it, "I guess it would be a good idea."
"Yeah," Ukyo quipped, controlling her humor, "Why don't you meet him somewhere, like a restaurant. You can bring him by here, if you want." The young chef once again briefly looked outward, becoming fed up, "Jerks..."
Ranma nodded, as he finished up the last few bites of his okonomiyaki, and missed Ukyo's comment, "Thanks, I appreciate the help."
Ukyo shrugged, "What are friends for?"
Nodding in agreement, Ranma pulled out his wallet, before Ukyo waived him off, "It's on the house, hon."
With a grin, Ranma pulled out a thousand yen note, and laid it oun the counter, "Consider it a tip, then."
Ukyo shook her head, chuckling to herself. She went ahead and pocketed the money, since she was sure Ranma wouldn't take it back, no matter what. Just as the pigtailed young man was turning to leave. "Ranma... wait..."
Turning almost on pivot, Ranma responded, "Yeah?"
In a more serious tone, Ukyo gave him a little more advice, "Tonight, when you talk with Nabiki, you might want to get her something. Something she'll appreciate so you know you appreciate her."
Ranma gave her a smile, one that was wholly more sincere than the one he walked in with, "Thanks again."
"Don't mention it."
Ranma turned to leave, feeling a little less unsure of himself, and a bit more eager than before to face Nabiki. Just as Ranma was reaching the door, he paused, and turned to see a couple of girls get up with a disgusted looks on their faces, head to the counter, pay, and then briskly stride out of Ucchan's.
Confused about the commotion, Ranma followed Ukyo's heated glare from the counter, towards a couple of guys about a decade older than Ranma.
"About six years, man."
"Heh, that much older? Damn man you were scraping!" The second one stated, mocking his pal for his apparent low.
The first one laughed along with the second one, "Well, what can I say? Women are like dogshit, the older they are, the easier they are to pick up!"
The next thing everyone in the restaurant registered was the wall they were against shaking. The man that had been speaking then noticed he was being held against said wall, one handed and upside down.
"What. Did. You. Say?" Ranma asked in furious, controlled syllables. When no answer came, Ranma started pressing Ukyo's customer harder against the wall, proving that he expected an answer, and the wrong one would be whatever came out of his mouth.
"Ranma, let him go."
The pigtailed martial artist went rigid, when he felt the edge of Ukyo's battle spatula against his neck. With a growl, Ranma began to release the man at his mercy.
"Let him down gently, Ranma," Ukyo commanded, trying her best not to allow a violent incident to occur in her establishment.
Pursing his lips, Ranma complied, before turning to Ukyo with an expected explanation. "Why?"
"Ranma, I'm not about to have you beating up jerks in my restaurant... no matter how deserving they are." Ukyo then turned to the guy, as he was dusting himself off, smirking in victory, "And I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave. In the future, I am sure you will find plenty of other establishments that may be to your liking."
At the subtle allusion that he was no longer welcomed at Ucchan's, the man began to make a retort, just before Ranma fixated a glare on him that he was sure he just 'felt'. Without another word, he motioned his compatriot to follow him out of Ucchan's.
Once the incident was over, Ukyo looked back at Ranma, "Maybe it would be best if you cooled down before you went and apologised to anyone, too."
With a single nod, Ranma also left Ucchan's.
____________________
Ranma didn't return until late, having felt like he practically traversed all over Tokyo in that day after school. From Shibuya to Nerima to talk with Ukyo, and from Nerima to Azabu to act on Ukyo's advice. His trek proved fruitless, having been turned away by the gate guard at the New Sanno Hotel, after being informed that the woman he wished to speak to was no longer located there.
Defeated, he returned, not needing to see the white BMW parked out front to know that Nabiki was already home. He hoped she wasn't too upset about him being out so long without even giving knowledge of his whereabouts, he didn't want another fight with her over something so trivial.
Opening the door, Ranma announced his arrival, "Hey, Nabiki, sorry I'm late."
"Where've you been, Ranma?"
The voice from the living room didn't sound at all hostile, which allowed Ranma to relax, "I had some things to think about, and I... wanted to apologise to you."
Ranma paused in taking his shoes off, when he heard Nabiki's footsteps across the carpet, heading towards him. He looked up to see the woman standing at the entryway to the living room, looking at him curiously and expectantly. After a couple seconds of silence, Nabiki allowed a wry grin to cross her face, "And you had to stay out past ten to do that?"
Ranma blinked, not realizing he had been out that late, "Ah, I didn't notice the time. I kinda took my time getting back here from Azabu."
"Azabu?" Nabiki enquired, before dawning struck on her. Motioning Ranma to come all the way into the house, Nabiki headed back to the couch, "So, what did you want to talk to Jesse about?"
"I was... I was going to pick up some more of those chocolates you liked so much," Ranma replied in a subdued tone, "She's not there anymore, though."
Nabiki stopped behind the couch, laying her hands against the backrest, and looked at the TV with an unregistering gaze, "I know."
Ranma could sense that Nabiki was rather upset about it, and concluded that Ms. Summers was never coming back. He knew they were good friends, so Nabiki was probably hurt by the American woman's absence. Carefully approaching Nabiki, Ranma grasped her shoulders gently from behind, "I'm sorry she's gone."
Nabiki nodded, reaching up to pat one of Ranma's left hand with her right. She broke away, and walked around the couch to sit down. Ranma joined her, and held the silence between them for several minutes. Nabiki appreciated it, as she was working to get her own feelings on the matter in check. She wasn't going to break down and cry, or anything, she simply needed to compose herself.
Finally, Ranma spoke again, "Listen, I guess I can see your point about Kaoru..." Nabiki's expressionless stare signaled her slight dissapproval, forcing Ranma to submit, "Alright, I understand why you're mad about it. I just didn't see anything wrong with it... at the time, I mean."
"Ranma, I know you meant well, and you were only following our school. But-"
"I know, I know, alright?" Ranma interrupted, attempting to avoid a lecture, "I'm also going to apologise to Kaoru when I get the chance." Ranma didn't even have to look back at Nabiki to know she wasn't satisfied with his answer, "As soon as possible, I mean."
Nabiki relented, and snuggled against him, "That's good to hear, Ranma-hon. I'm glad we agree on this."
"I'll probably talk with him in my girl form, since he might still be mad at me personally."
The middle aged woman raised her head and looked at Ranma, "Why? Where'd you get a silly idea like that?" Even if Ranma had a point, if Kaoru were to see 'Racheal', he would go too far to pieces to make a good conversation. Not only that, if his unrequited redheaded love were to show that she knew about his humiliation, who knows what that would do to Kaoru's self esteem.
"Ah... Ukyo suggested it... that I probably talk to him on a bite to eat, like at her restuarant."
"She suggested you take him out on a date?" Nabiki enquired, very unamused at the suggestion.
"Uh... it's not a date..." Ranma paused, thinking about it, "M-maybe it does sound like a date... a little."
"Ranma," Nabiki began to chide, sighing against him, "all of that won't be necessary. I'm sure if you just approach him respectfully, he'll be willing to hear you out."
Ranma internally glowed at the feel of Nabiki against him, and the deliciously savory sensation as she increased and relinquished the pressure between them when she inhaled and exhaled. He squeezed his arm closest to her around her back, and hugged her to him. His worries were proving to be unfounded, as he was almost certain that the whole ordeal was going to turn out into a bigger fiasco than it really warrented. He saw her perspective, but he still thought she was being a bit overzealous about it, but he was willing to sacrifice his own point of view so that she was happy, deities knew how often she had done that for him.
Looking down at her, he found Nabiki studying his face idly instead of watching the television. Neither of them were really interested in what was on it, in fact, Ranma hadn't even really looked at it at all. Feeling a twinge of discomfort, Ranma finally spoke, "Something wrong?"
Nabiki blinked, not realizing that she had been staring at Ranma, "No, nothing's wrong. Just curious to what you were just thinking about."
As much as he hated admitting any of his fears or insecurities, he felt obligated to do so before the woman in his arms, "I was kinda worried that you were gonna stay mad at me again."
"Ranma," Nabiki shifted to make herself a little more comfortable, "I'm not going to stay mad at you, alright? I'm not going to say we can't have our disagreements, but I can promise they shouldn't last."
"So you're not mad at me anymore?" Ranma asked, starting to feel lighter with hope.
Nabiki fixed him with a stern expression, "I haven't quite forgiven you, at least not until you straighten it out with my dear nephew, but you're within my good graces right now."
Ranma smiled, now wholly relieved, "I'll talk to him, first chance I get, promise."
"I'll hold you to that, hon," Nabiki quipped, after leaning up to kiss him on the nose.
Ranma affectionately rubbed her side with the arm hooked around her, and took his time studying her smiling face. He didn't think he would ever get tired of just looking at her, and berated himself for all those times he tried his best not to. True, he had full permission from her to do so, but he still felt those instances past were sadly missed. "Thanks, Nabiki."
The woman relaxed back against him, "For?"
"I guess, just thanks for understanding me," Ranma continued, allowing his eternal gratitude to vent through his words, "I know I hadn't been the easiest guy in the world to contend with, so i just wanna tell you, I appreciate it."
Nabiki chuckled, causing the subtle jostle of her frame to build a mild excitement in the pigtailed young man. "That goes two ways, Mr. Saotome." Ranma could just feel Nabiki becoming solumn, "I... I have to admit you gave me quite a few chances that I didn't deserve. If not for you, I'm pretty sure I would end up alone in the end." The middle aged woman easily suppressed her emotion, keeping the tears from budding and shedding from her.
Ranma remained silent at that, and though she hadn't been expecting a response from him, Nabiki wasn't sure how to take his quietness, "Ranma?"
"It-it's nothing."
Nabiki noticed the distracted tone he had in his voice, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong, I was just thinking about something."
"Care to share?"
Ranma remained silent for several moments, before responding, "It's nothing, alright?"
"If you feel so, Ranma," Nabiki responded, deciding to let the topic drop.
"Nabiki, why is it you decided you loved... cared about me?"
"Why I came to love you?" Nabiki stated, resolutely. She began to speak, whistfully, "It had a great deal with you just being yourself, Ranma. But honestly, I don't know. Desperation to have someone in my life, maybe just hormones running rampant at the right moments. I guess I have no answer for that."
"So, you might have just been desperate... it could have been any guy?"
Nabiki looked at Ranma, almost hurt by the inquiry, "No, it wouldn't have been 'just any guy' Ranma."
"How do you know? I mean, at first, it didn't seem like you even really cared for me other than maybe some concern for my welfare. Were you really going to just stay alone?"
Nabiki thought about it, "I don't know, I honestly don't know, Ranma. I might have found someone else, maybe I might have gotten desperate enough to go looking for someone, probably any guy, or I may have just remained content-"
As she was speaking, she looked back at Ranma, and realized he had stopped listening, "Ranma..."
"Any guy?"
Nabiki leaned away from Ranma, "Ranma, what's this all about?"
The pigtailed young man sighed, turning to look away, "So if it were any other guy, some guy around your age at least, they would have-"
"No, they would not have," Nabiki cut him off. She didn't even know what he was about to say, but knew she better stop him before he got into trouble.
"How do you know that? You said you didn't!" Ranma responded, undeterred, but irritated at her cutting him off and her presumptuousness."
"Because I haven't given a single guy a chance since... since..." Nabiki pulled herself off of the couch. "It's getting late, time for us both to go to bed."
Ranma didn't take the subtle hint that things might be getting out of hand, "But what makes you think that you wouldn't have finally given up, and just settled for whatever's available? ...."
Nabiki paused, and turned. She had heard what Ranma said, as he began to trail off; the final sentence he uttered just under his breath. "Ranma, I didn't 'just settle' for you, don't ever think that." She was more angry over the fact that he presumed that she simply grew needy for someone, than anything else.
"But you'll just give up if someone pushed hard enough?"
That stung. Scrunching her face up, Nabiki turned away, "Go to bed, Ranma. That's the end of this conversation." Without another word, she headed for her room, no longer interested in whatever Ranma would add after that. The pigtailed boy stood there, fuming at his dismissal, before closing his eyes, and sighing.
____________________
Nabiki combed her fingers through her hair, attempting to manage it a little before she went to practice then take her morning shower. The scent that drifted through the house, arriving in her presence to tempt her nose forced her to rework that plan; Ranma was cooking, and she was more than eager to break her sleep imposed fast.
padding into the kitchen quietly, she found her stealth was unnecessary, as Ranma was apparently waiting for her, with three places set for breakfast. Nabiki knew that Shampoo would first insist on her shower, before coming to breakfast, so it was never necessary for them to wait up for her. Apparently Ranma had the same idea, too. From the way he was staring at Nabiki, expectant and hopeful, he had some things to say to her.
Nabiki greeted Ranma with a smile, which managed to throw him somewhat, before she took her seat opposite of Ranma at the dining table. "Good morning, Ranma."
"Good morning," Ranma said faintly, puzzled but glad that Nabiki wasn't showing any signs of irritation from the previous night.
Nabiki looked down at her meal, and then around it, noticing something was missing. Ranma already knew what she was looking for, and with a chagrinned expression, stood up from the table, and went to the cabinet to get one of Nabiki's mugs for her. He then went to the coffee maker, and poured her a cup. "Sorry, I forgot to start it earlier." After mixing in her customary two half squeezes of liquid sweetner from a plastic bottle, and a bit of cream from the fridge, Ranma brought it to her, and set it by the side of her plate.
The middle aged woman already guessed that he was wanting to apologise for last night. Thankfully she had the grace to quickly break he conversation off before it became seriously problmatic, but she was endeared by the effort he was putting forth for her. "Thank you Ranma." Taking a quick sip of her coffee, Nabiki fought down a slight grimace, it was a bit thick, as Ranma probably left it on longer than he thought was necessary, but it wasn't unbearable.
Ranma fidgeted after sitting down, waiting for the moment when he could start speaking. Nabiki was almost cherishing his nervousness, as she pretended to be oblivious towards his discomfort. Finally, she picked up a morsel of food, a piece of the fish. Ranma made a traditional breakfast, which Nabiki did enjoy, regardless of her rather non-traditional views. "Mmm, good!"
"I'm... glad you like it," Ranma replied, testing for an opening much like he would test the defenses of an opponent.
Nabiki finally had mercy on Ranma, even if she found his agitation adorable, "Something on your mind?"
Ranma held a pause for a few moments, wondering if she really forgot last night. He considered dropping the apology, but immidiately decided that he needed to follow through with it. "I wanted to say sorry... for last night. I don't even know why I asked you about... well..."
"About how sincere I was about you?" Nabiki finished for him, unable to stop the tiny bit of emotion from filtering through.
Ranma felt even more of a heel, trying not to sink lower into his chair, "Uh, yeah... that." He realized Nabiki was waiting for him to continue, and that he was past the point of no return. "It ain't true, I know why I asked, I guess."
Nabiki was slightly surprised at that, "Go on..."
Ranma folded his hands behind his plate, looking down at his cooling breakfast, "It's just... just that I... don't..."
"You can't help but have doubts about us, can you?" Nabiki once again finished for the pigtailed young man, this time empathetically.
Ranma looked up at Nabiki with a helpless expression, "Is there ever going to be a time when... you... decide that I... and you..."
"Ranma," Nabiki said, getting up from the table, and walking around to stand next to the young man she loved, "I've had the same doubts since I found out how I felt about you. Don't believe that two people in love won't have them, and it would be foolish not to even consider it once or twice."
Ranma's lips pursed at that, "So, you're saying that it's alright for me to doubt you?"
Nabiki knelt before Ranma, and hugged him, "I'm saying have some faith in me. It... it scares me just as much as you he idea of you leaving me, but I trust you, Ranma." Admitting it just as much to herself as she did to Ranma, it was as if she came to a realization. She had full faith in Ranma, that nothing would bring him to betray her in any way. The notion was as frightening as it was thrilling to her, that she was willing to invest so much of herself in someone again.
She hugged him tighter, determined to reinforce her feelings on the matter. She knew Ranma had his faults; he was often flippant, careless with his words, oblivious to others, and even unnecessarily hostile given the situation. Beyond those and the many minor ones that she got with the young man, his caring, ofttimes affection, his resolute loyalty drowned out the negatives like a fly in the ocean.
"I trust you, Ranma, because I know since the day we met, you would never willingly choose to hurt me. And given the choice, you would probably go through a great deal of pain to prove it." She finally broke the embrace, and pulling out the unused chair that was next to Ranma, Nabiki sat down beside him, "Remember? When we did first meet how you came up just to apologise to me?" Nabiki favored him with a wry smirk, "Most guys wouldn't give a wick about an 'old woman' they didn't know crying her eyes out."
Ranma sighed at the memory, "I didn't mean it, call'n you an old lady then. I was just mad about the whole thing. Pops had been scheming ever since i could remember, but he rarely used me as the focus of them." Ranma gave a mirthless chuckle, "Well, at least I didn't know if I was being used or not. I just saw it as nother one of his schemes, that's all. At that time I only wanted to go back to China, and get a cure for my curse."
"You don't seem bothered by your curse anymore," Nabiki pointed out, realizing he no longer complained about it, or when he was forced into his female form by circumstance.
Ranma nodded, "Well... I guess it was since we were on Spring Vacation..."
Nabiki blinked, "How do you figure?"
"Well, you... kissed me..." Ranma shifted his eyes away, growing a bit blush in his face.
"Ranma, I've kissed you severa... sev... oh..." Nabiki immidiately understood what he was referring to, and was surprised herself that she hadn't even thought twice about it, "I guess I did, didn't I?"
"I mean, if you like me both as a guy and a girl..." Ranma turned back to look at Nabiki, "I decided that China will always be there, if I... if we decide we needed a cure."
Nabiki wasn't so sure about liking Ranma as a girl. She didn't mind it, but she didn't feel anything for him as a girl. For his true form, she felt lust, yearning, and even possesiveness. Towards his female form, she felt admiration, envy, and affection. But, in it all, when she thought about Ranma, she felt love, devotion, and yes, even more lust. The conclusion, she didn't see any reason for Ranma to get a cure at all, other than for strictly convenience.
"I'm not in a hurry to let you run off to China, Ranma," Nabiki said in a bemused tone.
Ranma chuckled, this time in a livelier fashion, "Well, I ain't in a hurry to go anywhere."
"Glad to hear it, Ranma-hon," Nabiki replied, patting Ranma on the leg affectinately. "Where's Shampoo? I thought she would have been in here by now?"
Ranma only could shrug, "Beats me, maybe she slept in?"
With a sigh, Nabiki got up from the table, "Go ahead and finish your breakfast and get ready for school, I'll go wake her up then." Nabiki got up, and kissed Ranma on the cheek, before heading for the living room and the staircase. Just as she was about to go upstairs, she heard the shower running in the bathroom. "Well, I guess there's no reason to let a good breakfast grow cold," Nabiki commented to herself, going back into the kitchen.
Shampoo waited to make sure Nabiki wasn't going to check in the bathroom, before sighing. Fortunately Ranma did follow Shampoo's advice from last night. She swore that she would not let him get any sleep until he knew what the problem was, and apparently he understood it more than just academically.
Once again, she helped to keep them together with little strain on their relationship. It was time to admit it, there was no way she could in good concience follow her own laws. At that thought, Shampoo wiped a tear, realizing that she now had much to prepare for; the rest of her life.
____________________
Ranma watched Kaoru walking back to the Tendou home after working with his father in the clinic afterschool. The redheaded girl decided Ukyo's idea was just too much like a date for his own tastes, but figured she was still right about meeting him in his girl form. Taking a deep breath, Ranma called out to the morose looking boy, "Hey, Kaoru!"
The boy paused, before looking up at the girl of his dreams standing on a nearby wall, "Rachael?"
Ranma jumped from the wall, and strode over to the surprised boy, "Hey, long time no see! And for once you're not acting all goofy." Ranma smirked at the boy, intending humor, but earned an even longer face from him. At the young Ono's silence, the pigtailed girl became solumn, "Look, Ranma apologises for the sparring match. He wasn't really thinking all that much. I... he didn't think you'd take it so hard."
Kaoru cast his eyes downward, "So, you know about it too?"
Ranma's eyes widened a bit, realizing her folly, "Ah... yeah... but don't let it get you down, alright? I... er... he was trained the same way by Pops... his Pops."
"Tell him I want a rematch."
"Uh, sure," Ranma replied, blinking, "If that's what you want."
"I'll let him know when I'm ready," Kaoru then added, "I got to get home now. It was nice to see you again, but I have a lot of things on my mind." Like taking a spoon, and frantically digging out the despair he was feeling in his heart, as his very goddess also knew about his complete humiliation. He was no longer worthy of her.
Ranma felt she had to say something, as the boy turned to leave, "Wait... Kaoru..."
Pausing, but not turning to look back, Kaoru responded, "Y-yes, Rachael?"
"Would you like it... if I helped you train?"
