And it was all because Soun Tendo, a grown man with a wife and children, was acting like an idiot, at least by his reckoning.
"Come on, dear...." the Tendo patriarch simpered as he sat next to his wife. "I said that I was sorry...."
The only response that Ranko had to that was to turn her face away and give a "Humph".
"Please? I wouldn't want to ever hurt or shame you. We were just caught up in the moment...."
Her shoulders came up in a defensive position, making it entirely clear that she was putting up a barrier between them.
"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Your father was just overly concerned about you, and I wanted to make him see what we have."
She just rolled her eyes.
Ranma rubbed at his face and tried not to groan. At the moment, he wasn't sure if he should get involved, never mind what he could do, though he had an urge to whap his brother-in-law upside his head. He didn't have any real idea about how to make it better, but it couldn't be best to constantly bother someone who was actively trying to ignore him. But that was what the sole Tendo male had been doing ever since he'd been dragged back with the other father, beaten, battered, and cowed.
Of course, she apparently had the same idea, and wasn't too pleased with the constant reminder of what had caused that little situation in the first place.
"Come on now, dear. Can't you find it in your heart to forgive me?" Soun asked as he slid his arm around his wife and rubbed his hand along her arm.
Her stern look made it clear that she wasn't about to be soothed that easily.
"I know.... I was wrong. But won't you forgive me. I'm the man who loves you, after all."
That actually got a twitch of emotion, and it was a telling sign, even if it wasn't much.
Her brother had no idea of what to make of this, and looked between them both.
Nabiki took pity on him, and leaned over to her new uncle, so that she could whisper low enough to not have her voice travel. "Just watch the show and enjoy it."
"Huh?" the pigtailed boy grunted.
"They do this all the time. Daddy does something dumb, Mom gets angry, and he gets all gooey trying to get back on her good side."
"Oh. Then, they're supposed ta be like this?"
"I don't know about that, but it's regular for them. Which is odd, considering that he's supposed to be older than her."
"Age don't make ya smart."
The middle Tendo daughter raised a brow at that, but didn't say anything.
But then, her father was saying a lot for anyone. "Don't let this get between us. Please? I will always love you, and want to make everything perfect. This was just a little mistake...."
"A little?" Ranko finally growled. "You were having an argument about our sex life."
"I know, but I was trying to stop it."
"Really?"
"Your father was put out over the idea, and couldn't stop, so... I wanted him to see that it would be fine."
"By yelling?"
"I didn't mean to. I just got caught up in the moment."
"Yeah. Loudly."
"But I'd do anything for you, dear. Even the smallest thing isn't too much. I'll even feed you...." her husband told her as he picked up some fish with his chopsticks and held it up to her mouth.
"Soun...."
"Come on, dear. Open up...."
"I'm not a child."
"Trust me. I know that. And this is not as if you are a child." When she opened her mouth, he darted the food in, and deposited it on her tongue. "See?"
Chewing for a moment, the redhead swallowed, and then gave a reluctant smile. "You do know how to care for a girl."
"I'd like to think so."
"But this isn't enough to get you back in my good graces, you know."
"Wife, I will not rest until I have made you happy with me again."
"Soun...."
"This is romance?" Ranma muttered to himself.
His sister glared at him so hard that he leaned back from the force of it. "Are you commenting on something, little brother?"
"N... n... nah.... Not really. Just kinda confused."
"'Confused'? Does that mean that you're actually trying to consider my relationship with my husband?"
"Of course not!"
"That's good, because much as I love you, that's not a good place for you to go."
"She's right, boy," Genma intoned with all the authority that he could manage. "Your sister's husband's duty is to care for her, and he was starting a good job before you spoke up."
"You aren't one to start talking, Pop."
"I'm just trying to think of what's best for you, Ranko."
"Then why are you talking?"
"Because I know what I'm saying. I'm not only your father, but a married man as well."
"Funny how you'd know anything, since Mom's been living alone for the past ten years."
"Your mother knows her responsibility, and you will as well. But this isn't about her or you... exactly. I'm the one with the knowledge here, and I say that you should... OOFF!" the sometimes panda said... just as Ranma kicked him in the head without getting up from his seat. The hit knocked the elder Saotome male out, and the man toppled over onto his side.
"Shut up, Pop, and stop makin' it worse," the pigtailed boy grunted, and gave a snort of disgust.
"Why thank you, little brother," Ranko commented with an easy shrug. "Though you only got ahead of me by a couple of moments."
"Ah, he was bein' an idiot again. Didn't wanna haveta skip eatin' cause of him."
"I see. But aren't you going to continue commenting on things that aren't any of your business."
"I didn't mean ta sound like that! It's just... I ain't ever... ya know, been 'romantic'. So, I was wonderin' if everyone's this sappy, or if it's just you two."
"You're just...."
"Confused by all this 'romance' stuff."
"Are you joking?" Akane asked.
"Why would I? I'll be first ta admit that I don't know anythin' 'bout the stuff between guys and girls. Why should I haveta know? Ain't like I'd ever have any reason ta learn, what with focusin' in on the Art."
"Oh my. Are you saying that you've been kept from knowing that sort of thing?" Kasumi asked, looking rather thoughtful.
"I wouldn't say that. I know how babies are made, and all that. It's just all that 'datin'' stuff that I've never really been gettin' inta. Never saw a point for that sorta junk, and Pop was always on my case 'bout not payin' attention ta movies and books and that sorta thing. Said that they were part of 'girlie stuff', and that only a silly girl would be inta that sorta stuff. Like I was gonna be inta romance novels or somethin'. Kinda silly, huh?"
Each of the Tendo females, including the step-mother, gave the prone form of Genma a dark look.
"Did I say somethin' wrong?"
"Not really," Nabiki told him in a voice that sounded like she wanted to pat him on the head.
"But I do know that there are good things about romance," Soun murmured, and looked like he wanted to pull his wife onto his lap.
The teens fought the urge to shake their heads, while:
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(Posted Sun, 31 Jul 2005 05:51)
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