Dancing in the Dark

Shadow Knight

Chapter 6: Rumba

Disclaimer: Never owned it and never will.

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOU WHO REVIEWED! Please enjoy the chapter and sorry for the long hiatus.

Dinner is supposed to be peaceful right?

. . . right?

"Stupid duck-boy. . . where he go?"

Stepping back out of the boy's room, the girl flicked a stray strand of lavender hair with a huff of frustration. Shutting the door, she walked down the stairs, arms crossing her chest.

It wasn't as if she cared about the stupid boy. . . she just. . . wondered what he was doing with the kitchen destroyer, Akane. Yeah. . .that's all. After all, she needed him to help her in the restaurant.

With an annoyed snort, she stepped into the kitchen and grabbed a rag to wipe down the tables.

"Stupid Mousse can go play with Tendo girl all he like. Shampoo no get jealous over stupid fool like him. . . ."

Peering past the kitchen curtains with curious, lavender eyes for a certain Amazon, a thin-lipped frown formed on her face. Scrunching up her face with aggravation, she stalked out of the kitchen and approached the first table with a vengeance.

"Shampoo no care at all!"

Taking her rag, she raised it furiously and came down, rocking the table. The poor table shaking under the might of her scrubbing fist was barely acknowledged by Shampoo. Her eyes were fuzzy and they seemed to be burning.

The table couldn't take any more abuse and then decided to give under the force of her scrubbing.

CRACK

Standing over the table, she glared down angrily and heaved. Bending down, she sighed and gathered the broken pieces together. Why was she suddenly so angry that Mousse was. . . flirting. . was it flirting?. . . with another girl? Was there something in her heart she was refusing to acknowledge?

Shaking her head, she tried to clear her thoughts and stepped outside to throw the broken table away. She couldn't understand it, why was she so flustered over that dumb boy? He was just a silly Amazon boy who couldn't find her in a dark room with a flashlight. . . . .

He was just so stupid!

But. . . . why was she so angry. . . maybe. . . jealous?

"No way. Shampoo must be crazy. . . ," she mumbled to herself as she let the door shut behind her.

Shampoo didn't happen to notice the gray eyes watching her leave. "Something is stirring in the town. . . .," whispered a gravely voice, "and I don't think I like it. . ."

"Hey Ranma wake up."

The sleeping boy simply snored and turned over on his futon, away from the slightly peeved voice.

Ranma felt a shove at his shoulder. With a sleepy grumble he twisted away from the hand. Yet, as he did this, the person only got more persistent. After several failed attempts at shoving and pushing to wake the raven- haired boy up, it suddenly grew quite and still.

On the edges of falling back of sleep, Ranma sighed and started to sink into the inky darkness of sleep.

"If you don't wake up, I'll sell pictures of you in your girl form with just panties and a bra to whoever will buy. Including. . . Kuno and Happosai. . ."

Ranma eyes snapped open.

Leaping off his futon, he glared angrily at the one who threatened him. "You take one photo and I'll. . . Oh. . . Hi Nabiki. What did I do to gain your punishment?"

Tilting her head, the girl's perfectly trimmed, auburn hair fell with the motion of her head, not a single hair out of place. "Now why do you think I'm always trying to hurt you in some way? That's not nice at all."

Ranma frowned. "You're not nice."

Nabiki didn't even blink, but Ranma could see a slight damper in her lips. "Now that was quite uncalled for."

Seeing a small victory apparent, Ranma grinned. "No, I'm sorry. I meant to say you're just an ice queen."

Waiting for Nabiki's reaction, Ranma scooted back a bit. Yet, as he watched her, she simply smiled coldly and stood up. With narrowed eyes she spoke to him coolly, "Better watch your tongue. Any ways, dinner is done and I had the unfortunate task of waking you up. So. . . wake up and get downstairs."

Ranma's stomach grumbled as he started to imagine Kasumi's cooking. "Mmm. I can't wait to- Hey wait! Nabiki, why are you waking me up? Doesn't your dad usually have Akane wake me up?"

Nabiki's lips stretched like she was the cat who ate the canary. "Tonight's an exception. She has a guest over."

Hearing her explanation, Ranma fell back on the futon for a moment and mumbled a small, "Oh."

"A gentlemanly friend."

Ranma jumped up and stomped over to Nabiki. "What do you mean, gentlemanly!"

Sighing, as if from exasperation, Nabiki crossed her arms. "Exactly that. She has a boy over here to eat dinner with us," looking up she grinned, "A little jealous over some possible competition?"

Hearing her words, Ranma's face flushed suddenly, "Of course not! That tomboy can do whatever she wants! I don't care!"

Nabiki rolled her eyes and walked out. Ranma seethed inwardly, conniving every little trick he could pull on this jerk. Oh yes, he would show this dude not to mess with his Aka- Wait a sec. . .What was he thinking? He didn't like that tomboy or anything but. . . He wouldn't let some random jerk come in and sweep her off her feet! There was no way this dude woul-

"Oh Ranma?"

Shaken from his thoughts, he turned innocently toward his door. "Yes, Nabiki?"

"Akane wanted me to warn you that if you did anything to upset her or her guest, she would let you come face to face with her mallet, got that?"

Ranma stared at her incredulously. "Yeah," he muttered as she started to leave.

"Good, I'll see you downstairs in a few minutes. And Ranma, I would advise you to be wise and watch what you say. You never know the consequences for your actions. People do have 'accidents.' See you later, Ranma."

As he heard her feet descend the stairs, Ranma just stared at the spot where she was, jaw slack. Rubbing the back of his head, he sighed and reached down to fold up his blanket.

"What's with those girls? I swear they're out to get me."

"Would you like some more rice, Mousse?"

"Yes, please, Tendo-san."

As the long-haired Amazon reached for the offered bowl of rice, he suddenly felt the room temperature drop about 30 degrees. Warning bells ran in his head loudly as the fine hairs on the back of his neck rose.

"What are you doing here?"

Looking over to the stairs, Mousse could see the source of his anxiety. There, clutching the banister in a tightening grip was his worst enemy.

"Hello, Saotome."

Ranma's cobalt eyes flickered dangerously. "Mousse, what are you doing here?"

"I was-"

"He was invited by me."

Mousse turned to the girl beside him. He saw that her hazel eyes were narrowed as she glared at Ranma. He turned back to Ranma and saw that the martial artist was slightly perturbed by Akane's response. He looked as if he were about to retort angrily, but suddenly he inhaled deeply and walked over to the table.

"Hey," Ranma suddenly spoke, "Where am I supposed to sit?"

"Oh dear," Kasumi mumbled, hand risen to her face, "I suppose that with Mousse sitting in your normal spot next to Akane, we don't have a place for you. Well, I'll be done in just minut-"

"Don't worry, Kasumi," Nabiki said, suddenly cutting her off as she stood up, "I'm done. Ranma can sit down."

"Nabiki. . are you sure?" Kasumi watched as Nabiki brushed off her lap and collected her plates.

"Yeah. . .I'm good," and under her breath she mumbled, "Plus I don't want to miss this chance to see what those two are up to. . ."

"What was that Nabiki?"

"Eh. . . nothing, Akane."

Nabiki quickly made her way upstairs and into her room. Back downstairs, everything was quite with the exception of the clatter of a few chopsticks. . . .

"So. . . . Uh. .Thanks for dinner Kasumi dear, but I have to. . eh. . . go out and get some things. Eh. . I'll see you all later."

"Tendo, wait, I think I'll join you."

Kasumi smiled warmly as she watched the two older men gather their plates quickly and disappear from the room. Turning back to the table, she plucked a bit of the rice from her bowl. Next to her, she could see Ranma glaring heatedly at Mousse. She watched, amused, as Ranma dug into his food evenly, his eyes staring steadily at the Amazon boy.

"Well, you three, I have to go clean up the dishes, I'll be in the kitchen if you need me." With that, Kasumi rose and let her eyes sweep over toward Akane and Mousse with knowing grin. There was something going on between those two. . .

The funny thing was that Ranma couldn't figure that out.

"This meal is. . . exquisite, Akane. Remind me to. . . thank your sister." Mousse kept his eyes down as he spoke to her, feeling the burning eyes from Ranma burning into his bowed head.

"I'm glad you're enjoying it Mousse," Akane smiled at him radiantly. Still smiling, she dropped her right hand and hit Mousse underneath the table lightly.

After talking to him near the koi pond, they put together a plan to take up the flirting gig a notch higher, but in other ways then making googly eyes. Her signal to start was to hit him under the table. Mousse jumped slightly, before he settled back down into his placemat.

Smiling slyly, Mousse's countenance suddenly twisted from his nervous, quite one to a suave, handsome grin. Turning to Ranma he spoke with him sincerely, "So, Saotome, I hope you enjoyed the ramen at the restaurant?"

The normally sky blue tint of Ranma's irises seemed to darken, like the calm before the storm. "Yes," he said evenly, teeth clenched while smiling, "I did."

"Good. I'm glad you enjoyed it. And I'm sure you enjoyed your company as well. I know I enjoyed mine," he looked over to Akane with a smile, her face already radiating with a warm smile in return, "I enjoyed mine, very much."

A small growl grew in Ranma's throat. "I'm. . g. . glad to . . hear that."

"Yes. . . We were thinking of taking advantage of the time we spend great time we spend together and thought about going to a movie. . . . Perhaps dinner after that, Akane. . . . Akane-chan?"

SNAP

The chopsticks held in Ranma's fingers broke in half like thin twigs.

"wHaT!"

Ignoring the blustering martial artist, Akane's honey colored eyes swiveled toward Mousse. With the dusting of a faint blush lighting her face, Akane smiled brightly. "Oh my. . . I think that sounds wonderful."

"EXCUSE ME! AKANE'S MY FIANCEE, YOU BLIND IDIOT! YOU CAN'T JUST GO ON A DATE WITH HER," Ranma was practically yelling at the top of his lungs, trying to get the two to stop their flirting and ignorance of his screams of protests.

Both broke the "enchanting" moment and turned to Ranma. "Ranma, are you okay, you look practically blue in the face from shouting. What are you so angry for?"

Ranma jolted up from the table with anger shaking his frame. "Who said I was angry! I don't care about what you do you stupid tomboy! Go on a date with that blind idiot, for all I care! I'm not jealous at all, I'm not! Don't think that I care! Cause. . .cause I don't!"

With that, Ranma stamped his feet all the way up the stairs until Akane and Mousse could her him slam his screen door.

Both Akane and Mousse looked at each other with feigned shock. Then, with wicked grins, they started laughing and high-fived in victory.

The same pair of eyes that had watched them previously, watched them now, amusement laced in the mahogany eyes.

OKAY. I AM DONE WITH THIS CHAPTER! YEA!

Sorry, this took so long. I've been seriously stressed and seriously hit by the writer's block. Took a while for the bruise to fade. : P

Anywho, now you see that Nabiki has a slight idea what's going on and so does Kasumi. Of course, in my opinion, out of the Tendo household, I think there are some of the smartest. Of course Nabiki is, but I think that Kasumi just puts an oblivious guise on all the time. Who knows. . .

Ah well. Oh yeah. THANK YOU ALL FOR THE REVIEWS! MUCH APPRECIATED!

Until next time,

Ciao.

P.S. Have any ideas on how Mousse and Akane should "flirt" without getting too personal? Tell me all about it in those wonderful little things we call reviews: P