"I kissed him..." Britanny muttered to herself. She had just gone and kissed Ranma. And she would have continued, had she not felt Ranma's tongue start to slide and react with her own. It had felt nice, but she knew she shouldn't have done that.
It was then that Britanny heard a knock at the door. She turned her head towards it. "Who is it?"
The reply Britanny got was Nodoka's voice. "It's just me dear. If it is all right, may I please come in?"
Though Nodoka could not see it, Britanny nodded her head. "S, sure."
And with that, Nodoka came into the bathroom, wearing a bathrobe. furo. "I hope you don't mind me joining."
"N, not at all." Britanny said. She turned her head away as the Saotome matriarch disrobed.
Using buckets of cold water to wash herself off first, Nodoka then slid into the waters of the furo with her house-guest. "Quite relaxing." Nodoka said, trying to start a conversation. She couldn't wait to start giving Britanny tips on how to please her manly son... But Nodoka noticed how uneasy the werecheetah seemed to be. "You look a little shook-up, Britanny. Is something wrong?"
Britanny sighed. She looked at Nodoka a bit fearfully. "I... I kissed your son..."
Britanny was surprised as Nodoka just smiled nicely at her. "So I noticed." The Saotome matriarch answered.
Sighing, Britanny continued to tell the whol truth. "But... At the same time... I wasn't..."
Now Nodoka raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Oh? Care to explain?" She asked nicely.
Britanny sighed, a bit shaken up. "My thoughts weren't on your son, Mrs. Saotome..." Britanny admited. Her shouldders shook a little. "They were on Stripe... Ranma was holding me like how Stripe used to..." Brritanny's eyes started to water up. "I felt so warm... So loved... I... I just wanted the feeling to continue.
Nodoka nodded her head in understanding. "I see..." Nodoka patted Britanny's shoulder lightly. "Britanny, it's alright, it's very understandable why you did that. The lonliness can get to you, I imagine..."
Britanny nodded her head and sniffled a bit. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to use Ranma like that... I must have scared him something awful..."
"I think Ranma was more confused than scared." Nodoka said. "I'm sure if you explained to him he'd understand." Nodoka gave Britanny a small smile. "Maybe... But he might even consider it a compliment that you see him in something of the same light as your Stripe."
Looking at Nodoka, Britanny said, "But... Still... He might hate me for doing that to him..."
Nodoka raised an eyebrow to that. "Ranma... Hate you?" She scoffed. "Hardly... The boy doesn't have alot of hate in his heart..."
Britanny looked down at the waters of the furo, she was silent for a long moment. "... Stryyp was the same way..." Britanny's eyes began to water up. "It was what got him killed... He tried to reason with them, and... And..." Britanny was barely holding back the tears that were threatening to flow.
Patting Britanny on the back comfortingly, she said, "There, there... Now Ranma doesn't feel hate... But he isn't one to let people attack him... Or give them the chance." Nodoka looked very proud as she continued. "He'll avoid a fight if he can, but he's accustomed to fighting instead of backing off."
Britanny nodded her head "All right..." She looked at Nodoka. "But still... Is this right?"
Nodoka just smiled at Britanny. "Britanny, it's all part of the healing cycle. Your pain is still VERY fresh, but... Things can happen that speed up healing..."
Looking at Nodoka curiously, Britanny asked, "Speed up healing? Like what?"
Smirking lightly, Nodoka answered, "A certain person, circumstances of chance... A number of things, really..."
Britanny whimpered slightly. "But is it right for me to drag Ranma into my problem?"
Smiling lightly, Nodoka said, "Well, Britanny, HE'S probably thinking the same thing..." Nodoka reached behind her and grabbed a tissue from the box she kept on the floor. She handed Britanny a tissue.
Britanny graciously accepted the tissue. "Sniff. Thank you, Mrs. Saotome." Britanny then wiped her eyes.
Nodoka pet Britanny's back a bit more. "The best advise I can give you... Is to take things as they go.. Bbut don't make yourself do anything your not ready for."
Britanny nodded her head slightly. "Okay..."
Nodoka gave Britanny an encouraging smile. "Life is full of second chances, but we're not always able to grasp them. I'm taking my own, to get to know my son better and be a part of his life..." Looking diretly into Britanny's eyes, Nodoka added, "You just need to mold your own as time goes on."
Nodding her head, Britanny still let out a sigh. "But... What about both our problems? Even if I do decide to try to get to know Ranma, how can we be together when so much is wrong with both of us?"
Nodoka just continued to smile at Britanny. "That is something you two will have to work out. You two seem to be in need of each other in my opinion. Ranma needs to get more comfortable around girls... And you need a good friend to help heal your heart."
Britanny nodded her head, somewhat agreeing with Nodoka. "I can help Ranma... I know I can... But how will I be able to help myself?"
Moving closer to Britanny, Nodoka gave the werecheetah a small motherly hug. "Only you can find that out Britanny dear. My son cares for you, he wants to help you as well, do not despair... Yhings will work out."
Britanny nodded her head once more. "I really hope so."
Nodoka just smiled. :I'm sure they will, somehow. Just have faith in yourself, and Ranma."
Britanny nodded her head, and even found herself smiling a bit. "Thank you, Mrs. Saotome... Thank you for everything..."
Nodoka smiled. "You're most welcome, dear."
A bit embarassed, Britanny moves over in the Furo and gave Nodoka a hug. Nodoka hugged back. "Oh don't be shy," Nodoka said, "You can always give me a hug."
Britanny sighed in relief as she hugged Nodoka tightly. She wasn't sure what it was about this woman, but she felt very comfortable around her. "Thank you, Mrs. Saotome... Thank you."
Hugging the werecheetah back, Nodoka said, "Oh, just call me Nodoka, Britanny. Or Auntie if you prefer. I sound old being called 'Mrs. Saotome' by you."
Britanny blushed a bit "Okay..." A small smile came to her face. "Auntie..."
Nodoka's smile widened at hearing that. "There, that wasn't too hard."
Britanny nodded her head in agreement. "No, it wasn't." She stood up and went over to grab a towel to dry herself.
Nodoka raised an eyebrow. "Where are you going, Britanny?"
Britanny smiled lightly at Nodoka. "I'm going to dress, and then I'm going to talk to Ranma."
Smiling, Nodoka sat up a bit, and Britanny knelt down so that Nodoka could give her a final hug. Britanny then wrapped a towel around her and left the furo.
Nodoka smiled as Britanny left. "Such a sweet girl..." Nodkka thought. "I do hope she and Ranma get together!" It was then that thoughts of many cheetah-like grandchildren went through her head. "Oh, they'd be so KAWAI!!!"
"ACHOO!" A sneeze echoed out through the kitchen. Damn... Why do I sneeze like that so much lately?" Ranma grumbled as he was finishing up cleaning.
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(Posted Tue, 17 Jun 2003 21:06)
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