Disclaimer - Nope don't own Ranma 1/2

AN: Nearly caught up from the holidays. Sorry for the late posting again. Fortunately my "editor" was able to look over this chapter fairly quickly after I finished it. Now if only I can get myself back ahead.

Chapter 12 – The Day Before

The next day Yuka and Akane were paired in Home Ec class to bake a cake. Yuka was concentrating on keeping the ingredients in the right order and handing them to Akane so that she couldn't grab the wrong thing to add into the bowl. Akane was maintaining a constant stream of chatter while they worked. Ignoring most of what Akane was saying, Yuka quickly put the salt container away before Akane thought it was sugar.

"… and on the way to school he carried my book bag for me."

"Here Akane, add the vanilla, I have already measured it." Yuka watched Akane dump in the vanilla and go back to absently stirring the batter. Fortunately Akane wasn't angry or in a hurry, so that meant she wasn't trying to stir it super fast but she wasn't really paying attention to her action either. Yuka sighed and used a paper towel to once again wipe some of the batter off the counter.

"… and then at lunch, did you see him sneak and hold my hand?"

She had seen that and wondered a little bit about it. Yuka once again consulted the recipe and ticked off the last ingredient before handing it to Akane. "That's it! We're ready to pour it in the pan. You hold the bowl and I will scrap it out with the spatula." They managed to get nearly all of the batter into two round pans and in the oven. Setting the timer Yuka tuned in more to Akane's ramblings as she they washed and dried the dishes they dirtied.

"He is never this nice to me. I mean it, never."

"Maybe he is trying to butter you up."

"For what though?" Akane couldn't think of anything that Ranma might want that he would go so far out of his way to be nice all day.

"Your birthday is tomorrow; maybe he is trying to make sure not to start a fight."

"Honestly, it is starting to weird me out. I mean I never liked those guys that always tried to do and say the perfect thing all the time." Akane shrugged as she placed the mixing bowl in the cabinet. "Even his smile is a little creepy today. His normal smile is casual and confident; today it seems a little overdone."

"I think most things Ranma does are overdone." Yuka and Akane both laughed while Akane grabbed the trash to empty while Yuka wiped down the counter.

"Now what? The time still says 15 more minutes." Akane pondered the temperature setting, "Maybe if we turn it up it will get done faster."

Yuke smacked Akane's hand away from the oven settings, "No, it will just burn. Let's make our icing while we wait."

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Ukyo was in her shop finishing up all the preparations she needed to do in order to open for the day. The grill was hot and all her ingredients were chopped and stowed in neat little containers. She had a few minutes before she put out her open sign, so she put her broom away and sat down in one of the chairs where customers usually sat. She had decided it was time to get a little one-on-one time with Ranma, how was she supposed to get him to change his mind if he was always with Akane. This weekend she was going to find a way. She thought about inviting him over for dinner but there was a chance Akane would come as well. They were practically inseparable and it was infuriating. Maybe I should have hit him regularly and it would be me he liked better. Ukyo almost missed Shampoo; at least they had agreed that it didn't make any sense for Ranma to like Akane. They had both dismissed her almost completely; she was never really nice to him. She often wondered what would have happened if Ranma hadn't been living under the same roof as Akane. Would he like her less if he saw her less often?

She had overheard two of Akane's friends talking about Akane's birthday tomorrow. They were chatting about how they hoped Ranma did something really romantic for their friend and how they were worried he would screw it up. Hmmf, it's Ranma, of course he will screw it up. If it were her, she would just tell him exactly what she wanted so that he couldn't mess it up. Hmmm… maybe it could be me. Ukyo smiled as she thought of the perfect way to spend some time with Ranma. All she had to do was tell him it was her birthday, not tomorrow of course, but maybe the next day. On Sunday she would show up at the Tendo Residence and ask Ranma to do something with her for her birthday. Just Ranma, no one else. It didn't matter that it wasn't really her birthday; no one else knew when her birthday really was so she could just make it up.

Smiling she stood and put her sign out for the day.

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Ranma was standing in the hallway holding buckets again. He had begun to see this as just another form of training, sometimes he held them with his arms bent, sometimes straight out from his sides. Other times he lifted them away from his body like he might when using free weights. As far as training goes this wasn't much of a challenge and certainly easier than anything his father had ever done to him.

This time he had been sent to the hallway for sleeping in class. He hadn't slept much last night; he had been trying to think of a way to tell Akane that he couldn't spend her birthday with her without starting a fight. It felt like they were fighting or disappointing each other nearly every other day lately. He hated to do it again but he was tired of borrowing money or relying on Kasumi to slip him a little extra. He appreciated the help, but now that he thought more about Nabiki's plan, it wasn't so bad. He was going to be able to make enough to buy the gift he really wanted to buy and he would do it using his own skills.

"If only the tournament wasn't being held on her birthday."

His time was up and he was allowed back into the classroom. Time seemed to be moving too fast today. He wanted to draw out the day more before he had to upset her once again.

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Akane was still perplexed, after walking home from school they immediately went to train as usual. Ranma had already told her that her warm up kata looked more graceful and then later he said that her technique had really improved. Now she was staring at him dumbstruck after they were finished sparring and he had no corrections for her.

"What is up with you today? You are acting really strange."

"Nothing"

"Why are you being so nice to me?"

"What's wrong with trying to be nice to you?"

Akane sighed dramatically, "I don't know. It's just weird." She stretched her arms upward and moved to her stance for their final kata today. This one would be slow and steady meant to create muscle memory for the movements. Once finished she turned to say something to Ranma again but he grabbed her before she could speak and soundly kissed her.

"I'm sorry I am being so nice to you today." He stuck out his tongue at her as he released her.

"Idiot" She eyed him skeptically, "I still think you are acting odd."

"Ah come on Akane, give me a break." He really didn't want to pick a fight today of all days. If they fought today telling her about tomorrow would be so much worse.

They walked back to the house, Ranma saw his father sitting with Mr. Tendo playing their usual game of shogi. He had avoided his father this morning and immediately after school but there he was, sitting playing as if everything was normal. He was probably cheating. Ranma was having trouble stamping down his anger. Pop is a liar, a cheat and a thief. He tried to control it but as they walked past their fathers Genma mutter something about the training paying off.

Something inside Ranma snapped and he grabbed his father and threw him forcefully into the wall surrounding the property.

Akane gasp in shock, "What was that for?"

"He knows exactly what it was for." Ranma hopped off the porch and stalked towards his father.

Genma actually feared his son right now, Ranma was incredibly angry; it rolled off of him in waves. There was only one thing he could think of to do that might save him from getting a thorough beating. He threw himself on the ground groveling, "Hardship will make you stronger. You weren't using it."

Ranma picked his father up off the ground, "Nothing you can say will make a difference."

"You shouldn't hide things from your father."

"I guess there was something you could say to make a difference." Genma smiled at Ranma's words before a fist was plowed into his face. "It made it worse." He dropped his father back to the ground and walked away.

Ranma was still tense as he returned to Akane's side. Her bewildered expression was not helping. He tried to smile at her but he couldn't seem to be able to get past his anger.

"What was that all about?"

"It's not important."

"Ranma…"

"Akane, can I explain it later?"

"Yeah, are you okay?"

"No, I need to calm down."

That she knew how to handle. She took his hand and led him upstairs to her bedroom while her father stared dumbstruck at his friend. Once there she indicated that he should lie down on her bed. Neither spoke as he removed his shirt and undershirt before stretching out on his stomach. She watched his muscles ripple throughout the actions. She never thought just the sight of a guy's torso could make her feel warm inside. Straddling him she worked her hands over his back in the massage pattern they had learned from Dr. Tofu. Ranma rarely needed her to do this anymore but if he was asking for it, then he had been seriously mad at his father. He hadn't lost control since the encounter with Shampoo shortly after they returned from China partly due to her learning how to relax his chi flows. Although he had confessed to her later that watching the fight with Kodachi had been really hard.

Her hands felt like magic against his skin and he was finally able to let go of the anger that had coursed through him. His father deserved what had happened but it had worried Ranma that he had actually wanted to lose control and hurt his father worse. "Thanks Akane."

"You completely relaxed?"

He shrugged, "I am relaxed enough."

"Turn over."

He lifted his head and angled it to look at her as much as he could, "Really?"

"Yeah, I guess I should reward you for being nice today instead of being suspicious."

Ranma felt guilty but he wasn't about to turn her down. "You don't have to if you really don't want to. I am fine now."

She pushed her weight up off of his butt, "Turn over or you will make me regret offering."

He couldn't help but smile, "You got it." He carefully rolled over and grimaced as she settled herself back down on his hips. Danger!

Akane got comfortable and started the same pattern across his chest. Dr. Tofu had explained to them that working on both his back and his front would be the most relaxing and Akane didn't want to see Ranma lose any ground on the progress he had made over the last few months. It didn't make sense though, in the past he only lost control when she was threatened or injured. Nothing happened this time to her. She wouldn't ask him now; at the moment she only wanted him to completely relax.

This was torture. He didn't know how long he was going to be able to let her continue. She shifted and reached for his collar bones and he was unable to stop the moan that escaped his lips. Fortunately it seemed that she assumed it was because of her massage and not because of where she was sitting pressed against him. As she continued to work her way down his chest she would shift her body occasionally to get more comfortable and he would struggle not to react. She finally reached the area below his belly button, ending the massage. She twisted her back to stretch it and then reach her arms above her head, arching her back and stretching his entire spine. Dying was not going to be enough to get him out of this embarrassment.

As Akane stretched she shifted her hips forward and more firmly against Ranma she suddenly realized why Ranma didn't seem to be relaxing while she had worked on his chest. The sensation that raced through her had her pulse quickening. Curious she shifted back then reach forward to his shoulders, slowly she moved her hips again closing her eyes and taking in a sharp breath. Ranma grabbed her wrists tightly causing her look down at his face wide-eyed and embarrassed.

"Baby, you gotta stop."

Her lips twitched at the endearment. Rolling her hips against him one more time she watched his eyes close and his mouth open pulling in a long breath and releasing it slowly. She blushed at the sight, "I'm sorry." She relaxed and tried to pull away from him.

He let go of her wrists and wrapped his arms around her, flipping their positions he pinned her to the bed. He kissed her long and hard, pressing himself against her causing both of them to moan. Finally lifting his head and shoulders away from her; he let her catch her breath and steadied his own. "You really are a little bit evil aren't you?"

They heard Kasumi call to them from the stairs, telling them that the bath was ready. Ranma planted another kiss on Akane's lips, "I am getting in first again today."

"What? Why?"

"Because I really need some cold water," Kissing her one last time he stood up and retrieved his shirts, slipping them back on quickly. "Seriously though, thanks again." He quickly made his way to the bath trying to avoid any prying eyes.

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She was determined to see Ranma without Akane around. Moving quickly through the shadows she sprang to a nearby window to see if she could spot her beloved. She watched the mousy haired one tend to the bathwater and realized that this could be her most perfect opportunity. Surely he would bathe alone, and when he did she would be waiting.

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Ranma entered the bathroom, tossed his clothes into the laundry pile then with a towel wrapped around his waist he opened the door to the bath. His blood was slowly returning to normal but he was still very much aroused. The cold water never looked so inviting.

He filled the tub and was holding it above his head when he heard an irritatingly high female voice behind him.

"My beloved, we are finally alone." Swooping in from her hiding spot at the ceiling, Kodachi wrapped her arms around his waist and buried her face in his chest.

"Ack," Ranma released the tub he was holding, dumping the contents on his head. Oh shit! He felt the change happen. And to think I was actually looking forward to the cold tonight.

Kodachi was confused as the hard body under her arms became soft and curvy. Looking up she found the red-headed pigtail girl that her brother favored. Not only that, the girl was naked, the towel having fallen to the floor. She screamed and launched herself away from the strange girl. "Where's Ranma?"

"I AM Ranma you insane wench." She was tempted to change back in front of her but didn't trust the crazy girl to behave herself with his naked male side. "Now get out of here."

"Not until I see MY Ranma."

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Akane was laying on her bed still breathing heavily when a scream tore through the house followed by Ranma's female voice yelling. She was pretty sure that she recognized that scream and bolted to the bathroom. She heard other footsteps running in her direction and figured everyone in the house was wondering what new chaos had been brought into their house.

She arrived at the bathroom first followed closely by the others. Slamming the door open she initially saw Ranma standing by the stool with nothing on, confused she looked across the room to where Kodachi was standing.

"You are not My Ranma; you have magicked him away from me." Kodachi, in her green leotard, was sobbing and pointing accusingly at Ranma.

"Well you are sort of right. You and your brother need to get it through your thick skulls that I am cursed. Everyone else in the school figured it out just fine, why are you two so dense?" Their whole family must be inbred or something. He couldn't think of any other reason to explain why they were all so incredibly dumb.

"BRING BACK MY RANMA!"

Ranma gritted her teeth and pressed her hands to the sides of her head. She was getting a headache, nothing ever convinced those two that they both wanted to date the same person.

Akane had had enough; this girl was annoying at best and dangerously psychotic at worst. Walking into the room she picked up the tub, filled it with warm water from the bath and splashed Ranma. He gave her a look that seemed to say 'Are you crazy?'

Kodachi squealed and ran open armed toward Ranma. Akane swung the tub around nailing the crazy girl hard in the side of the head sending her flying once again, this time through the half-open window, shattering the pane.

"Think she will get the idea this time? Or do you think I will be spending the rest of my life beating her off of you?"

The 'rest of my life' comment didn't escape Ranma or anyone else in the room. Genma and Soun wandered away with happy tears and stars in their eyes both commenting about the schools being joined soon. Kasumi gasped and covered her eyes leaving the room quickly. As she left, she pulled Nabiki gently out with her but not before the middle sister had managed to snapped a couple dozen photos of the encounter.

Akane glanced around and was suddenly aware that she was alone with a naked Ranma. She blushed and closed her eyes. "Um… Ranma… your towel."

Her blush made him remember his state of undress, reaching down he picked up the now wet towel and wrapped in around his waist holding it firmly in place. "Akane, I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention and didn't notice her in here." He knew his face was as bright red as hers but at least he wasn't turned on anymore.

She shook her head sadly, "She isn't going to leave you alone anytime soon."

"Maybe we need to find another guy for her to latch on to. Maybe then she will forget about me."

Akane laughed, "That could actually work. We just need to find someone more attractive that we can convince to take her out on a date."

"Good luck finding someone more attractive than me." Ranma lean over and poked her in the nose.

With a deadpan expression, "I don't think it will be that hard."

"Hey"

"You are not as awesome as you think you are."

"Am too"

Akane threw her hands up in exasperation then laughed, "Hurry up in here will ya. I need a bath before dinner is ready too." She closed the door behind her and went to see how much time they had before dinner was served.

Ranma finish as quickly as possible, for one he was afraid Kodachi might make a return trip and two he knew Akane would want to wash off the sweat from training. Normally she wouldn't care but tonight's dinner was all about her. He dried off and dressed in a fresh set of clothes.

Finding Akane, he let her know the bath was free and then decided to hang out on the roof until dinner. Avoiding his father as much as possible was probably for the best this evening. As he sat on the roof he heard Akane's voice drifting through the bathroom window that was now going to have to open until it was repaired. Moving to that end of the roof, he relaxed above the window and listened. She was singing, her voice wasn't terrible; it was actually kind of nice to listen to. She sometimes sang with her sisters and their karaoke machine but it was nice to listen to her voice without anything accompanying it. He relaxed there until he heard her finish and leave the bathroom.

Dinner was relaxed and fun as Akane's sisters took turns telling funny stories about her childhood. Akane still didn't know what was going on between Ranma and his father but she played it safe and switched places with him so that he didn't have to sit beside Genma.

Ranma smiled and laugh at the stories about her clumsiness and nearly choked on a dragon roll when Kasumi reminisced about how Akane didn't like keeping her diaper on when she played outside.

Akane blushed but laughed anyway, "You really didn't have to tell them about that Kasumi."

"You were such a cute child but already quite the tomboy." She smiled softly at her sister, "Mom used to enjoy your antics so much. She would always say your laughter made up for how hard it was to bring you into the world."

Akane knew this story by heart; her birth had been a difficult one. "Oh let me start this one. She was in labor for 25 hours and screaming in pain. They decided it would be best to surgically remove me. That's it. Nothing else."

Nabiki cackled, "Oh dear little sister that is not all there is to tell."

Ranma angled towards her and raised his eyebrows in question, "What else happened?"

"You really don't need to tell them…"

"She got stuck."

Akane huffed in frustration. They had to retell this story every year and she didn't know why she thought this year might be different.

"Stuck?"

Soun smiled at the memory, "Nabiki inherited her mother's figure and Akane was a very large baby. We had been told over and over again by the doctors that she was surely going to be a boy. Her mother insisted that they could be wrong and painted her nursery yellow, which she swore was a neutral color for boys or girls." His eyes were soft and misty as he continued the story, "On the day she went into labor we arrived at the hospital and waited patiently for our baby to arrive. When they told us it was time her mother pushed and pushed but she wouldn't budge. The doctor was afraid she was turned the wrong way but instead in turned out that her shoulders were stuck in my wife's narrow hips. They had to perform an emergency surgery to get her out."

Nabiki smirked, "Akane was the loudest baby in the nursery and always hungry."

Ranma frowned, "They almost died?"

Kasumi smiled, "No not really, the doctor was great and knew just what to do. They said the only reason that it happened was because Akane was several weeks late arriving and had grown too large."

"See Ranma, Akane has always had a boy's body."

"Shut up Nabiki."

During the remaining dinner time and desert Akane's childhood adventures continued to be shared. Ranma noticed many of the tales involved Akane defending her friends from boys who picked on them in the school yard. He was enjoying himself and a little jealous that Akane got to grow up with all these funny stories and surrounded by people who truly cared about her happiness.

Back upstairs in Akane's room after dinner they chatted some more. The fact that Ranma had to tell her soon was weighing on his mind. He saw her yawn and knew that would be his cue to leave, standing he scratched the back of his head and tried to find the right words.

"I am going to bed now; I want to get enough sleep for tomorrow."

"Akane, about tomorrow…"

She smiled brightly at him, "What?"

"Nah, it's nothing." He'd leave her a note. He simply couldn't bring himself to ruin her day. Tomorrow was already going to be ruined for her. Telling her tonight or finding a note tomorrow wouldn't change that. "Goodnight." He gave her a quick peck on the lips and left her room.

Smiling cheerfully she crawled into bed and drifted off to sleep easily, dreaming of Ranma and the brief peek she got of him in the bathroom. It surprised her a little after waking up from one of her dreams to realize she had been dreaming about a very naked female Ranma as well.

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AN: I have been looking forward to writing up the birthday scenes. I hope you will enjoy the next several chapters I have planned. And as always R&R as you like :)