Kiss The Cook

By Naoko Asakura

Disclaimer: Well, I wish I owned the Ranma Nibunnoichi series... I could have been: a.) A really great Manga artist, b.) One of the richest women in Japan, and c.) I would be able to draw more of Ranma and the group! But sadly... sigh this is not how it was meant to be. I will boldly go as a fan fiction author! Yay!!

Author’s Note: Ok, now that that’s done... HURRAY! Thank you so much for reviewing, everyone! hugs I’m going to try and write more of this as soon as possible! Thank you for all your suggestions and comments! Yay!

Here It Is!

Chapter Two:

It was six o’clock.

The sun was just peeking out from behind Mount Fuji when Kasumi stood on the porch, already decked out in her Christmas apron and a light blue dress with lilies embroidered across the bottom. She smiled serenely as she swept the light film of snow from the wooden deck. It wasn’t very cold... just cold enough so that you could see the faint cloud of steam as she breathed.

“Well, I’m all done here!” She exclaimed pleasantly as she walked back inside. She set her broom against the wall in the kitchen and made her way upstairs. Reaching her youngest sister’s room, she knocked lightly.

“Akane-chan? Its time for your morning jog!” She addressed through the door. There was no answer. “Akane-chan?” Kasumi opened the door slowly, looking around the room.

Akane’s bedroom was not messy... it just wasn’t immaculately clean either. It had a homely sense to it. With a small, wooden desk against the wall where she could look out at the back yard, pictures of her and her friends in silver frames, her soft already made bed...

“Hm...” Kasumi mumbled thoughtfully as she took note of the empty bed. She sighed heavily and walked to the window. She could see the dojo, looking calm and beautiful covered in snow. “It’s a wonder how none of Ranma’s friends come around at this time of day.” She thought, still staring at the dojo. “And Akane isn’t here... where could she have go-“ She stopped short, realization passing through her eyes.

Akane, nor Ranma, had returned to the house last night.

Kasumi grinned and laughed softly. “Ara!” She exclaimed under her breath as exited the room.

Meanwhile...

Akane woke to cold. Her back was freezing for some reason. Grumbling, she pulled away from what she was leaning against, and saw that it was a door. “A door?” She thought, frowning slightly. She was in the dojo, she realized. In the center of the dojo, a certain pigtailed boy lay curled into a ball on the floor.

“Did we really talk here all night?” She wondered aloud. She saw Ranma stiffen, and then relax. With a small and tender smile, she crawled over to him on her hands and knees. He slept there, a look of pure calm on his usually tense face. His eyebrows arched softly instead of jutting inward like they usually did, and his lips were slightly parted. The rise and fall of his chest was the only evidence that he was even alive.

Akane laughed silently as Ranma grumbled in his sleep. “Ranma no baka.” She stated, patting his head gently. It was a wonder he was still asleep... He was usually awake before her in the winter. It was also odd that he wasn’t awake when Akane patted him on the head... He had been a very light sleeper since the failed wedding.

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“Kawaiikune.”

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Akane’s eyes widened and she literally jumped away. Ranma only rolled onto his other side, facing her in his sleep. She saw that his nose twitched every once in a while.

“Kawaii desu ne...” She murmured, a soft blush adorning her cheeks. The pigtailed boy stretched from his fetal position, looking almost cat-like. She giggled once more as she sat on the dojo floor, her hands splayed out behind her. At this, Ranma’s eyes finally fluttered open. “Ohayo, baka.” Akane said, smiling warmly. Ranma sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

“Ohayo, kawaiikune.” He shot back with a tired smirk. He yawned and stretched his arms high above his head. “What time is it?” He asked Akane. The girl checked her watch and gasped.

“Ah! It’s almost seven! I’m waaaaaaay behind schedule!!” She cried, standing up quickly and heading back towards the dojo’s doors. She was suddenly stopped when Ranma’s calloused hand grabbed her wrist gently. She looked back at him, her eyes wide. Ranma too, was shocked by his sudden action, and opened his mouth to speak.

“I...” He stopped, looking to the side in embarrassment. “Its too cold outside!” He said lamely, his face as red as his shirt. Akane stared at him still. “Auuugh...” He muttered, letting go of her and slamming his head on the floor in embarrassment. Akane, whose face was pink, sat on her haunches in front of him.

“You- you want me to stay here?” She asked him timidly. He lifted his head to look at her; a lump was starting to form on his forehead. His eyes exuded an unreadable expression as he sighed heavily.

“You can go jog if you want...” He said quietly, making Akane smile.

“Ranma,” She started, twiddling her thumbs. She heard him gulp. “If you want me to stay here... just tell me, ok?” She said. Ranma nodded and looked down at the floor. She sat there, waiting for him to recuperate.

“I-I want you to stay!” He said, a little louder than he would’ve liked to. Akane’s blush deepened, and the earnest smile faded to a slightly open mouth. “onegai...” He muttered, his voice barely audible.

‘It must’ve took him so much to say that...’ Akane thought, her eyes soft and full of emotion. She felt her heart slam against her ribcage like a battering ram as her legs gave away. She fell lightly on her rear, her gaze unwavering.

“A-Alright then...” She stammered, her voice seeming far away. Ranma looked at her, his nerves shaky. “I’ll stay.” Akane said finally, with a small smile. Ranma shyly smiled back.

...Akane was getting her wish.

Kasumi wiped her brow as she cooked breakfast. The special food she was making required excess amounts of heat. “I hope they get done before everyone wakes up!” She exclaimed, her voice echoing off the walls of the kitchen. The only noise after that was the sizzling of food on the stove.

“I wonder how Akane-chan and Ranma-kun are doing...” She said quietly, rubbing her chin. Her contemplation was interrupted.

“Talking to yourself, Onee-chan?”

Nabiki stood in the doorway, the crafty smirk playing on her lips was unwavering. Kasumi’s own pleasant smile didn’t waver either. “Its good sometimes... being the first to wake up in the morning can get rather lonely.” She said before turning back to her work.

“What’s for breakfast?” Nabiki questioned, sitting down at the family table and pulling out the latest issue of “Non-No”.

“If you give me one thousand yen, I’ll be happy to tell you!”

Nabiki nearly choked when she heard Kasumi say those words. “Onee-chan?!” She said, her voice having a tinge of alarm in it. Kasumi looked over her shoulder and grinned playfully.

“Just kidding!” She chirped as she used a spatula to rearrange the food that she was preparing. “It’s a surprise. You know today is Christmas Eve, right?” Nabiki sighed in relief and put a hand over her heart.

“You almost gave me a heart attack, Nee-chan.” She mumbled. Kasumi laughed once more, and began to hum softly. “Come to think of it... Where did Ranma and Akane go?” Nabiki questioned her older sister again. Kasumi’s eye twitched once before she answered.

“They’re already out running.” She lied. Nabiki wouldn’t expect a lie from the most honest member in the family.

“Ok.” Nabiki said, standing up again, her magazine tucked under her left arm. “When they come back, tell Ranma to come up to my room... I need to discuss some financial issues with him.” She said, walking out of the room. “Ja ne, Onee-chan.” She said.

“Ja ne, Nabiki-chan!”

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Back In The Dojo...

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“So what job did you get assigned to, Ranma?”

Akane and Ranma had moved away from the door, and were now sitting close to each other. Akane, with her legs stretched and her hands splayed out behind her, and Ranma, cross-legged with his forearms resting on top of his knees. At this moment in time, he had a confused look on his face.

“Job? What’re you talking about?” He asked. Akane rolled her eyes.

“Getting the house ready for the party... Don’t you remember Onee-chan talking to you about helping with anything?” She tried to jog his memory.

“Oooooh... I remember now. She said that I was supposed to help Nabiki get the decorating done!” He said, hitting his cupped palm with a fist. “Why? What did Kasumi-chan ask you to do?” He fired back, not seeing her wince involuntarily as he asked this. He was answered with nervous laughter. “Akane...” Ranma said firmly, one of his eyebrows raised.

“Alright! I’m helping Onee-chan cook!” Akane forced out. She braced herself for the oncoming tirades of insults from the pigtailed boy. All she heard though was a small rasping sound that sounded like something that was between howling wind and sand paper.

“C-C-Cook?!” Ranma spluttered, looking at her with a pale face. Akane glared at him angrily, ready to draw her mallet at any time. ‘She’s going to be with Kasumi, it’ll be all right. She’s going to be with Kasumi, it’ll be all right. She’s going to be with Ka-‘ Ranma’s inner mantra was interrupted when he saw Akane’s hands ball into fists.

“I... I’m not actually going to cook. I’m just going to give her the ingredients she needs.” She reassured him, her voice firm. This made him sigh silently in relief. “I know I don’t cook very well, but I’m trying so hard to learn! Please, just bear with me, ok?” She said quietly. Ranma felt his chest tighten and he nodded.

“It’s a good first step then.” He said kindly. ‘I can’t believe it.’ He thought as he watched a smile grow on Akane’s countenance, ‘I can’t believe we’ve been here this long with out so much as crazy fiancé or an assassin barging in on us...’ His eyes softened and he flushed a warm crimson.

“Ranma... I-I... I think you should know something...” Akane said, her voice barely audible. Ranma involuntarily moved closer to Akane.

“Yeah?” He murmured quietly.

Akane opened her mouth to speak just as a loud crash coming from outside of the dojo echoed through out the area. The pigtailed boy and his fiancé looked at each other with shock on their faces, and then scrambled to the door. The pair looked out into what had once been new fallen snow glistening in the light of the sun. A large panda lay there now, its eyebrows furrowed in agitation. There was a hole in the wall on what looked to be Ranma and Genma’s room. “Jeez, Oyaji!” Ranma cursed under his breath, running out of the dojo and over to his father. Akane looked on, a relieved smile on her face.

“Good morning, Nermia.”

“Minna-san! Breakfast is ready!”

Kasumi stood holding a large plate of something foreign as all the rest of the Tendos, Ranma, and a still untransformed Genma filed into the living area. A sudden wind caused all of them to shudder and look at Genma angrily.

‘I just rolled over in my sleep though!’ Genma’s sign read. Kasumi sighed heavily as she passed out plates to everyone.

“Well, I’m sure you can sleep in your room still, seeing as how you have thick fur.” Nabiki said pointedly, earning a nod of agreement from the panda man. “But how do you explain Ranma? He’s not going to be able to sleep in there with all the cold blowing in.” She added, earning a grumble from both Ranma and Genma.

“Akane-chan,” Kasumi started, a slight frown on her own face as she walked down the stairs. She slipped out when Nabiki was talking. “Where did you put that extra futon that you brought over to Sayuri-chan’s house?” She asked Akane.

“I think I put it in my closet.” Akane said with a small smile. A sudden chuckle from Soun made everyone look at him. It was a sinister laugh, and afterwards, he cleared his throat.

“Saotome-kun, may I talk with you for just a moment?” He said calmly. The panda nodded, suspicious of his old friend. The pair of fathers scuttled to the corner of the room, whispering to each other until Soun let out a cry of, “OH HAPPY DAY!”. Genma promptly smashed his head in with a sign after this and dragged him back to the table.

‘We’ve come to a conclusion.’ Genma’s sign read. He woke Soun with a douse of cold water from his own glass. For a moment, Soun cried out in surprise, but when he felt Genma nudge him gently, his mask of solemnity found itself back to his tan face.

“Ranma-kun, you need a place to stay until the hole in yours and your father’s room gets fixed.” He stated obviously. Ranma raised an eyebrow. Suspicion took him when he saw his father get Soun into the “Scheming Corner”.

“Uh... Yeah...” He said, looking at Akane, who had a nervous look on her face. “What’s it to ya?” He added on quickly. Genma grinned like a Cheshire cat (or at least the best he COULD grin, seeing as how he was in his cursed form at that moment in time) and patted his son on the back.

‘We were thinking that you could bunk with Akane!’ Genma held the sign up high for everyone to see. Akane flushed and shot the fathers a death glare, and Ranma followed the suit.

“TOU-SAN!!” Akane yelled angrily. Kasumi walked in with breakfast and gasped.

“Oh, stop fighting! Onegai!” She exclaimed, setting the food on the table. The anger dissipated when everyone caught whiff of their breakfast that Christmas Eve. Ranma and Genma were on the brink of drooling their brains out when Kasumi spoke up again.

“Surprise! We’re having a western breakfast today!” Kasumi said with a smile. Akane cradled her head in her hands, her elbows resting on the table as she inhaled the heavenly scent again.

“What it is?” She asked dreamily. Even Nabiki was eyeing the food with her hands nearly bending her cutlery in anticipation.

“I thought I would try and make something that sounded nice... They’re called pancakes!” Kasumi said, dishing some out to everyone. Beside the large serving plate piled with the fluffy golden goodness was a bottle of maple syrup and another serving plate of bacon. As soon as all were served and Kasumi had joined them at the table, everyone ate happily.

“Ees urr shoooooooo gooooood!!” Ranma said, his mouth full at that moment. Akane shot a disapproving glance at him, but continued eating her own plate of pancakes as mannerly as she could. Soun was crying out of happiness, praising Kasumi for making such wonderful food. Genma was doing his normal thing in the morning; trying to steal food off of his son’s plate in vain... though his attempts that morning were more frequent.

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“Ah! I’m stuffed!”

The family now sat, happy smiles on their faces. All of the food was gone, and Kasumi daintily picked all of the plates up and proceeded to the kitchen. Genma lay flat on his back, the corners of his mouth curled upwards. ‘I love living here.” He signed, his small, black eyes glossed over dreamily. Soun was the first to sober up out of the pair.

“Saotome-kun! Back to the task at hand!” He exclaimed. Ranma and Akane twitched as he pointed a finger at the two of them. The panda nodded and sat up.

“O-ya-jiiiiiiiii...” Ranma growled threateningly. Akane was also angry, her battle aura bathing the room in crimson fire. Soun was unaffected, but Genma pressed his body up against the wall, his paw flailing frantically for the shoji.

“Both of you...” Soun murmured, his battle aura oozing out in deep purple. Genma was panicking now, making loud panda noises as his arms moved faster than they ever had before. He screamed in terror as Soun went oni.

“YOOOOOOU WILL SLEEEEEP IN AKAAAAAAAAANEEEE’S ROOM, AND YOOOOOOOOOU WILL LIIIIIIIIKE IT!” He thundered, making the engaged couple shriek in fear and back away. Nabiki sat, watching all of this with mild interest.

“Tou-san, calm down. Your blood pressure is going to sky rocket.” She said calmly, stretching in a very cat-like fashion before walking out of the room. She passed Kasumi on her way out. “Onee-chan, could you do us all a favor and calm Otou-san down?” The businesswoman implored her older sister. Kasumi nodded.

“Tou-san,” Kasumi asked, walking over to her father with a bottle of sake and two cups. “Why don’t you and ojisan play a bit of shogi before you start on your jobs?” She smiled angelically as Soun’s oni-like aura faded away. The fathers both smiled dazedly and took the sake and drifted off to their shogi board.

“That was close.” Ranma said, sighing heavily in relief. Akane nodded in agreement. Kasumi clucked her tongue at the both of them.

“Akane-chan, Ranma-kun... can’t you just sleep together for a few nights? At least until the repairmen fix the hole in the guest room.” Kasumi asked. The duo’s faces had suddenly gone sour. “Now before you two say anything, let me just ask you...” She turned to Ranma, “Would you rather sleep outside in a tent? You can’t sleep in the dojo, because that’s where we’re having the party.”

Ranma paused for a moment. Of course he’d rather sleep in Akane’s room! A tent in the winter would make him miserable! Akane though... She would never allow him to stay in her room. She would most likely have a root canal before letting Ranma sleep in the same room as her!

“Alright.”

Ranma’s thoughts were cut off, and he turned to stare at Akane with eyes the size of dinner platters. Akane closed her eyes and sighed through her nose. “Only until the repair men fix the hole in your wall though, ok?” She stated. The shock on Ranma’s face melted away to a satiric expression.

“Am I really that much of a parasite to you?” He asked casually.

“Oh noooo, Ranma. Not at all!” Akane quipped. She stood from her seat and walked over to Kasumi. “Ne, Onee-chan, when are we going to start cooking?” She asked. Kasumi smiled at her sister.

“Whenever you’re ready.” She said kindly. Akane face twisted into a look of grim determination.

“I’m ready!” She exclaimed bravely. Kasumi clapped her hands together happily and beckoned the shorthaired girl towards the kitchen.

When the sisters had left the room, Ranma was alone with his thoughts. He frowned deeply and cracked his knuckles.

“So you think I’m a parasite?” Ranma muttered under his breath. “I’ll show you a parasite!”

This day would definitely be interesting... no doubt about that.

TSUZUKU

Augh! Sorry for the OOCness... PLEASE, R+R!