However, there was one major difference in the routine.
Kasumi brightened as she saw the individual who had taken away the timeless quality of the family life, not that most of those living there minded the changes. "Why, good morning!"
"Hi, Kasumi," her husband said with a grin. "Hi, guys."
"Morning," Nabiki said sleepily.
"Good morning," Akane piped up.
"Come sit by me," his wife said, and moved a bowl over to make it easy to reach. "I made certain that I made some of your favorites."
"Man, ya didn't have ta do that 'Sumi.... But it was real good of ya ta do it," Ranma said as he went to sit at the table.
"I hope that you'll like it."
"Of course I will. Why wouldn't I?"
"Oh.... Well, remember to eat as much as you can."
"Hey, I eat a lot, ya know, and the fact that it's your cooking makes it even more welcome."
"I'm glad that it is so," the eldest of the sisters murmured, blushing slightly in pleasure.
"Awww.... Look...." Nabiki drawled as her brother-in-law began to dig into his share of the meal.
Akane raised her brows. "At what?"
"At them. They look like a married couple."
"They are a married couple."
"That's true, but they've never had the chance to be together like this. Now that they do, they naturally fell into it."
"Is that a problem?"
"Of course not. I just thought that it was cute," the elder of the unmarried Tendo daughters answered.
"Oh, you're right. It is...."
"Akane.... Nabiki...." Kasumi murmured weakly, looking both pleased and embarrassed, right along with her husband.
"Relax. It's good to see, and is as it should be. Right, Dad?"
Soun gave his youngest daughter a bit of a scowl, almost looking at her like she was bringing him pain. "There are certain things that should be happening, and you should expect them."
"Dad...."
"What? I'm only pointing out the obvious."
"Someone's a little grumpy."
"I would think that I would have reason to."
"You do have reason for being out of sorts, Father," his eldest child commented kindly. "Why, you probably didn't come back until late from your visit to the bar."
"WHAT?! How did you know about that?!"
"You left napkins and a coaster from there on the table in the hall when you came back, and I did have to wake you when I found that you had fallen asleep in the bathroom early this morning."
"Kasumi...."
"Yes, Father."
"Never mention that again."
"If that's what you want."
"It is."
Nabiki let a smirk curl her lips, but only glanced at her father. "Even if it's already too late to be quiet about it."
"I'm your father...."
"And I love you, Dad, even if you do have a habit of doing silly things."
"Nabiki...."
"Don't worry, Dad. Right now, I have other things to do at the moment."
"Such as what?" her father asked.
"Like getting a move on. I'll get into trouble if I'm late, remember?"
"Oh, right."
"I'll go with you," the youngest sister put in.
"It's still a bit early, you know," Nabiki responded.
"Yeah, but I'd like to be early. Then maybe I'll be able to get some extra work done."
"And you'll avoid the crowd, right?"
"Right," Akane muttered, a sour expression drawing her face down.
"What about you, Saotome?" Soun asked.
Ranma swallowed his last bit of rice and looked up at his father-in-law in surprise. "What about me?"
"Are you ready for school?"
"'School'?"
"Yes! Have you gotten ready or not?!"
"Actually, no, I haven't."
The Tendo patriarch slapped his palm down onto the tabletop, shaking the piece of furniture. "WHAT?! I will not allow my daughter to have a husband who won't be educated to a high school level!"
"But...."
"No buts! Are you seriously going to think that you can just sit here and spend all your time just relaxing?!"
"Nah. I do haveta go shoppin'...."
"That is even more of an absurd concept!"
"It's true...."
"Give me just one reason why you can't go to school!"
"I don't have the supplies."
"Huh?"
"I agree with what ya say 'bout Kasumi deservin' someone who's graduated high school," Ranma admitted, rubbing the back of his head. "And I plan on goin'."
"You do?"
"Yeah. I just need ta get a schoolbag, books, pens, and stuff like that."
"Oh, I took care of that," his wife said, and pulled out a packed schoolbag and lunch. "Here you go."
"Hm. Thanks. I needed this."
"You're welcome."
"Guys?" Kasumi's husband said, turning to his sisters-in-law.
"We'll show you the way," Akane told him.
"Good ta hear."
"It's not a problem."
"Well, I'm all set then. 'Xcept for one thing," Ranma said, and turned to his wife. Cupping her cheek, he leaned in and gave her a kiss before getting up. "Now I'm ready. 'Bye, and see ya later, Kasumi."
"I'll be waiting, dear," his blushing wife answered.
Both of her sisters smiled, and led their brother-in-law out of the room with the comfort and ease of happy acceptance.
For Soun, the situation was a bit different, as he found himself staring at empty air for the long moments it took him to realize what had happened. Slowly, it occurred to him that his son-in-law had managed to leave him hanging, and that made him sit there with a bit of shock. A glance over at his eldest, and sweetest daughter showed the joy shining in her eyes as she quietly began to clean up the leftovers of the meal.
All that he knew was that his hangover seemed to be not nice to him at the moment, while:
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(Posted Thu, 02 Mar 2006 08:01)
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