Dancing in the Dark
Shadow Knight
Chapter 3: Tango
Disclaimer: I wish.
~
Pulling at his braid nervously, Ranma walked slowly toward the Neko Haten. He didn't understand why, but for some reason there was a tight knot twisting in his stomach. Taking a deep breath to calm his jangled nerves, he silenced all the warning bells ringing in his head and pushed open the door to the Neko Haten.
"RANMA!"
Now he knew why he had that knot.
Shampoo lunged at him and latched onto his frame, her famous death grip making him gasp for air. She rubbed her cheeks through the material of his shirt and on his chest, purring contentedly. Ranma sucked in his stomach tightly and quickly wiggled his way out of her grip, Shampoo looking surprised for a second before going to hug Ranma again.
"W. . . wait Shampoo," Ranma urged, throwing his hands up to ward her off while at the same time trying to catch his breath, "Can I get something to eat here? I'm kinda hungry if you don't mind. . . ."
Shampoo smiled without hesitation. "Shampoo happy to bring Aerin food! Just wait one minute."
With that, Shampoo vanished behind the confounds of the kitchen. Ranma sighed and relaxed into a booth seat. Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he waited for Shampoo to return.
"Oh. . . .How are you, Saotome?"
Ranma's eyes snapped open as he heard the questioning voice. With slanted eyes, he turned sharply and glared at another of his many foes.
"Fine. . . and you. . .Mousse?"
"Wonderful," he replied with a small smile. Whether it was sincere or not, Ranma couldn't tell.
As Ranma watched Mousse go back to wiping down the tabletops, he suddenly was struck by his talk with Akane. Something was going on, and he was going to find out.
"Mousse," Ranma called out, his voice void of emotion, "I wanted to tell you something before I forgot."
"Yes?"
Ranma's face grew cold and stern. "Stay away from A-"
He was suddenly cut off from the one voice he _really_ didn't want to hear at the moment.
"Why, hello, Ranma."
Turning on his stool abruptly, Ranma almost screamed in frustration. After all, how could he tell Mousse to back off if Akane was right there to hear it?
He was suddenly struck by her appearance though. Adorning her body was a simple yet elegant blue dress. Definitely not the Akane type. She must have borrowed it from Nabiki, he thought. And why was she suddenly dressing up?
This was getting too weird for him.
"Hi, Akane," he mumbled, a bit confused and trying to hide it, "what did you come here for? Jealous that I can find some decent cooking from my other fiancées?"
Akane batted him lightly on the shoulder as she took a seat two away from his own in booth. "Now that wasn't very nice to say. Be nice Ranma. I just want to have some food. And meet someone here."
Ranma rolled his eyes at the beginning. When he heard her last part, he suddenly jerked to attention. "What? Who?"
Laughing lightly, Akane simply replied, "Why, I'm meeting Mousse. You're not jealous are you?"
Ranma's face turned a bright red before his cool set over quickly. "Of course not," he snorted, "I don't care what you do, tomboy."
Akane smiled and turned away from him as Mousse came next to her and asked her what she would like. "Well," she started, "I'm not too sure. Why don't you give me a suggestion, Mousse?"
Mousse knew it was time to start acting when he saw Akane flutter her eyelashes at him, in Ranma's view. "Why, how about a simple bowel of chicken ramen? It's a regular for cute girls like you."
Akane giggled lightly and tried her best to put on a fake blush, touching his hand lightly. "You're too kind Mousse. That sounds wonderful."
This is going to ignite the fire, she thought.
With a boyish grin, Mousse smiled at her as if she were the only one in the room. Akane smiled back radiantly. All of a sudden, Mousse felt his heart flutter a bit before shaking himself. Heading back into the kitchen to prepare her order, he chuckled lightly to himself.
She really didn't know the power her smile had over others.
~
To say that Ranma was furious was an understatement.
He was ready to kill.
And he unleashed his fury.
"Akane," he seethed, "what the heck are you doing?! Are you actually trying to act like I can't see you flirting with Mousse?!"
Akane turned in her booth and looked at him with a slight frown on her face. "What do you mean, Ranma? We were only talking. And why are you suddenly getting hot headed? I thought you said you wouldn't be jealous."
In those few seconds, a miracle happened.
Ranma lost his ability to speak.
Gulping like a fish out of water, his cheeks cherry red, Ranma struggled for the words to retort to her. He couldn't say that he was jealous, but he couldn't let that dumb duck boy flirt with her like that! He said the first thing that came to mind, "I'm not jealous of a tomboy girl like you with thick thighs! Go date Mousse for all I care!"
Akane seemed taken aback by this. Of course this was really all apart of their plan. She made her face take on an angry streak before cooling down and settling back into her cool demeanor. "Well, I'm glad that you aren't jealous then."
"That's right!"
Just then, both Shampoo and Mousse returned with their respective orders. Mousse placed the food in front of Akane and Shampoo to hers while sliding next to Ranma. Trying to ignore her, Ranma focused on his food. Yet, he suddenly caught something out of the corner of his eye that made him nearly choke.
Mousse sat next to Akane.
They began having a low voice conversation, Akane's soft laughter spilling out every once in a while. It was the same thing over the next few minutes as Ranma tried his utmost to ignore it.
There would be soft whispers, Mousse casting glances toward Akane with a cool grin. Akane's cheeks reddening in a cute blush.
"Duck boy and kitchen destroyer are acting too too weird."
Hearing Shampoo's voice from his side, Ranma saw that she too was watching the two laugh together and flirt. She bit her nails lightly as she watched them, an almost anxious behavior. Ranma noticed this and was a bit confused. Didn't she hate Mousse?
He suddenly heard her gasp lightly. Turning back toward Akane and Mousse, he suddenly saw red.
Mousse's arm was around Akane's shoulders.
The duck boy was dead.
He started to get up when Shampoo stopped him, by grabbing his arm. "Ranma no leave Shampoo. Please?"
Ranma sighed and sat back down, watching heatedly as the two continued to whisper to one another.
Watching Ranma seethe, Shampoo bit her nails once again. It was odd. Her brain told her to keep Ranma here while she had the best chance of not being interrupted. Yet, in her heart, the feelings were different. She felt her heartstrings being tugged as she watched Akane gain those suave grins, the arm around her shoulders.
These conflicting feelings and thoughts, made her only chew more at her nails in anxiety of what to do.
Suddenly, both Akane and Mousse walked to the door. Mousse whispered something to Akane that neither of the angry pair could distinguish, and with a soft giggle, Akane nodded. Then they did something that set both Shampoo and Ranma on the edge.
They were hugging.
Before either of the two watchers could react, they split and both left out the door.
Shampoo and Ranma were left in the booths, frozen in shock at what they had just witnessed. Ranma was the first to be shaken out of his reverie. With an angry snarl, he slammed his fist on the table. Looking at Shampoo, he could see there was something annoying her also. For what reason, he didn't know why. But frankly, he didn't care. He only knew that there was something very strange going on. . . and he didn't like it one bit.
"And I'm going to find out what that thing is," he whispered vehemently under his breath.
~
YAY! ANOTHER CHAPTER! VICTORY DANCE!
Um. . . anyways. . . ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry it still took me a while to get this done. I've been so busy I haven't had to time to go through and edit it. But you like it now, eh? I hope so.
Anywho, for those of you still in doubt, I repeat: "THIS WILL _NOT_ BE A MOUSSE/AKANE FIC!"
I know that I'm putting the flirting on in layers, but hey, if they want to reel in Shampoo and Ranma into their trick, they gotta. Well, I think this chapter has come to an end, and so has my message.
Until next time,
Ciao. ^_~
P.S. THANKS TO ALL OF THOSE WHO REVIEWED! I FEEL SO SPECIAL! ^_^
Shadow Knight
Chapter 3: Tango
Disclaimer: I wish.
~
Pulling at his braid nervously, Ranma walked slowly toward the Neko Haten. He didn't understand why, but for some reason there was a tight knot twisting in his stomach. Taking a deep breath to calm his jangled nerves, he silenced all the warning bells ringing in his head and pushed open the door to the Neko Haten.
"RANMA!"
Now he knew why he had that knot.
Shampoo lunged at him and latched onto his frame, her famous death grip making him gasp for air. She rubbed her cheeks through the material of his shirt and on his chest, purring contentedly. Ranma sucked in his stomach tightly and quickly wiggled his way out of her grip, Shampoo looking surprised for a second before going to hug Ranma again.
"W. . . wait Shampoo," Ranma urged, throwing his hands up to ward her off while at the same time trying to catch his breath, "Can I get something to eat here? I'm kinda hungry if you don't mind. . . ."
Shampoo smiled without hesitation. "Shampoo happy to bring Aerin food! Just wait one minute."
With that, Shampoo vanished behind the confounds of the kitchen. Ranma sighed and relaxed into a booth seat. Rubbing his eyes tiredly, he waited for Shampoo to return.
"Oh. . . .How are you, Saotome?"
Ranma's eyes snapped open as he heard the questioning voice. With slanted eyes, he turned sharply and glared at another of his many foes.
"Fine. . . and you. . .Mousse?"
"Wonderful," he replied with a small smile. Whether it was sincere or not, Ranma couldn't tell.
As Ranma watched Mousse go back to wiping down the tabletops, he suddenly was struck by his talk with Akane. Something was going on, and he was going to find out.
"Mousse," Ranma called out, his voice void of emotion, "I wanted to tell you something before I forgot."
"Yes?"
Ranma's face grew cold and stern. "Stay away from A-"
He was suddenly cut off from the one voice he _really_ didn't want to hear at the moment.
"Why, hello, Ranma."
Turning on his stool abruptly, Ranma almost screamed in frustration. After all, how could he tell Mousse to back off if Akane was right there to hear it?
He was suddenly struck by her appearance though. Adorning her body was a simple yet elegant blue dress. Definitely not the Akane type. She must have borrowed it from Nabiki, he thought. And why was she suddenly dressing up?
This was getting too weird for him.
"Hi, Akane," he mumbled, a bit confused and trying to hide it, "what did you come here for? Jealous that I can find some decent cooking from my other fiancées?"
Akane batted him lightly on the shoulder as she took a seat two away from his own in booth. "Now that wasn't very nice to say. Be nice Ranma. I just want to have some food. And meet someone here."
Ranma rolled his eyes at the beginning. When he heard her last part, he suddenly jerked to attention. "What? Who?"
Laughing lightly, Akane simply replied, "Why, I'm meeting Mousse. You're not jealous are you?"
Ranma's face turned a bright red before his cool set over quickly. "Of course not," he snorted, "I don't care what you do, tomboy."
Akane smiled and turned away from him as Mousse came next to her and asked her what she would like. "Well," she started, "I'm not too sure. Why don't you give me a suggestion, Mousse?"
Mousse knew it was time to start acting when he saw Akane flutter her eyelashes at him, in Ranma's view. "Why, how about a simple bowel of chicken ramen? It's a regular for cute girls like you."
Akane giggled lightly and tried her best to put on a fake blush, touching his hand lightly. "You're too kind Mousse. That sounds wonderful."
This is going to ignite the fire, she thought.
With a boyish grin, Mousse smiled at her as if she were the only one in the room. Akane smiled back radiantly. All of a sudden, Mousse felt his heart flutter a bit before shaking himself. Heading back into the kitchen to prepare her order, he chuckled lightly to himself.
She really didn't know the power her smile had over others.
~
To say that Ranma was furious was an understatement.
He was ready to kill.
And he unleashed his fury.
"Akane," he seethed, "what the heck are you doing?! Are you actually trying to act like I can't see you flirting with Mousse?!"
Akane turned in her booth and looked at him with a slight frown on her face. "What do you mean, Ranma? We were only talking. And why are you suddenly getting hot headed? I thought you said you wouldn't be jealous."
In those few seconds, a miracle happened.
Ranma lost his ability to speak.
Gulping like a fish out of water, his cheeks cherry red, Ranma struggled for the words to retort to her. He couldn't say that he was jealous, but he couldn't let that dumb duck boy flirt with her like that! He said the first thing that came to mind, "I'm not jealous of a tomboy girl like you with thick thighs! Go date Mousse for all I care!"
Akane seemed taken aback by this. Of course this was really all apart of their plan. She made her face take on an angry streak before cooling down and settling back into her cool demeanor. "Well, I'm glad that you aren't jealous then."
"That's right!"
Just then, both Shampoo and Mousse returned with their respective orders. Mousse placed the food in front of Akane and Shampoo to hers while sliding next to Ranma. Trying to ignore her, Ranma focused on his food. Yet, he suddenly caught something out of the corner of his eye that made him nearly choke.
Mousse sat next to Akane.
They began having a low voice conversation, Akane's soft laughter spilling out every once in a while. It was the same thing over the next few minutes as Ranma tried his utmost to ignore it.
There would be soft whispers, Mousse casting glances toward Akane with a cool grin. Akane's cheeks reddening in a cute blush.
"Duck boy and kitchen destroyer are acting too too weird."
Hearing Shampoo's voice from his side, Ranma saw that she too was watching the two laugh together and flirt. She bit her nails lightly as she watched them, an almost anxious behavior. Ranma noticed this and was a bit confused. Didn't she hate Mousse?
He suddenly heard her gasp lightly. Turning back toward Akane and Mousse, he suddenly saw red.
Mousse's arm was around Akane's shoulders.
The duck boy was dead.
He started to get up when Shampoo stopped him, by grabbing his arm. "Ranma no leave Shampoo. Please?"
Ranma sighed and sat back down, watching heatedly as the two continued to whisper to one another.
Watching Ranma seethe, Shampoo bit her nails once again. It was odd. Her brain told her to keep Ranma here while she had the best chance of not being interrupted. Yet, in her heart, the feelings were different. She felt her heartstrings being tugged as she watched Akane gain those suave grins, the arm around her shoulders.
These conflicting feelings and thoughts, made her only chew more at her nails in anxiety of what to do.
Suddenly, both Akane and Mousse walked to the door. Mousse whispered something to Akane that neither of the angry pair could distinguish, and with a soft giggle, Akane nodded. Then they did something that set both Shampoo and Ranma on the edge.
They were hugging.
Before either of the two watchers could react, they split and both left out the door.
Shampoo and Ranma were left in the booths, frozen in shock at what they had just witnessed. Ranma was the first to be shaken out of his reverie. With an angry snarl, he slammed his fist on the table. Looking at Shampoo, he could see there was something annoying her also. For what reason, he didn't know why. But frankly, he didn't care. He only knew that there was something very strange going on. . . and he didn't like it one bit.
"And I'm going to find out what that thing is," he whispered vehemently under his breath.
~
YAY! ANOTHER CHAPTER! VICTORY DANCE!
Um. . . anyways. . . ^_^ I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry it still took me a while to get this done. I've been so busy I haven't had to time to go through and edit it. But you like it now, eh? I hope so.
Anywho, for those of you still in doubt, I repeat: "THIS WILL _NOT_ BE A MOUSSE/AKANE FIC!"
I know that I'm putting the flirting on in layers, but hey, if they want to reel in Shampoo and Ranma into their trick, they gotta. Well, I think this chapter has come to an end, and so has my message.
Until next time,
Ciao. ^_~
P.S. THANKS TO ALL OF THOSE WHO REVIEWED! I FEEL SO SPECIAL! ^_^