Okay, yet again I've managed to put down another chapter... Yehey...! #grinning# But first, I've got some questions;
First question: I'm trying to come up with something original and/or nasty as Ryoga's punishment... There's a couple of things I'm thinking about, but I'd love to get ideas and inspiration from you guys, if you'd share it?... Maybe I can use some of it, or it'll give me the perfect idea... I hope...
Second question: This fic is drawing near the end, and I'm already starting to think about a possible epilogue... Possibly with a good dash of lemon.. Do you think that a lemon would destroy the story, or should I let loose my dirty imagination?
And now I'd like to reply to the resent review's I've gotten...
celestial lelila - Thanks for the great review! You won't believe how much my ego swelled... heh, heh, heh... And I'm glad you caught on to the things in my story that lie at the base of my plot... Hope you'll enjoy the rest just as much!
AKU - Thank you! I'm so proud that you like my story...! I'll do my best to keep the quality up.
borg rabbit - Hey there... You keep reviewing, and I really appreciate it! I got a good laugh out of your idea, thanks! We'll see, but I don't think I've got the hang of writing comedy... Though it would have been cool to write a humourous revenge on Ryoga.
Biyabo - I guess you're all for a hentai epilogue with double sprinklings of lemon...? #grin# For those other questions of yours... You'll just have to wait and read the story, just like the others... Muahaha!
Lacy1 - The story was sent to you? Hope you'll like Akane's plan, although there'll be more details in later chapters as the plan is put into action... For Akane's revenge on Ryoga... That's still work in progress, and I'm hoping for something original.
Lerris - Hey again! Glad you liked my "burning fuse/dynamite barrel" line, as for the line with the Tendo's crying so hard that Ranma couldn't change back to a boy for long... Well, I've never seen any of the Ranma anime, so I really didn't intend to use an anime gag... Actually, I haven't even red the entire manga series, but I still try to get things right... Or, I hope I'm getting things right. The fact that I've just red the manga and not seen the anime might also explain my characteristics of Ranma and Akane, as I feel that the pocket-books show a lot of quiet moments for Akane and Ranma together in between their more caotic moments, and a lot of softness too. Plus, I wrote this fiction with the intention of both writing something new (and hopefully good), and to take the Ranma story and change it somewhat into real life... That's why I've tried to make people react naturally to things. And as I've let most of the action play out in nightime, there's not to say that there isn't a lot of chaos going on during daytime... As I've tried to indicate. Anyways, hope you'll like this chapter too...
eckobaby101 - Sorry, but I didn't make Akane kiss Ranma... Well, not directly... Just read and see. Hope you'll like it anyways... Cheers!
nonengel - Thank you for reading it...! Glad you took the time!
AntiSclAngl - Yey! I rock! Muahaha!
Shima - Envision my grin stretching from ear to ear (okay, not a pretty picture, but let's say it's just figuratively speaking/writing), as I'm reading your review again and again... I'm way beyond honoured that you find my fic good enough to fight for the position as your favourite... Hope I'll be able to meet your demands all the way throught!
pontathon - Love your review! I'm so happy that you understand the main lines in my story, and that you think I'm getting it right. I LOVE GETTING GOOD REVIEWS AND GREAT CRITICS! #laughing joyously#
Valakun - Glad you like the story... The way it's original (I've never read or heard of anything similar to it) is my whole reason for writing it in the first place. I just don't see the point of writing something that's been written to death before and again... I'll do my best to finish it with pride and dignity... heh, heh, heh...
MidnightRiuupu - Again: YEY! With all this praise, I just might get a serious case of majorly inflated ego... But, just keep it coming!
And, without further ado... On with the story!
The Ninth Night
Michael Bublé's 'Feeling Good' was floating softly through the kitchen, with Akane swaying and wiggling in tune with the music. Ranma couldn't look away from her, and cursed himself for his lack of personal control, and not being able to steer his thoughts away from her.
When he'd finally been able to sleep last night, his dreams had been filled with Akane and the kiss they'd shared, each dream slightly different from the last one in the way she responded, the place they would be during the kiss, and things they would say to each other afterwards. During the night his dreams had become bolder, until he woke up sweating after a hot make out session on Akane's bed, with Akane moaning his name with heavy desire lacing her voice.
During the day he'd exploded into blushes each time Akane caught him staring at her, but she'd just smiled secretively and turned away, letting him continue to look longingly at her. Ukyo had started fussing, sure that something bad was happening, but he'd fled the scene before his foot-in-mouth technique would earn him pain from his childhood friend.
And now he was watching Akane make Okonomiyaki, the smell already making him drool. At least he hoped that it was the food that made him drool, and not the fact that his eyes were currently glued to Akane's swaying hips, staring at the way her plain cotton pyjamas pants clung to her rounded behind.
"Oooh, I love this song!" Akane squealed as a new song begun, the radio host introducing 'La Tortura'.
Latin rhythms emanated from the radio, and Ranma knew that his drooling had nothing to do with the food this time as Akane snapped her fingers and swayed her hips, dancing slowly while cooking. Her moves were strangely erotic to him, and when she loaded two plates with Okonomiyaki and took them to the table, he never saw her triumphant smile as he quickly diverted his eyes when she turned. However, his eyes quickly popped back to meet her sparkling gaze as she held out an Okonomiyaki to him, intending to hand feed him.
"Here… Try this, and tell me truthfully if you've ever tasted a better one…" she mumbled in a low voice, smiling lazily as Ranma carefully bit into the warm food without trying to take it from her hand.
For a long moment he just stared at her as he chewed slowly, knowing that Ukyo had never even been close to cooking something that made his body almost purr with joy like this.
"It's… good… delicious… beyond this world…" he finally said, after having swallowed his treat.
Akane smiled brilliantly at him, and plopped his Okonomiyaki back onto his plate, placing it before him. Ranma almost pouted at not being hand fed anymore, but his pout turned into slack jaws and large eyes as Akane started licking her sticky fingers, her moist tongue slowly twirling around each of her fingers before she took one finger at a time in her mouth, sucking on them with small sounds of contentment coming from deep in her throat. His eyes darted up to her half closed eyes, seeing her dark eyes staring laughingly at him, and looked back down to how her red lips left a trail of moistness around her fingers as she slowly sucked on them. Feeling his breath hitch in his throat, just to quicken along with his rampaging pulse, he noticed how she'd let her own breath grow deep and heavy, just as she stopped her torture with a last lick to her index finger.
"Mmm… Yeah, it's good." She purred, delicately starting to nibble on her own Okonomiyaki as if nothing at all had happened.
#NOW she suddenly decides to get all sexy!# Ranma roared in his mind, trying to focus on his food in stead of looking at Akane, or feeling how he wouldn't have the chance of getting away from the cover of the table anytime soon because of his current condition. #Great, now I'm gonna have to sit here until my hormones and other overexcited things calm down, unless I want to get deadly embarrassed in front of her… 'Sexy Akane'… When did that happen? Oh, wait… Didn't she say once that she could be sexy if she wanted to? Yeah, something about her wanting someone to be sexy for…#
"Ranma? Can I ask you something"
Akane's voice interrupted his thoughts, and he nodded without daring to look at her.
"Do you… Um… I mean… We're friends, right? And, friends help each other… So, if you want to get together with Shampoo or Ukyo, I'll help you…"
This made Ranma snap his head up so fast that his vision blurred for a second, before locking onto Akane's face. She was trying to meet his stare, but her eyes kept wandering down to her fidgeting hands. Ranma was shocked speechless, wondering what the moment earlier had been all about if she now wanted to get rid of him.
"But, if you don't want them as anything more than friends, I think I've got an idea that can help you…" she finished her stuttering speech.
Ranma relaxed again, the shock having scared his stiff member to soften so that he no longer felt uncomfortable in his rather tight boxers, and he started grinning.
"You know of a way to make them back off? I'm definitively listening."
"So… You're sure you don't want any of them as your girlfriend?" Akane asked softly.
"Ugh, no thank you… Ukyo is my pal, and I've never felt anything more than that towards her. And Shampoo… I'd never be able to trust her. And trust is important to me… Say, could this idea of yours get rid of that nutcase Kodachi too while we're at it?" he asked eagerly.
"Yeah, I believe so… I'm going to challenge them…"
Ranma stared incredulously at her, fear for her safety building up in him.
"WHAT?" he almost yelled. "No way! You're not going to fight them, any of them! I'm not letting you willingly into a situation that could get you hurt! Not a chance! I'm not letting you get hurt ever again!"
"Ranma, hush! That's not what I meant!" Akane whispered furiously, her temper bubbling just underneath the surface.
Although she had matured a whole lot because of recent events, she still had a Temper Deluxe, especially when things gnawed on her patience. The big difference was that rage wasn't her first outlet anymore, she just as easily cried or laughed, or became solemn or giddy, even more now than she had before. Ranma was glad that she hadn't changed that much, and liked the fact that he now was getting to know the colourful girl he'd glimpsed so many times, the girl he'd wanted to stay close to.
"Then what DID you mean?" he grumbled stubbornly, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
"Think about it… What have I been training in lately…? What part of me have I been rediscovering…? What have I proved to you that I'm not just good at, but maybe even better at than the other girls…."
Looking from her sly grin down to his empty plate and back up again, he finally understood, and a matching grin grew on his own face.
"Exactly!" Akane grinned. "I believe it's time to reveal my talent…"
"What do you want me to do…?" Ranma asked excitedly.
"Well, if you could help me to spring the trap… We could trick one of them into challenging me, and I know that the other two will show up too and join in on the contest. You'll be the judge, of course, and maybe you'll even be able to make a few rules or something to make sure they can't get out of the deal afterwards…"
"I can do that. How about we stage a fight between us, to tempt them into challenging you..?"
"Yeah, we could do that…"
Whisperingly, they soon had a rough outline on a plan, and Ranma felt giddy at the thought of ending up with just one fiancée, believing that Akane had the victory in hand already. Glancing over at her as they washed the dishes, he summed up the fact that she hadn't punched him the night before when he'd kissed her, she'd trusted him with her secret night-time cooking practice, asked him to join her again even after the hurtful revelation about Ryoga, the fact that she'd practically been flirting with him all night, and that now she was helping him get rid of the other girls. Grinning at his private conclusion, he came up with the beginnings of a plan of his own. But first he wanted more proof.
"Uhm… Akane?"
"Yes?" Akane turned to him after draining away the last of the water and soapsuds from the sink, and smiled at him.
"Why aren't you mad at me?" he asked her in a serious voice.
"Mad at you? I told you, it's more disappointment and hurt than anger… Haven't we been through this already?"
"No, I meant about the kiss… Why aren't you mad that I kissed you last night…?"
The silence thickened the air in the kitchen, muffling the radio. Akane had frozen, first growing pale and then redder by the second. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, and her eyes flickered slightly, but she seemed unable to tear away from his firm stare.
"'Cause I thought you'd at least smack me in the face, or scream at me… But instead, you're helping me with those other crazed girls, which will leave you as my only fiancée…" Ranma continued when Akane couldn't seem to do anything else but to gape at him.
"I… I…I know…" she finally whispered.
Ranma waited uncharacteristically patient for her to continue, looking down at the young woman in front of him that was blushing heavily. She just kept staring at him, searching his eyes for some kind of answer, and Ranma felt his own face heating up. His eyes grew large as she slowly stepped closer to him, and carefully stood on her toes while supporting her hands to his chest, bringing herself closer to his red hot face.
"A-akane?" Ranma stuttered, almost panicking at her closeness.
Holding one finger to his lips, she silenced him, and with deliberate slow motions she brought her face closer to his. He thought she was going to kiss him, his breathing getting laboured, and fought back an unmanly squeak of surprise when she in stead let the tip of her tongue slide carefully from just under his ear, along his jaw, and to the tip of his chin. The moist trail left his skin feeling tingly, and he stared down into her dark eyes in shock. He thought he could read something there, almost seeing her soul, and felt his control slowly seep back. A small smile graced her lips, and she quickly stepped back and turned to leave him much like the other night – with questions and desires burning inside of him – but with his control back in place he knew well what he wanted. Reaching out, he firmly grabbed her arm and twirled her back towards him, making her stumble into his chest.
"Oh, no you don't" he almost growled, his blue eyes darkening as he smiled down to her. "You're not getting away that easily…"
Being careful not to hurt her, he pressed her back towards the kitchen wall, making sure that she couldn't get away from him. She didn't try to get away from him either, just looked at him with glittering eyes and blushing cheeks, her hands gripping fiercely onto his sleeveless shirt. His hands were planted on the wall on each side of her, and without hesitation he leaned down and kissed her firmly, with closed lips, and slowly pulled her bottom lip into his mouth and sucked carefully on it. Akane's hands relaxed against his chest, and he groaned deeply as he felt her small tongue dart out to caress his top lip. The groan made him open his mouth slightly, and he stiffened in surprise as she slipped in her tongue. The feeling was alien at first, but with small, playful caresses she made him meet her tongue with his own, and after a bit of nervous fumbling he felt they were getting the hang of things. He pressed himself more tightly against her, eagerly kissing her, and shivered as he heard her small groan of pleasure and excitement. Drawing in ragged breaths in between the kisses, Ranma kept her trapped between himself and the wall, relishing in the fact that he could feel every soft curve on her body pressed against him. Lifting her up, he brought her legs up so that she could wind them around his hips, and kept her back pressed to the wall. That way he had easier access to her mouth, and he took full advantage of it, kissing her deeply while he let his hands caress her face.
"Ranma…" Akane moaned silently, throwing back her head as he let his mouth wander down her chin and jaw, and over her sensitive throat.
The music on the radio was suddenly interrupted by the hourly news rapport, and Ranma and Akane snapped back to reality. They stared at each other, breathing heavily. Ranma couldn't tear his eyes away from her, drinking in the way her tousled hair framed her cute face, her slightly swollen, red lips still moist from their kisses, her eyes dark with what he hoped to be desire for him. He kissed her softly once more before he stepped back and let her slide back down to her feet. She wobbled slightly, and he let her support herself on him.
"Wow…" they chorused in breathless voices, both with nervous smiles.
Ranma brought his hand up to caress Akane's cheek, grinning more and more boldly.
"Okay, I'm beginning to like the thought of having you as my only fiancée… I really, really like it…" he grinned broadly.
"Me too…" Akane whispered shyly.
#Yeah, I really like this… And more than just like it… More than just like her… much more…# Ranma thought as he smiled at his favourite fiancée. #And as soon as I get the guts to, I'm gonna tell her.#