Chapter 10: Romantic Advances towards Holiday Bliss
Wednesday before Christmas Day:

Training in the morning, surviving the school day, and training at night: this was the pattern Ranma's life had taken in the days after dealing with Mint and Lime. The training was still very much a mixed bag. While it led to no spiritual or mental clarity or insight, Ranma was in the best shape of his life. He alternated between strengthening exercises and endurance to keep his speed right about where it needed to be. The goal was simply to be able to strike as fast as before, but harder. The idea was simplistic enough, but it required more varied, and creative, approaches.

This evening Ranma was in the Dojo and going through punching katas, as he so often did. Tonight though, Kurumi and Akane were wrapped around his arms, adding their near identical weight. It served a purpose other than just Ranma's strength training. It helped the girls focus on keeping their grappling muscles strong as their arms and legs held on for dear life. "I gotta admit Kurumi- Yah! I thought this was a silly idea at first. Yah! But it's sort of grown on me. Yah!" Ranma focused on slow, level punches out into the air as sweat trickled down his face. With his torso clad in just a white tank top, there was no arm cloth for them to grip onto. The more he sweated, the harder it was for the pair to grip and hold onto his skin.

In the background, Natsumi kept count, tapping her palm on one leg for a sort of rhythm. "58, 59, 60…"

"Hehehe! I feel like a koala clinging to a tree!" Kurumi said, grinning broadly. Her pink bow bobbed each time the arm she was attached to thrust forward in midair.

"I just feel ridiculous," Akane chimed in. "Are you sure this is solid training strategy?"

"You've had crazier training ideas. Remember when you tried to help me master the Hiryu Shoten Ha and ended up setting your clothes on fire?" Ranma reminded her, panting between each word.

Akane flushed at the memory. "Shut up and train."

"Oooh! Sounds like there's a story there!" Kurumi chimed in.

"Ha. Her hair-brained scheme led Ryoga to think I'd forced myself on Akane and-"

"If you say another word, I'm going to let go," Akane interrupted in a deadpan tone, her eyes dangerously half lidded.

"78, 79, 80."

The pair could feel his arms starting to tremble like the branches of a tree during a hurricane. The grunts of exertion escaping his lips were changing from determined to almost beast-like in intensity as he reached 90 punches. Still, he pushed on, digging deep and fighting against the waves of discomfort and exhaustion in his arms. Bursts of strength needed in combat was nothing new. Lifting Akane to carry her out of danger, hoisting Ryoga's umbrella, or putting his strength into the Chestnut fist for a quick powerful flurry were easy. It was the slow, sustained tax on his strength he sought to improve on. The greater his endurance, the better he could protect Akane and Kurumi looked at one another.

"Don't overdo it, Ranma," his fiancée cautioned.

"95, 96, 97."

Ranma was fighting to keep his arms up and level. Gritting his teeth so hard the pair attached to him could hear the grinding sound, He gave it his all so he could finish strong.

"98, 99, 100!"

"Gah!" Ranma gasped. His training mates were quick, releasing his arms and dropping to their feet even before his arms fell limply to his side. Ranma staggered back to rest against the wall, panting and looking up at the ceiling. His arms felt like limp noodles soaked in broth too long.

"Well done, brother," Natsumi said, a measured note of praise in her tone. As the pair had settled into Happosai's old room and integrated into daily life with their adoptive family, Natsumi had taken up the habit of calling him by that affectionate title on occasion when it was earned.

"Yeah! Good job!" Kurumi added excitedly, pumping both her hands into the air. "100! A new record!"

The praise brought a smile to his lips. He tried to give the pair a thumbs up as he sucked in breaths of air, but he couldn't find the strength to lift his arms yet. "Wasn't no big deal," he muttered. "Now, as soon as I can feel my arms again, Ill be fine."

Akane stood there, watching her fiancé recover himself. This was the hardest he'd worked out all week by far. She didn't exactly know what he was pushing so hard for. A part of her guessed it was related to Happosai's passing in some way, but in typical Ranma fashion, he wasn't overly big on giving exposition when brooding. She'd largely given him space to work things out, showing support and affection to let him know she was here if he needed her. The problem was that their relationship, which had been on the uptick, was now close to flatlining. She thought to the pact she made with Ukyo and wondered how her friend was handling Ryoga on that front. Of the two boys, Akane had to admit that she had the easier situation, if only slightly. Ryoga's crippling shyness would be quite an obstacle indeed. Though, thinking on that, finding time to get Ranma alone and in the right mindset had been challenging too.

Come to think of it… Akane looked around the dojo. Why not now? I might not get a better chance.

Turning to Natsumi and Kurumi, she flashed an easy, soft smile. "Do you two think you can let me talk to Ranma alone for a few minutes?"

"Huh? But why do-" Kurumi started to protest before she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Kurumi, go give Kasumi a hand in the kitchen while I freshen up, won't you?" Natsumi looked at Akane and nodded slightly that she understood, then pushed her sister towards the hall leading out of the dojo and closing the door behind her. The stage was set.

"Akane took a breath and turned around, walking up to Ranma who was still leaning against the wall, eying her with a mix of curiosity and suspicion. Her bare feet padded up to him as one hand reached up to grip the top half of her gi with one hand. "R-ranma?"

"Yeah?"

This was the moment. She would adhere to the pact and make some progress on getting their relationship back on track. For a moment, her words faltered. Then, when the silence between them became painfully oppressive, she said "D-do you think P-chan found a new home? A good home?!"

Ranma raised one eyebrow. "Eh? That's what you want to talk about?"

Akane absolutely floundered. She'd said the first thing that had come to mind just to fill the void. "No... I mean…"

For once, Ranma took pity on her and tried on a smile. "I am one hundred percent certain that P-chan found a nice, warm home. You got nothing to worry about. In fact-"

"N-no!" Akane interrupted, stepping closer and slapping her palm on the wall beside his shoulder, cutting off his words. At her height, she had to raise her arm a bit, but now the distance between them had been cut to the point that her chest was nearly touching his.

Ranma blinked as a slow blush spread out across his face. Did she just kabe-don me!?

Looking down at her, he saw the earnest look on her face. He also saw that her gi was sliding open a little, displaying a hint of cleavage. He picked up her scent in the air and the smell of the vanilla scented shampoo she used in the shower.

"Please just listen," she said, holding her hand to the wall and using her smaller body to effectively pin him in place. "I'm really trying to be patient. I am. We're all feeling loss in our way over the events of the past few months… and with Grandfather Happosai. I want you to have the time you need to work things out." She took a breath and Ranma swore he saw tears building up in the corner of her eyes. "But I need you too! We've hardly had time alone these last few weeks to talk or… anything. We're properly engaged now. Whatever you're going through, we're going through." She touched a hand to her chest. "You're not in this alone anymore."

Ranma had no recourse but to listen. There was nothing in her words that he could refute. By focusing on training meant to keep Akane physically safe, he'd gone and neglected her emotionally. There was a bitter irony there to that, to be sure. Given their rocky relationship, it was no wonder Akane felt a bit insecure about being held at arm's length.

"Ah, geeze," he sighed, riding an emotional wave of guilt stirred up by her words. "I'm sorry, Akane. I wasn't tryin' to hurt your feelings. I just got caught up in everything, ya know?"

"Why are you training so hard anyways, Ranma?

"That's a good question. Partly to protect you and everyone else. But… there's more to it than that. A few things I've figured out, but there are questions I can't figure out. I thought varying up my training might bring some answers."

Akane leaned in a little closer, feeling a little hopeful. "Has it?"

"Nah. Not yet at least. And maybe it's not that important, especially if I leave you hanging like that. Forgive me?"

"I want you to be able to sort everything out," she assured him. "Just remember I need you too, ok?"

He smiled slightly and nodded. "Like you said, we're a team now. I won't forget."

Akane smiled brightly, pleased she'd reached him without initiating a fight. The seconds stretched on as her smile started to wane. "So… uh, now that we've resolved that, what now?"

Ranma cocked an eyebrow again. "You did the kabe-don to me. Get in here and kiss me already."

It was as if she'd waited for that very moment. Akane released the wall with her hand, balled a hand up in his white tank top and pulled his face down to her waiting lips. It was a safe moment. No one was around to see anything. The dojo might as well have been their own universe at that moment. Wide eyes slowly closed as he leaned into the kiss, wrapping an arm around her waist as it struck him just how badly he needed this. Her soft lips seemed to banish the rut he'd been in. When Akane released him and caught her breath, resting against his chest, Ranma found the strength in his arms to hug her. "Thanks for setting me straight, Akane. I owe you one."

"If you feel that way, then you can pay me back by being my plus one at the Christmas party coming up," she replied with a voice muffled as she buried her face into his chest.

"Sure."

Akane didn't pull back in the minutes that followed. She couldn't. The clean smell of Ranma's body after working out left her nose filled with his scent. It was an overpowering need that left her brain teetering on wild ideas of letting certain passions go unheeded until their clothing littered the floor of the dojo. It was such a scarily tempting thought for the girl who had always prided herself on modesty.

With supreme effort, Akane pushed back, panting with flushed cheeks. "You should probably go shower before dinner. I'm going to go help Kasumi by setting the table." And try to forget about this urge to follow you into the bath….

"Yeah, you're probably right." Ranma's eyes were unreadable at that moment. Akane couldn't tell if he was plagued by the same desires she was dealing with. As he left the dojo, she turned, placing a hand over her pounding heart. One one hand, she felt like an opportunity had been lost, but on the other hand, it hadn't'.

"I did it, Ukyo," she said softly, taking a long cleansing breath to banish her rising hormones. "Maybe I'll give her a call tomorrow and see things are going."

Ukyo's father was finally leaving. This left the young chef feeling a real split in terms of emotions. Thinking positively, she'd finally be able to take her pursuits up a notch with Ryoga. Still, it came at the cost of her dad leaving. Considering how long it had been since she'd seen him, the chef felt more than a little sad. Keeping a stiff upper lip was all she could do while seeing him off after school that evening. He didn't make any comment about seeing his daughter in a boy's uniform. Perhaps he'd gotten used to the idea of his daughter throwing away her femininity a long time ago. He wore a proud smile and embraced his daughter, once again dressed in the business suit he'd arrived in.

"Alright, my little Spatula Princess. Make me proud, ok? When you graduate school, we'll talk about schools with programs for restaurant owners, opening other branches, and the works. Until then, keep working hard."

"I will dad," Ukyo said, trying to keep her voice from wavering with emotion. She'd spent half the visit looking forward to his departure. Now that the moment had come, she was fighting to hold back tears. "Don't you forget how to cook now that you've gone corporate and respectable, you hear?"

"Hahah! I won't! Okonomiyaki is in my soul! Now you go get ready to take over the evening crowd while I have a talk with your employee here." The way he said the word made Ukyo suspect he didn't buy the arrangement, at least not entirely. Well, there was nothing she could do about any of that now.

"Be safe, Dad." She hugged him around his broad back.

"I'll call you soon," he promised.

Nodding, she went back inside, wiping at the corners of her eyes before slapping both cheeks, using the slight sting to get ahold of herself. "Alright, Ryoga," her father said, draping one thick arm over the boy's shoulder. "Man-to-man chat time."

In the doorway, Ukyo paused and looked sharply over her shoulder. He actually called Ryoga by his name?!

The elder Kuonji led Ryoga a few paces away, keeping his voice down low. "You've made a lot of progress in your culinary training. I'm proud of you. But don't you go neglecting my daughter, you hear? Protect her. Keep her safe. And no funny business, you understand?"

There was nothing the Lost Boy could do but nod against the man's grip. "Yes sir! With my life!"

"Tch. So dramatic. But that's good. I like your style." He drew back, and thumped Ryoga on the back, knocking the boy forward a step. "Listen. Ukyo locked her heart and femininity away for a long time. She's afraid of being hurt, and she's pretty shy in some ways. Be slow with her. Patient, like. You understand?"

"Yes sir!"

"You're a good kid. Remember what I taught you and you'll go far in this business. What's our motto?"

There wasn't even a moment of hesitation from Ryoga. The way he responded and stood was like a well-trained soldier after basic training. "Okonomiyaki is life! Sir!"

"Hmm. I'm amending that as of today. From now on, it's 'Ukyo and okonomiyaki are life'. Don't forget that."

"You can count on me sir!"

"Good. Now get in there and help my daughter be successful." He paused. "No, no not that way. That way!" He put his hand on Ryoga's shoulder and spun the boy to face the doorway of the restaurant and gave him a push. "Good luck and have fun!"

Ryoga rushed inside to get the counters wiped down. Standing for a moment in the street, the bearded man grinned, his travel bag in hand. "That boy might make decent son-in-law material after all…"

As Ukyo saw it, the blooming bromance between her father and boyfriend had come to an end, at least for now. With fresh determination for her plan, she tackled the evening hours of the business until it came time to close shop for the evening. With a cash register full of yen and the last of her customers departing happy and full, the day had been a real win-win.

At 830 the restaurant phone rang. "Ucchan's Okonomiyaki. I'm sorry, but we're closed for tonight."

"Hey Ukyo, it's Akane. I need to talk to you."

"Oh?!" There was something in the way the girl had mentioned wanting to talk that abounded serious. "Ryoga hon, can you be a dear and finish cleaning up? I've got an important call." Taking the call to the bathroom stretching the cable behind her as she went, Ukyo shut the door and lowered her voice. "Alright girl, talk to me. Mission successful?"

Very successful, it turned out. Like two agents passing valuable intel between one another, Akane spared no details. Ukyo felt a little jealous at the progress her formal rival turned friend had made, but when Akane provided a certain move as a suggestion to emotionally and literally close the gap between them, Ukyo's eyes had glittered with opportunity.

Fifteen minutes later, with the conversation finished, Ukyo stood before the closed bathroom door and slapped her cheeks again. "Alright girl. It's go time. Make this happen."

It didn't matter that the idea hadn't been one she'd thought of on her own. All that mattered was that it was proven to have worked. Nodding her head, Ukyo opened the door and marched stiff armed from the bathroom into the main restaurant. She heard Ryoga in the kitchen and approached him from behind. Grabbing his shoulder, she tugged, insisting he turn around. When he did, Ukyo stepped up close, causing the suddenly flustered boy to retreat against the wall. With a sharpness in her eye, Ukyo thrust out a hand.

Slap!

Her palm impacted to the left of Ryoga's shoulder as she leaned in. Standing only a few inches shorter than he was, their eye-to-eye contact was more direct. Ryoga stood there looking at her wide-eyed, wondering if he'd done something wrong.

It's working! Ukyo felt a sense of elation welling up inside of her. For five days she'd tried little hints and gestures aimed at drawing Ryoga's attention. Direct action was working where being coy had failed. So far, so good. Leaning in, she pressed her chest against his.

But what now? Ukyo faltered a moment, grasping for words. Akane hadn't said much on that part, only to "speak from the heart." That wasn't exactly Ukyo's specialty. She cleared her throat and opened her mouth. "I uh…"

Ryoga was frozen to the wall in shock. His hands moved in the air, grasping at nothing. The touch of her breasts against his chest stirred thoughts inside of him, distinctly male thoughts that almost caused a sudden nosebleed. What is this? Doesn't she realize what being this close does to me?! For that matter, why is she so mad?

"Ryoga!" she shouted, a little louder than intended. "I need to tell you something!"

He stood up straight. "Y-yes!"

This was it! There was no reason to back down now. Her pretty green eyes stared into his browns and she took a breath. "I lo… I lo…" Faltering, she closed her eyes and gripped her faltering courage. "I-I lo-like you, Ryoga!"

Mortified, Ukyo grimaced. She'd changed her words at the last second, falling far short of the mark she'd set for herself. You coward! Wimp! Sissy! Just couldn't say it, could you?! You had one job!

Thoughts whirled through Ryoga's mind as he tried to make sense of the unexpected situation. It had all happened so fast, and her outburst came out of nowhere. "I uh…"Suddenly, it all made sense. He remembered what Mr. Kuonji had said before leaving a few hours before.

"Ukyo locked her heart and femininity away for a long time. She's afraid of being hurt, and she's pretty shy in some ways. Be slow with her. Patient, like. You understand?"

Ohhh so that's it! Ryoga had confessed to being in love with her in the hospital, right after "the incident". But Ukyo hadn't reciprocated. Now, she'd managed to overcome her shyness to a degree and admit to liking him. The strained look of embarrassment on her face told him everything he needed to know. He brought both hands up to her shoulders and gave a gentle squeeze, causing her to draw the hand back from the wall.

"Thank you, Ukyo. That means a lot." His smile was almost dazzling.

"I-it does?" she asked, suddenly on the backfoot and feeling more than a little vulnerable. She'd been trying to muster up the courage to kiss him. It had happened so naturally in the hospital all that time ago. Why was a second kiss now suddenly so hard? And to make matters more difficult, his unexpected words had completely unfocused her plan.

""I understand. I really do. We'll take things slowly. There's no rush at all."

"What? But that's not what-"

"Hahaha, look at that. You have some dough stuck to your cheek. Allow me." Ryoga's right hand shifted from her shoulder to touch her right cheek softly, peeling some dried dough off. Staring up at him, the touch of his strong hand and his words confused the girl to her core. This most certainly wasn't how it was supposed to go.

"Don't worry about pushing yourself." He patted both her shoulders then withdrew his hands. "Like I said, we'll take it slow. Just doing this much means so much to me. I promise."

"Completely flabbergasted at this point, Ukyo's jaw worked up and down, but no sound came out.

"I better finish cleaning up before bed." Ryoga left the kitchen, almost shedding a tear of joy. In his mind, Ukyo was trying so commendably hard. Who would have thought that she was even more painfully shy than he was. Life was funny like that sometimes.

Left alone in the kitchen Ukyo sank ever so slowly to her knees. "Take things slow? No rush? That was the absolute opposite of what I…" Her hands came up, clutching at her head in absolute frustration. "W-what the heck just happened?!"

The date on Tuesday had been an interesting one for Kodachi and Mikado. While no challengers had reared their masked heads, the excitement had been palpable as the pair dined at an exquisite steakhouse. It was a date Kodachi had come prepared for. Not only had she looked up the finer points of modern dating, but she'd also done some internet searching on Mikado, just to make sure things checked out. She'd been pleased to find that he'd been on the up and up with her. There was only the tiniest issue of his massive female fan /br /Kodachi couldn't very well ask him to discourage men or women from cheering him on at his matches. After all, she appreciated the same thing in her sport. But her demand, if he still wanted to go steady, was to make it abundantly clear that he was off the market. Surprisingly, he'd agreed. The fact that Kodachi went to an all-girls school set his mind at ease in that department, and she assured him there was no one else in her life. Technically, that was true. She was thinking about Ranma less and less as the days went on, and it wasn't like they'd been a real couple to start. The ugly feeling of guilt was fading away now that she had someone else to focus her intensity on. Honestly, had it not been for the fact that Mikado craved that kind of affection, she might very well have pinned him to the ground or wall and gone for it.

The date had also afforded Kodachi the chance to ask Mikado to the Christmas party. The invitation had arrived in the mail earlier that day. With three outings under their belt, the party would make for a fine number four, or so she hoped. One thing she had learned from two Christmas gatherings at the Tendo household was that things were nothing if not entertaining.

Hanging up the phone after a brief call with Mikado, Kodachi was rolling around on her bed in a very undignified fashion, trying to mull over whether three dates was enough to warrant getting her new boyfriend a Christmas present. "Hmm… and for that matter, should I get Ranma something too? As a friend, of course. A thank you gift for the party invitation! Drat, the dating guides didn't speak of this in their voluminous tomes." She brought the nail of her thumb to her teeth and nibbled softly, thinking it over. Eventually, she convinced herself that there couldn't possibly be any harm. "Tis the season, right? Now, what bountiful gifts can I bestow, that's the real question… Hmm, speaking of questions…"

Kodachi brought her knees back towards her chest, then pushed up and out, front flipping off the bed and onto her feet. She left her room and went down the hall, knocking on the door belonging to her brother. "Brother dear? Are you awake?"

There was the sound of commotion and something that sounded like paper being crumbled. After a moment, Kuno cleared his throat. "You may enter."

Kodachi did so. The room had a slight musky smell and the curtains were firmly drawn over the double windows looking out onto the estate grounds. Kuno was sitting up in bed, looking at her. The bags under his eyes, while still present, weren't as intense as they had been a few days ago. His hair was more disheveled than usual, but his face seemed clear and worry free. The blue robe he wore hung loosely down either side of his side.

"I wanted to let you know we've been sent an invitation for an auspicious social gathering at the Tendo household on Christmas. Do you wish to attend the festivities? If you're feeling up for it, I think you should come. The fresh air might do you good, at the very least."

"A party? Hmmm." Kuno felt like passing altogether, but his sister's words had merit. Plus, he hadn't been to school recently. He missed seeing his fair Akane Tendo. At this point, he even missed the sweet pain that came when she punched him into orbit. And with a bit of luck, perhaps he'd see his pigtailed goddess as well.

"And maybe… just maybe… I can convince him. After all, what is Christmas if not a time of kind gestures," he muttered, finding the first shred of hope to cling to in weeks.

"What was that brother dear?"

"Nothing. It's nothing at all. Upon contemplating it over, I will attend, of course. Someone must look after you, after all."

"Aren't I the one usually looking after you though?" she countered. "Oh, and I'll be bringing my boyfriend along. I want you to be nice. Civil. Do you understand me? If you embarrass me, I shall be quite perturbed!"

"Yes, yes. Fine. It's no issue at all." Kuno waved his hand dismissively.

Satisfied, Kodachi nodded and shut the door. "See you tomorrow then."

It took about thirty seconds for her words to register. Suddenly Kuno was flying out of his bed, crashing through the closed door, and dashing down the hall with wooden frame hanging around his neck as he raced for her door. "Boyfriend? Did you say boyfriend?!"

The speed in which he'd dashed out of his room sent his pillow to the floor. No longer bound, a crumbled piece of paper rolled out onto the floor as well. On its surface read:

The greatest battle man wages is against his own darkness. The darkness is a monster. It hunts me, stalking patiently from shadows almost as dark as its own twisted visage. I fight it but…

A splotch of ink interrupted the dignified handwriting. What followed was jagged chicken scratch that could be barely be called legible at all. The page was stained with moisture. Tears, sweat, and a few drips of crimson.

Submit. Give in. Surrender. Break asunder. Madness is an old friend. Madness is the only release. Madness is the only release. Madness is the only release. Madness.

Madness...

Ukyo flopped onto the bed and buried her face into her pillow before screaming. When that proved not to be enough of an outlet, she rained her fists down on the defenseless sleep aide, pounding it and kicking her legs for good measure.

How had this happened?! Were the gods conspiring against her? That seemed like the only possible answer at this point. Rolling over, she lay sprawled out with her arms to either side, staring up at the ceiling and wondering what the hell it would take to get through to him. Small gestures of affection hadn't worked, nor had the towel trick. Even Akane's suggestion, which had worked for her, had crashed and burned.

"I can't give up. I won't. I made a pact. No way am I going to be left behind," Ukyo stubbornly vowed.

Part of it was her fault, she reasoned. She wanted Ryoga to man up and take the initiative, but all she'd managed to do was squeak out that she liked him. Liked? What were they, elementary school kids on the playground? It frustrated her to no end to even think it, but she had no choice. Their stalled relationship, stuck firmly in the no progress zone, was half her fault.

"But if he'd just show an ounce of courage and desire, that would make it easier on me. I'm a girl! I'm not supposed to have to make the moves! Ugh!"

Complaining about it wasn't going to get here anywhere. The overarching question was what to do next. Rising from her bed, she sighed and opened the door, remembering that it was her turn to fold the laundry. Opening the small closet door that housed the washer and dryer combo, she started to pull out the laundry into a basket, carrying the pile to her bed. "I could really use a sign here," she said to no one in particular, nudging the door closed with her heel. Setting the basket on her bed, she got to work on the task without really thinking about it.

"Do I write him a love letter dribbled in sauce? Agh, I can't do that. I used to do that for Ranma and it got me nowhere. Besides, it wouldn't feel right. Should I write him a letter or-" She interrupted herself with a gasp of inspiration, glancing down at the yellow tunic currently in her hands. Reaching into the basket she pulled out his trademark yellow and black speckled bandanna and a pair of dark green pants that almost seemed black. An idea formed in her mind. Suddenly the embarrassment from the evening was gone, replaced by an idea that was so on the nose, so blatant, that it might just work.

"He wouldn't miss one outfit right," she mused to herself. "I mean, he has at least five outfits just like this one. And don't even get me started on the number of bandannas…"

The more she stared down at the clothing, the more certain she became that this was a blast of divine inspiration. It would take some time to prepare, of course. Time wasn't exactly on her side. Christmas was right around the corner, and she still had classes during the day and the restaurant to run. There truly wasn't a moment of time to spare. br /br /"No time like the present then!" Sitting on her bed, she reached into a drawer and pulled out a pair of scissors, a box with sewing materials, and nudged the basket of laundry onto the floor with her knee for more space. Grabbing his shirt, and switching on her bedside lamp for additional light, the crafty chef got to work.

Two days later.

The preparations were finally complete. A fire had been lit under Ukyo with Christmas just around the corner and her part of the vow of solidarity with Akane on the line. It had taken two full nights sewing long after midnight, and most of the third evening, but her efforts had paid off. Looking at the stitched top while sitting on the edge of her bed, she bobbed her head. There was no way Ryoga would be able to misconstrue the situation or her intentions this time. Buoyed by this, she started to change, slipping off her familiar cooking attire.

After working a particular busy evening shift and an enjoyable hot shower, Ryoga had fallen asleep on his bed. His hair was still damp when Ukyo slowly opened the door and padded over to his bed. She couldn't help but smile down at him. Dressed in white and black boxer shorts and a light yellow tank-top, he seemed fully settled in for a long night's /br /"Sorry to interrupt your plans, sugar," Ukyo whispered with a "sorry, not sorry" quality to her voice as she stood at the foot of his bed. Taking a deep breath, she balled a hand into a fist held over her heart and mustered all available courage. She'd gone through too much prep to let her nerves get the better of her now. br /br /"Ryoga. Honey, wake up." One of her hands gripped his left foot and gave a gentle /br /Grunting softly, Ryoga slowly opened his eyes. He hadn't been asleep long enough to really dip down into or below REM sleep. A little startled to find her standing over the foot of his bed, the little start of surprise gave way to an even larger one as his half-lidded eyes took in what she was wearing.

The normal white bow in her hair was gone, replaced by one of Ryoga's checkered yellow and black bandannas fashioned and cut into a new bow. His long-sleeved yellow tunic-styled shirt adorned her upper half, though it had been modified to leave her shoulders and neck bare. A bit of fabric around the chest had been cut away in a downward triangle, exposing a bit of her supple chest.

It took every bit of willpower not to clutch at the shirt and tug it down to cover just a little more skin. Instead, her hands clutched at the black belt she'd borrowed from him that rested above her hips. The top fell to her upper thigh, or slightly shorter, leaving most of her long, slender thighs exposed, especially on the sides where the back and front flaps of the shirt rose to join closer to her hips. The only other cloth on her legs were adorned by twin pieces of Ryoga's dark green pants, resting on each leg from ankle to below the knee. They were held in place by familiar looking yellow leg bands that crossed over one another three times up her shin.

It was one of the more risqué outfits she'd ever worn. It was on par with the pink dress she'd been forced to wear on Toma's island, though that had covered more of her legs, minus the slit up one side. Ukyo reminded herself that she had worn bathing suits as well, but there was something about being at the beach under the hot sun that made wearing such outfits far less embarrassing.

Her original plan had been to go into this in an alluring way. That idea was becoming harder to imagine as he stared at her. Standing there in his room, dressed in his clothing, trying to voice a message her lips couldn't convey. Her body shook a little as she fought the desire to run from the room. Instead, she forced herself to remain in place, both wanting and feeling embarrassed by his lengthy gaze.

"Ukyo…" Ryoga's jaw hung open.

"W-what do you think?" she asked, removing both hands from her belt and gesturing. "You aren't mad I took one of your outfits, are you?" She bit her lower /br /"N-no! Not at all. It's just…"

Ukyo leaned forward a little, some of her soft brown hair spilling over one shoulder. "It's just…?"

Ryoga wasn't entirely sure why she was cosplaying as him. Seeing her dressed like this of her own volition flew in the face of what her dad had told him a few days before. Caught completely off guard, Ryoga started to panic, bringing a hand up to his crimson face. "I uh…"br /br /Ukyo's lips parted a little breathlessly as she leaned in further, anticipating his reply. She wanted to motion for him to hurry up and get it out, but instead, she simply tilted her head. "Yes?"

Her heart started to pound. She knew this was it. At long last, the moment had come!

"A-aren't you cold in that?"

Ukyo froze in shock. Cold? Cold?! Y-you jackass!

She fought the rush of indignation and took another breath. She wasn't going to lose this time. Not again. Instead of answering his panicked question, she bent all the way forward until both palms were resting on the bed. The shirt rode up from the movement, exposing a bit of her white panties. Slowly, she crawled over him as Ryoga tried to sit up. A hand on his chest stopped the movement cold.

"Look at me, Ryoga," she said earnestly. "Look at me."

Couldn't he see that she wanted him? She'd read in a book that men loved when girls wore their shirts. She'd taken it a step further. Didn't he appreciate her? Or was it that he didn't find her attractive? That was no way that could be the truth. He had confessed his feelings to her first, after /br /The shirt hung down, exposing almost half her breasts as she knelt forward before him, resting on her knees between his parted, twitching legs. She saw his nose twitch and the hand on his chest shifted to squeeze his nose instead. "You are not going to get a nosebleed. Do you understand me? I worked too hard on this for you to get blood on it."

Ryoga could do nothing but gulp and nod a little before she released him and let the hand return to his chest, pawing almost cutely. She could feel his heart absolutely hammer away in his chest. She wasn't going to back down this time on account of his shyness. If she could persevere through her own embarrassment, so could he.

"Do you like what you see, sugar?" she asked in a throaty whisper. Her hair fell down around her like some sort of alluring cape, shining and freshly combed. A hint of perfume tickled at Ryoga's nose. He couldn't remember her having worn anything like that before. She was so close. He could feel the warmth of her body. He enjoyed it. Gods above, he enjoyed it. But the lack of intimate moments and gripped by crippling shyness won out in the end.

"Ukyo… I can't…." he paused, looking into her green eyes to keep from wandering across her body. "Maybe… you should get off?" A part of his mind screamed at him. That was absolutely the last thing he wanted. But it was the safe move, the one that would keep him from making some sort of mistake. Still, he regretted the words the second they left his mouth.

Ukyo's expression went even and she slowly slid off the bed. "I understand." She turned her back on him and headed for the door.

He reached a hand out in the air towards her. "Ukyo, I-"/

She stopped, her hand on the door handle. A lengthy sigh left her lips. "I want you to know something. I've been trying to get your attention for a week," she interjected softly, not daring to turn around. "I tried flirting, gently touching you, and even put myself on display. Nothing worked. But I'm not mad, you know? Living as a boy for most of my life, I denied myself female experiences. I've never been good with just… coming out and saying things. So it's partially my fault."

She gentle shoulders started to tremble slightly as she sniffed once. "I'm a strong chef with a good head on her shoulders, Ryoga. But I have my issues too. I admit that. I was abandoned by my ex-fiancé's father as a child. I schemed and plotted and tried to win Ranma's heart, competing with the other girls who wanted the same thing. Like a total idiot…" she shook her head, causing her hair to swish back and forth. "But something else must be wrong with me. Am I not feminine enough for you? Is that it?"

"No! That's not..."

She took a shaking breath, trying to hold it together as he looked at her, frozen on his bed. It was as if her words had some sort of magical effect, holding him completely in place. "Every day I run my own restaurant, handle bills, attend classes... I've got the responsibilities of a twenty something year old on my shoulders, and I'm only 16. I'm strong, but I want someone who will fight to claim me. Someone I can be vulnerable with and rely on. I'm worth that much." Despite the wavering tone, she spoke the last with utter conviction.

She paused before going on, turning the handle on the door. "I don't expect perfection, just a little assertiveness. I know you have that in you, Ryoga. It's somewhere deep inside you. Find it. Please. Don't let me slip away."

Opening the door, she left the room. The movement shook Ryoga from that temporary stupor. He jumped up from the bed at last, just as he heard Ukyo's door slam close and lock. He stood outside the door, resting his forehead against the cool wood as her words tugged at his agonized heartstrings. What should I do?!

He thought to the foes he'd fought in battle. Lime, Taro, Ranma… Win or lose, he'd always mustered the courage to fight and give it his all. Why was it he couldn't do that in this situation too, when it counted the most? What was he so scared of? Wouldn't losing her be scarier still?

Damn it… damn it! His eyes clenched closed. I should have held her… or said something else. Anything else! She did all that for me and I… I panicked...

From behind the locked door, he heart the faint sound of sobbing. He realized at that moment that he'd not just hurt her feelings; he had also hurt her pride as a woman, something she wasn't used to expressing at the best of times. She'd gone so far above and beyond her comfort zone, trying to convey her feelings for him in actions. He understood that now. A hand gripped the doorknob testing it even though he knew it was locked.

What would a real man do in this situation?

His overactive imagination played out a scene yet to occur. Ukyo turned away from him with tears in her eyes, walking away into the sunset. "Goodbye Ryoga. What we had was wonderful. I just wish there had been more..." No matter how fast he ran to catch up to her, or how hard he yelled her name, she just got further and further away until her silhouette disappeared into the sunset.

His eyes shot open. No. Never! That will not come to pass. Not today or tomorrow, and certainly not account of my actions.

Angry at himself, Ryoga stared at the door that kept him from the girl he loved. A door closed and locked due to his own indecisive shyness. As strong as it was, his anger was stronger still. He wouldn't let things stay like this tonight! With gritted teeth, he pressed his shoulder into the door. It easily broke open under his strength. The lock popped and the metal knob bent. Pieces of wood scattered across the floor as the broken wooden barrier swung inward to slap against the wall.

Ukyo whirled to face the door from where she'd been looking out the window. Her arms were wrapped around her shoulders. Her widened eyes as she stared at Ryoga in shock and he saw tears matting the skin on her cheeks.

"You talk about issues," he said, slowly crossing the threshold into her room to stand behind her. "I have no sense of direction. I'm clueless about some things. I turn into a pig." He put both hands on her shoulders and turned to her around to face him. "We both have our flaws. So what? We can be flawed together."

Ukyo was still trying to process his words and the fact he'd literally broken down the door to get to her. "Ryoga…"

"Let me get this out," he interrupted, using the lingering anger as fuel to bypass the momentarily subdued shyness. A single finger touched to her lips. "I want you. I want to help you run your restaurant, expand it. I want to spend my life with you."

His hand shifted from her lips to gently cupped her chin. There wasn't a huge size difference between them, so he only had to cant her head up a few inches so she could stare into his eyes. Trembling greens stared into resolute browns.

"I love you, Ukyo Kuonji."

"Ukyo made a needy sound in her throat and pressed her lips against his. For a moment, Ryoga froze, his hands placed on her shoulders. Gathering himself, he wrapped both strong arms around her torso and hugged her to him, kissing her back in front of the window that looked out onto the darkened street below. When the kiss broke, Ryoga kissed across her cheek, then down her neck, softly suckling at the skin, intent on marking her as his. It came with no experience. Everything was passionate instinct. Still, Ukyo rewarded his efforts, moaning sweetly as she held the back of his head, wanting more of this. A lot more.

She felt the gentle scrape of his fangs against the sensitive skin being suckled on. It was such a powerful moment, so breathlessly primal. Fingers sunk into his locks of black hair, holding him close. His own arms were so strong and secure. She felt so safe. Claimed. Where the heck has this side of him been hiding?!

Releasing the now red-marked skin, Ryoga took a breath then kissed her again. Ukyo placed both hands on his chest, pushing him back towards her bed without breaking the kiss for even a moment. Suddenly they both tumbled backwards. He fell on his back as Ukyo lay on top of him, her breasts pressing into his chest.

He started to say something, but Ukyo feared he might ruin the moment again and nibbled at his bottom lip, silencing him. Both hands came up to hold his cheeks as she stared into his eyes. "My turn."

Stunned, he just nodded, looking up at her.

Even now, with the passion and tension built up, it was hard to say. It didn't matter. It deserved to be said aloud. Her hands shifted down his chest, feeling the definition of toned muscle as she clung to the fabric. She stared into her eyes, didn't allow herself to look away. "I love you."

She'd finally said it. Now, she hoped it would become easier to say the more she said it. Ryoga hadn't just shattered her door, he'd shattered all possible expectations. He made it possible to finally voice the truth she'd long since felt.

His hands held her around the waist, admiring the slowly darkening hickey with a mix of pride and disbelief. Lingering surprise that he'd done that was completely overshadowed by her words. "Y-you do?"

"She nodded slightly. "For a long time. I think it started when we went to that cursed tunnel. The way you protected me from those ghosts..."

He pulled her down to kiss again, holding the back of her neck with one hand as the other gripped the back of the shirt she'd altered. Ukyo panted against his lips when they reluctantly parted again, drawing in badly needed air. br /br /No one besides his family had ever told him that before. Hearing it from Ukyo's lips, to truly know his feelings were reciprocated, made him happier than he'd ever been before. "Mine," he growled softly, holding her possessively.

Ukyo shuttered slightly. Raising up with her palms on his chest, she stared down at him. "Say it again," she whispered huskily. The peaks of her breasts tented the fabric of her shirt

Ryoga obliged. His hands slipped lower, gripping her hips. He was keenly aware of the soft feminine curves and her rounded hips. "You're mine. No one else's."

The assertive words Ukyo had been craving to hear all her life soaked into her ears and aroused her senses. Yes, it was most certainly going to get easier to drop the L word more often. She slowly lowered her head until her cheek rested against his chest.

"I'm so happy…"

Everything she'd done hadn't been for nothing after all. Granted, none of her efforts had gone to plan, but the end result had been exactly what she'd hoped for and needed. The gap between them had finally closed. For the first time since he'd moved in, Ukyo truly felt like she had a boyfriend.

"Sleep here with me," she demanded in a soft tone, nuzzling against his chest.

There was a moment of hesitation before he answered. "I'm not sure that's a good idea."

"You slept in Akane's bed every night as a pig."

"Yeah. As her pet."

She tilted her head to look up at him, the look almost imploring. "My point still stands. Am I not worth the same attention? Besides, I trust you."

How could he possibly deny her that? Smiling with a huff, he soothingly petted a hand through her long hair. "Make that top your sleep shirt and you've got a deal."

She couldn't contain the giggle. "Like how it looks on me, do ya? I make a pretty sexy female Ryoga." She looked at him, a strand of hair accidentally caught between her lips. "But you know… I meant from now on. Not just tonight."

It was a colossal step in their relationship. Before he could reply, Ukyo gripped the tank top and tugged it up and off his body, tossing it to the side. That done, she crawled into place on her bed and patted the spot beside her. The fact she'd left his boxers on was comforting. Ryoga wasn't ready for that level of intimacy, even if she had helped him shatter so many former boundaries in a single hour's time. For now, it was enough to feel her body on his, share the same bed, and catch flirty glimpses of her body. They had plenty of time to explore this relationship, and one another, when the time was right.

Her full-sized bed was just large enough for the two of them to sleep together so long as they snuggled. Resting her head on his now bare chest, Ukyo leaned over to shut off her bedside lamp, casting the two of them into darkness. Lulling herself towards sleep with the steady tempo of his beating heart, a single happy tear trickled down Ukyo's cheek as she realized that no dream tonight could possibly be sweeter than reality.

"You and me, Ryo-chan," she whispered, nuzzling against his neck. "Always and forever."

He smiled into the darkness and kissed the top of her head. "Always and forever."