Dancing in the Dark
Shadow Knight
Chapter 5: Two-Step
Disclaimer: . . . I don't own it. . . There! I said it!
~
Well, how do you guys like the story so far? From what I've seen, it's okay. Thank you guys for all your reviews. I really appreciate it a lot. I hope that all of you continue to enjoy it. Thanx again.
~
"Are you sure about this, Akane?"
With a slightly nervous look on his face, the longhaired Amazon adjusted his glasses.
The girl, responding to her name, turned toward the boy with a grin on her face. "Mm-hm. It's the perfect plan, Mousse! There's no way Ranma and Shampoo can resist. If just going to the restaurant and 'flirting' got them that heated, can you imagine what dancing will do? Especially in a couples dance?"
Mousse nodded silently agreement, scratching the bridge of his nose. Yet, as he watched Akane's enthusiasm grow, his eyes betrayed him. Seeing through the thick lens of his glasses, Akane frowned a bit and looked at the boy with concern.
"Mousse. . .," she mumbled with a bit of concern, "Are you okay? What's wrong?"
Hearing Akane, Mousse suddenly jerked stiffly back. He paused and looked blankly at Akane's worried face. Swallowing in the lump in his throat, Mousse bowed his head and mumbled, "Idon'tknowhowtodance."
Akane's lips curved down in confusion. "What'd ya say? I kinda missed it."
Looking dimly at the other side of the street, Mousse muttered the words through his clenched teeth. "I don't know how to dance. . . ."
When she heard his embarrassed whisper, Akane's face broke out into a grin. "So that's what's wrong? Don't worry about it," she laughed softly, patting his back, "We'll have plenty of time for you to learn."
Narrowing her eyes, she put the back of her hand to the side of her mouth and whispered, "I'm not that much of a dancer myself."
Hearing her confession, Mousse felt a laugh bubble inside of his chest. So he wasn't the only bad dancer. . . . But. . . Turning to Akane, his smile slowly dissolved into a frown.
"But, Akane," he asked softly, "how are we going to get good enough for the dance contest in so little time?"
A knowing smile spread across the girl's face. "Oh," she grinned as they walked on, "I know someone who can help us. . . ."
~
Ranma Saotome was not a happy guy.
When he came home to the dojo, he stalked up the steps and pounded on Akane's door, wanting answers to all this mess. After nearly breaking her door down from hammering on it, Ranma turned the knob and pushed the door slightly ajar and peered through the small sliver.
She was nowhere to be found in the room.
With an agitated sigh, he shut her door and walked back to his own room, slamming the screen shut behind him. With little grace, he dropped onto his futon and glared up at the ceiling. What was up with that stupid tomboy? Why was she suddenly flir. . . flirt. . . . making goo-goo eyes at the blind duck boy?
Suddenly a thought struck Ranma like a sharp arrow point. Was she giving up on him? Was she. . . . breaking the engagement?
Did she not want him anymore?
Ranma laid there for a few moment, hit by the thought. Suddenly he shut his eyes and snorted. What was he thinking about?! Of course she wouldn't fall for that four-eyed stalker. He was still after Shampoo. She knew that. . . . . Plus, who was he to care if the tomboy wanted to break the engagement and date other people?! He would be free if she did. . . . .
Right?
"Whatever," he mumbled angrily as he fell asleep.
~
"Come on in Mousse."
Glancing tensely at the entrance to the house, Mousse wasn't sure if he should trust his gut instinct and run or if he should just push back all the warning bells in his head and step in.
He chose the latter.
Sliding the screen shut behind him, he carefully slipped off his shoes and stepped further into the house behind Akane. He quickly followed Akane toward the kitchen where exquisite aromas wafted out to him. Pushing a short curtain out of her way, Akane stepped into the kitchen and motioned Mousse to follow when he seemed reluctant to enter.
He watched her stride over to the chestnut haired girl and tap her shoulder lightly. Turning, the girl placed the knife in her hand on the cutting board and turned to both of them with a pleasant smile.
"Why hello, Akane, Mousse," she welcomed them warmly, "What are you two up to?"
A soft smile played on Akane's lips. "Well, Kasumi, we need your help."
The elder girl never blinked, "And what do you two need?"
Reaching a hand behind her head, Akane's lips grew crooked as she smiled embarrassedly. "Um. . . . could you teach us how to dance?"
Kasumi's face brightened considerably as she heard her sister's request. "Why certainly," she replied, almost a bit too enthusiastically.
Akane bowed, and Mousse quickly followed. "Thank you," they both said in unison.
"Just let me get finished with dinner and I'll help you two get started afterwards. . . . ," she paused, "Mousse? Would you care to join us for dinner? That way we can get started immediately after."
Mousse's face grew red as he regarded her question. Should he stay? There would most definitely be consequences, but. . . . He looked to Akane and saw her smile gently. "Um. . . I guess so."
"Wonderful! I'll make extra preparations. Would you two help me set up the table? It would be of great help," she exclaimed.
"Sure," they both replied.
Both took plates and began to go about the table, setting it up. As they went, Akane sensed Mousse's anxiety. "You okay, Mousse?"
Flicking his dark eyes toward her, Mousse gulped. "Are you sure that this is okay, Akane? I mean. . . .I am always fighting with Ranma. . . And if they think that we really _are_ together. . . . your dad will probably kill me. . . . And then Ranma will want to kill me. . .and . . . oh man. . . . I don't want to think about what else. . ."
Akane reached out and put a comforting hand on Mousse's arm. "Don't worry, things will be just fine. If my dad, or anyone gets mad, so what? It's my choice, and they'll have to deal with it."
Nudging him in the ribs, Akane grinned and whispered, "Just don't get too carried away with the role, kay? I know I'm a fine catch, but you'll just have to keep your mitts off me."
Mousse laughed as Akane pulled away and continued to set the table. Akane soon joined him and finished up quickly. Afterwards, they went to sit by the koi pond and discuss what dances they should learn for the contest that would have the most profound effects on Ranma and Shampoo.
Little did they know that someone had watched their counteraction. . . .
~
That night, the Tendo household was quiet. . . . for once. . . .
That is. . .
Until dinner time. . . .
~
YEAH! Another chapter down the hatch! Woo-hoo! I just hope I can pull another one of these babies out soon. I hope you guys enjoyed that short bit. I would write it longer, but if I did, it would be too long. But don't worry! The next should be out soon. . . er. . . . I hope.
ANYWAYS. . . . .-_-. . . . I ask that you, the reader, would be so kind as to review and tell me if you _did_ enjoy it. Plus you can add any suggestions or questions you have. . . and criticism. . . but maybe you could just be really nice and ignore that last one. :P
Until the next chap,
Ciao. ^_~
Shadow Knight
Chapter 5: Two-Step
Disclaimer: . . . I don't own it. . . There! I said it!
~
Well, how do you guys like the story so far? From what I've seen, it's okay. Thank you guys for all your reviews. I really appreciate it a lot. I hope that all of you continue to enjoy it. Thanx again.
~
"Are you sure about this, Akane?"
With a slightly nervous look on his face, the longhaired Amazon adjusted his glasses.
The girl, responding to her name, turned toward the boy with a grin on her face. "Mm-hm. It's the perfect plan, Mousse! There's no way Ranma and Shampoo can resist. If just going to the restaurant and 'flirting' got them that heated, can you imagine what dancing will do? Especially in a couples dance?"
Mousse nodded silently agreement, scratching the bridge of his nose. Yet, as he watched Akane's enthusiasm grow, his eyes betrayed him. Seeing through the thick lens of his glasses, Akane frowned a bit and looked at the boy with concern.
"Mousse. . .," she mumbled with a bit of concern, "Are you okay? What's wrong?"
Hearing Akane, Mousse suddenly jerked stiffly back. He paused and looked blankly at Akane's worried face. Swallowing in the lump in his throat, Mousse bowed his head and mumbled, "Idon'tknowhowtodance."
Akane's lips curved down in confusion. "What'd ya say? I kinda missed it."
Looking dimly at the other side of the street, Mousse muttered the words through his clenched teeth. "I don't know how to dance. . . ."
When she heard his embarrassed whisper, Akane's face broke out into a grin. "So that's what's wrong? Don't worry about it," she laughed softly, patting his back, "We'll have plenty of time for you to learn."
Narrowing her eyes, she put the back of her hand to the side of her mouth and whispered, "I'm not that much of a dancer myself."
Hearing her confession, Mousse felt a laugh bubble inside of his chest. So he wasn't the only bad dancer. . . . But. . . Turning to Akane, his smile slowly dissolved into a frown.
"But, Akane," he asked softly, "how are we going to get good enough for the dance contest in so little time?"
A knowing smile spread across the girl's face. "Oh," she grinned as they walked on, "I know someone who can help us. . . ."
~
Ranma Saotome was not a happy guy.
When he came home to the dojo, he stalked up the steps and pounded on Akane's door, wanting answers to all this mess. After nearly breaking her door down from hammering on it, Ranma turned the knob and pushed the door slightly ajar and peered through the small sliver.
She was nowhere to be found in the room.
With an agitated sigh, he shut her door and walked back to his own room, slamming the screen shut behind him. With little grace, he dropped onto his futon and glared up at the ceiling. What was up with that stupid tomboy? Why was she suddenly flir. . . flirt. . . . making goo-goo eyes at the blind duck boy?
Suddenly a thought struck Ranma like a sharp arrow point. Was she giving up on him? Was she. . . . breaking the engagement?
Did she not want him anymore?
Ranma laid there for a few moment, hit by the thought. Suddenly he shut his eyes and snorted. What was he thinking about?! Of course she wouldn't fall for that four-eyed stalker. He was still after Shampoo. She knew that. . . . . Plus, who was he to care if the tomboy wanted to break the engagement and date other people?! He would be free if she did. . . . .
Right?
"Whatever," he mumbled angrily as he fell asleep.
~
"Come on in Mousse."
Glancing tensely at the entrance to the house, Mousse wasn't sure if he should trust his gut instinct and run or if he should just push back all the warning bells in his head and step in.
He chose the latter.
Sliding the screen shut behind him, he carefully slipped off his shoes and stepped further into the house behind Akane. He quickly followed Akane toward the kitchen where exquisite aromas wafted out to him. Pushing a short curtain out of her way, Akane stepped into the kitchen and motioned Mousse to follow when he seemed reluctant to enter.
He watched her stride over to the chestnut haired girl and tap her shoulder lightly. Turning, the girl placed the knife in her hand on the cutting board and turned to both of them with a pleasant smile.
"Why hello, Akane, Mousse," she welcomed them warmly, "What are you two up to?"
A soft smile played on Akane's lips. "Well, Kasumi, we need your help."
The elder girl never blinked, "And what do you two need?"
Reaching a hand behind her head, Akane's lips grew crooked as she smiled embarrassedly. "Um. . . . could you teach us how to dance?"
Kasumi's face brightened considerably as she heard her sister's request. "Why certainly," she replied, almost a bit too enthusiastically.
Akane bowed, and Mousse quickly followed. "Thank you," they both said in unison.
"Just let me get finished with dinner and I'll help you two get started afterwards. . . . ," she paused, "Mousse? Would you care to join us for dinner? That way we can get started immediately after."
Mousse's face grew red as he regarded her question. Should he stay? There would most definitely be consequences, but. . . . He looked to Akane and saw her smile gently. "Um. . . I guess so."
"Wonderful! I'll make extra preparations. Would you two help me set up the table? It would be of great help," she exclaimed.
"Sure," they both replied.
Both took plates and began to go about the table, setting it up. As they went, Akane sensed Mousse's anxiety. "You okay, Mousse?"
Flicking his dark eyes toward her, Mousse gulped. "Are you sure that this is okay, Akane? I mean. . . .I am always fighting with Ranma. . . And if they think that we really _are_ together. . . . your dad will probably kill me. . . . And then Ranma will want to kill me. . .and . . . oh man. . . . I don't want to think about what else. . ."
Akane reached out and put a comforting hand on Mousse's arm. "Don't worry, things will be just fine. If my dad, or anyone gets mad, so what? It's my choice, and they'll have to deal with it."
Nudging him in the ribs, Akane grinned and whispered, "Just don't get too carried away with the role, kay? I know I'm a fine catch, but you'll just have to keep your mitts off me."
Mousse laughed as Akane pulled away and continued to set the table. Akane soon joined him and finished up quickly. Afterwards, they went to sit by the koi pond and discuss what dances they should learn for the contest that would have the most profound effects on Ranma and Shampoo.
Little did they know that someone had watched their counteraction. . . .
~
That night, the Tendo household was quiet. . . . for once. . . .
That is. . .
Until dinner time. . . .
~
YEAH! Another chapter down the hatch! Woo-hoo! I just hope I can pull another one of these babies out soon. I hope you guys enjoyed that short bit. I would write it longer, but if I did, it would be too long. But don't worry! The next should be out soon. . . er. . . . I hope.
ANYWAYS. . . . .-_-. . . . I ask that you, the reader, would be so kind as to review and tell me if you _did_ enjoy it. Plus you can add any suggestions or questions you have. . . and criticism. . . but maybe you could just be really nice and ignore that last one. :P
Until the next chap,
Ciao. ^_~