"Hi, squirt," Nabiki replied, smiling not merely because she would have done so with the girl present, but because of the fondness that she had for her. Only a short time before she met the girl, she would have never thought that she would have heard such a tone, but now she knew that the emotion carried in the young voice was that of someone who once was feeling alone, and had now latched onto someone that she really cared about. "Still being a good girl, are we?"
*"Of course I am,"* Hotaru told her, clearly not about to allow for any other option.
"Figured that would be so. I've known you how long, and you've still haven't learned to live a little?"
*"I just... never really felt like being naughty...."*
"Oh, really.... Is that so? No desire to show off for the guys then? Get a skimpy little bikini and let the guys drool? Wiggle your butt at them and lead them around like the lovesick dogs they are? Maybe even get in a little heavy petting?" the elder teenager drawled, letting her smile turn into a wicked grin.
*"Miss Nabiki!"*
"What?"
"*I... I... I could never do something like that. It'd be too... too.... Oh my...."*
"Not even with your dear husband?"
*"With Ranma?"* came the voice, uncertain not merely from embarrassment, but from being unsure of admitting to herself and her friend as well. The elder girl could almost see the blush that had to be on her young friend's face. *"We haven't.... I'm his wife.... We're supposed to...."*
"Relax, kiddo. I'm only teasing."
*"Oh, Miss Nabiki...."*
"You have to admit that it's the way that I play."
*"Do you have to embarrass me like that though?"* Hotaru asked, a plaintive edge to her voice.
"Ummm... yeah. Why wouldn't I? It's how I treat my little sisters, remember?"
*"I know.... It's just so... scary sometimes, Miss Nabiki."*
"Sorry about that... and what's this about 'Miss Nabiki'. How many times do I have to say, 'just call me 'Nabiki''?"
*"But.... It doesn't feel right to not say 'Miss Nabiki'...."*
Nabiki sighed, but she wasn't terribly troubled by the admission that the other girl had made. The fact was that she already understood her friend's thinking. If anything, Hotaru wasn't merely paying her respect from a sense of duty. Kasumi was like a mother to her, and Akane was her companion and protector, but Nabiki herself was the petite girl's guide in a lot of things. And for that sole girl who put so much trust into her, all that the middle Tendo sister could find herself doing was be a responsible and trustworthy friend.
So, as she shook her head with the familiar feeling of wry humor, she didn't mock the girl for the consideration that she was being shown. "That's all well and good, but you're the one who has a marriage certificate."
*"I know,"* Hotaru allowed, but didn't seem to be all that impressed by it, going by the tone of her voice. *"It doesn't make me more important though."*
"No, but I didn't call you to try and prop up your status."
*"You didn't?"*
"Nope. I called to let you know about a stupid plan that my father made with a friend of his."
*"What sort of 'plan'?"* the younger girl asked, her voice tinged with concern for her friend.
"Nothing that we can't handle. You see, the problem is that he promised that one of us would marry the son of his friend."
*"That could be... good.... Maybe he'll be really nice, and you'll want to marry him as soon as possible."*
"Oh, I have no doubt that I'll like him. That won't be the trouble with this... set up," Nabiki revealed, unable to keep herself from drawling her words out just a bit.
*"Then, you don't have.... Wait a minute. Doesn't that mean that you know him?"*
"I should hope that I do. And so do you."
*"I do?"*
"Yup. Which is where the problem comes in. You see, the guy in question is your husband, Ranma Saotome. He's coming here to meet with us, since that's what his father's promised, and I doubt that he'll fight all that hard to keep away from his friends."
*"Ranma's coming back?" the married girl whispered in an awed tone. *"My Ranma?"*
"Yes, your Ranma's returning. And he's probably going to want to see his friends on his way to returning to you, since he'll have the chance to do so."
"Oh my...."
"Exactly what I thought that you'd say," Nabiki remarked with a chuckle at how her friend was now lost in her thoughts, while:
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(Posted Sun, 04 Nov 2007 04:01)
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