Still, she felt that it was only right that she try to help out in this instance.
"Ummm.... There is something that I think that.... Well... you should...." she stammered, having trouble being forthright with him as she came near him, despite knowing that was what he'd need. "You.... You have to understand something."
For his part, Ranma looked at her with an expression that reflected his immediate acceptance of her words. "There is? What is that?"
"It's just that.... She's interested in you. Makoto, I mean."
"I understood that from the start."
"You did?!"
"Certainly. She did desire to 'spar'."
"That wasn't quite what I meant," Hotaru murmured, wincing a bit at his seeming inability to recognize some things.
"What did you mean?"
"That she thinks that you are cute. You know.... She likes you as a girl likes a boy."
"She favors me?"
"Something like that. I've talked to Mister Saotome, and according to him, she finds boys that she's attracted to, and spends her free time on them somehow."
"That does not seem to be a problem," he commented. "Unless she has let keep on making trouble for her."
"She does have that, but...."
"Yes?"
"The thing is that she is always serious about the relationships that she tries to get."
"And what sort of relationships does she want?"
A small, but understanding, smile curved the violet eyed girl's lips. "The same sort that a lot of girls want. She wants a boyfriend, and now it looks like she's thinking that you could be one for her."
"A 'boyfriend'."
"Exactly. It's not a bad thing, you know. In fact, it can be very good, like it is now."
"I see," her 'brother' replied, taking in the information.
"Just remember, you shouldn't push anything on to her. It's just starting, you know. That means that you do what you're supposed to, especially if she does become your girlfriend."
"What am I supposed to do?"
"I'm not sure.... You should say nice things to her, and help her out if you can. And compliment her. Oh, and bring her gifts, to show that you like her too."
"Like what?"
"I don't know.... You could start small, helping her out and stuff like that. And compliment her if you get the chance. Ah, and give her lots of gifts if you do manage to become a couple."
"'Gifts'? What sort of 'gifts' should I give her?"
Her slim shoulders lifted a bit. "Flowers are the usual thing. And chocolate. And jewelery."
"This is desirable."
"It sure is!" Hotaru blurted back at him, and found herself putting her hands on her hips before she realized that she had. "This is really important stuff for a girl. If it goes right, it can lead to some other things that are really big."
"Really?"
"Uh-huh. It can even lead to... well... marriage."
"'Marriage'," he parroted back, acutely aware that he'd never quite understood how that particular arrangement would work out, or what one was supposed to get from it."
"It's one of the biggest things that a guy and girl can do! When you're married... you're supposed to have a really strong bond with that other person."
"A bond...."
"Yes, and you wind up sharing a lot. As you date, you find out if you'll really be good together, and get to know each other. But when you're married.... You know that you want to be with that person for life. Everything is shared, and you... you..." A blush colored her cheeks as she looked away. "You might even wind up having... getting.... You could have a family, which would keep on going past when you're gone...."
Ranma nodded, understanding the concept, at least in his own opinion. An alliance that would be tested out first, and might lead to a self continuing force was certainly to be desired. "Then I am supposed to see if joining my path to hers would be acceptable."
"I wouldn't put it like that, but it's sort of close.... But remember, even if it would be mainly for you and her, it would be something that the people around you could like having happen."
"You would get something from it?"
"I might...." Hotaru admitted, and the idea of having someone who hadn't batted an eye at her situation as a 'big sister' made her smile a bit.
"I can understand that," Ranma answered, and found the idea of her gaining something from him having a relationship to be welcome, as it would add to her strength."
Both of them were certain that things would go a bit better from then on, while:
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(Posted Sun, 18 Feb 2007 05:10)
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