[Episode 130268] [Episode 130268]"No, no," he said, shaking his head. "Well," he said after a moment. "Maybe to look for some help if you can't ... uh ... are you ... okay?"
"I'm fine," she said. "Is it that you're just not in the mood?"
"Yeah," he said with relief, looking up. "It's that. Um. I ... want to talk. I'm don't want to leave you. And that's why I think we should talk now, and worry about ... um.... I'm not leaving you, Hinako-chan."
"Ah," she said, smirking. "Ninomiya. That's my name, Ranma-kun. You can call me Hinako if you'd like, though."
Ranma thought about that for a moment, and then nodded, offering a hopeful smile. "Okay, Ninomiya-chan."
Hinako felt her face redden, and quickly pulled on a robe, which seemed to drain a lot of tension from Ranma. "You're certainly reluctant now, considering how eager you were before," she noted. "Something wrong?"
He frowned, trying to figure out how to put his observations into words. "I think I see what it was," he said after a moment. "When ... when you were talking to me about truth, I wasn't thinking ... I was just feeling. I let it get into my aura, and you started pulling from me, through the fishbowl. My chi was.... Well, it merged with theirs, and we both got caught up in...." He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I guess it's my fault. Or maybe Happosai's. Um. But.... I feel...." He hesitated there, not certain how to continue.
"Oh," Ninomiya said quietly. "So ... it was an ... accident? That must be why I'm so...." She trailed off, and stared at the floor dismally. "It ... was a ... nice accident," she finally managed.
"It was a _wonderful_ 'accident'," Ranma said, drawing her into a hug. She relaxed, hugging him back tightly. "I mean ... I didn't mean to. But I don't feel bad about it. I'm not looking forward to what's gonna come next and ... well ... I'm good at making sure the problems I got are pretty nasty ones. There's really important stuff we gotta talk about."
Nodding, Ninomiya sat down on the edge of the bed. Ranma sat nearby. "So, I suppose the question is ... what do we do about this, right?"
"Right," he said, chewing his lip thoughtfully. "I mean ... the thing I want you to know is that I ... no matter how it started, my own chi isn't gonna change me. It just opened up my eyes. I ... don't think I hurt you. I hope to all the kami I didn't." He hesitated. "You ... haven't turned back into a kid, you know."
Her hand flew to her cheek, and then her bosom. "I hadn't really noticed," she said, somewhat distantly. "I had ... I...." Her blush deepened. "I suppose hiding it completely is out of the question."
"Nah," Ranma said, shaking his head. "If you want to, we can. Just carry around the fishbowl."
"So, we're going to hide it then?"
"We ... can," Ranma said slowly. "I think ... right now, to make sure nothing bad happens to you ... maybe we should, too."
"So ... will you ... come to visit me," she asked quietly.
"Until I can figure out a way to stay with you without getting us killed," he said, grinning. "Whenever I can."
"So it's settled, then," she decided. "We'll worry about the rest later, for now, let's get some rest. If I'm going to have future chances, and aren't fleeing the city in the morning, I'll need to be up in time for school."
"Okay," Ranma said, offering only minimal resistance as she dragged him into the bed with her.
***
Happosai chuckled suddenly, a surge of chi through the night echoing distantly. Spurred by the taste of the energy, he side-stepped a massive mallet, and absently threw a bottle of sake at the wielder. Genma was knocked upside the head and laid out.
Soun had the good grace to grovel, but Happosai was in a good mood. "What's wrong with you?" Happosai snapped. "I demand celebration and joviality! More booze! Less back-stabbing! And if you _do_ back-stab, do it _right_."
Gulping, Soun propped a bottle in the knocked out Genma's mouth, and anxiously took a few swigs himself.
***
Later, after Ninomiya was content to actually talk at length, and not simply draw him beneath the sheets, Ranma and his lover discussed possible plans for the next day. Eventually, they agreed on:
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(Posted Sun, 17 Jul 2005 06:01)
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