“And there he goes...” Tendou Kasumi picked up the remaining dishes from the dinner table as she allowed the chilled night air to creep into her lungs. Kasumi stepped lightly into the kitchen, where she deposited the used plates, cups and bowls into the sink. “I don’t believe that Akane would ever run off like that. One would think that if they got lost once in Ryugenzawa they wouldn’t make the same mistake of going in there alone again,” she thought to herself. “it’s good that Ranma went to go after her. I hope that they’ll get along all right...”

Kasumi let the water run from the faucet over the plates. She sighed a moment, content with the day. The house was at peace, now that Ranma and Akane were gone. It wasn’t that Kasumi didn’t enjoy the presence of her younger sister and fiancee, it was just that if the pair had any idea about what went on at the dojo at times, the stress would get to them, and who knows what would happen from there? “Oh, my apron.” Kasumi stopped what she was doing. “I forgot to put it on...” Kasumi raised a hand to turn off the water faucet, and walked over to a nearby drawer. She pulled at the handle, only to find a couple of moths flying out of the drawer. Kasumi’s shoulders drooped as she spoke to herself again. “Oh my. I guess I’ll have to check my room for an apron.”

********************

“All right,” she sighed. Garments fell to the floor. A tee-shirt. Jeans. A bra, and panties. finally, a kendo garb to top it all off. Nabiki swung her hips dramatically as she strutted over Kunou Tatewaki, and sat astride his lap, facing him. Nabiki felt heat radiating off of his flesh; raw energy. She wondered if her presence always induces this sort of a reaction from her companion. At the moment, she didn’t care. Nabiki musingly pushed Tatewaki onto her bed and ran her finger through the tangled chaos of his chocolate-colored hair.

“Tendou Nabiki,” Tatewaki began to reach for Nabiki’s breast, and she swatted his hand aside. He looked at her with a glint of hunger flashing through his eyes. “It seems as if you have something of my interest.”

“And you expect me to give you something for nothing, Tatewaki?” She flashed a quick smile and gave her companion a quick peck on the lips. Nabiki then tugged at his pants with a slight curl in her fingers. “How do you expect me to continue without incentive, my Beautiful One?”

“Beauty?” Tatewaki smiled adoringly at Nabiki. “My Dove, you have yet to now the true
value of beauty until you acknowledge that of your own.”

Nabiki smirked. “Are you doubting my judgment then?”

“Never. But despite what I have said, I shall... conform to your needs.” Without hesitation, Tatewaki sat up, and Nabiki laid on her stomach. He relaxed his body upon hers, careful not to hurt her, and careful to make sure that she was breathing comfortably. His fingers ran down the soft crease in the middle of her back. They reached the small of her back, and then proceeded to caress her sides, with both of his hands, down to her thighs. The kendoist’s immaculate hands followed the same path as they traveled gradually up Nabiki’s body. Nabiki heaved an aroused sigh. She gently motioned for her lover to move, so that she could roll onto her back. Tatewaki paused for a moment to gaze over Nabiki’s body. He eyed her passionate curves, her pearly skin, and especially her delicate waist. His hands proceeded to memorize her curves once again; as he did so, he reminisced about all of the instances he had touched Nabiki’s body in this way. He moved his hands to Nabiki’s lower half, to the point of her desire. He ran the tips of his fingers across that place, grinning as he watched Nabiki squirm. He mused to himself that this would be the only time that Nabiki would so openly squirm.

Tatewaki was moved to spread Nabiki’s legs. Before continuing, he stopped to look into his lady’s eyes. They called out to him, begging for him to continue. He then bent down to place his head between her legs. He felt heat surging throughout his body as a sudden burst of carnality took over. Tatewaki remembered how he loved the taste of a woman, namely Nabiki. Savoring the moment, he moved his tongue deftly over Nabiki’s clitoris, feeling how she pushed towards him. Nabiki’s lower half thrust higher as she spoke between gasps. “Keep it going, baby...” She clenched her fists in anguish. “You know how much I want it...” Kunou responded with a more violent lashing of his tongue across her groin. He was finding himself overwhelmingly aroused. Nabiki finally stood and saw mow much her lover wanted her. She beckoned Kunou to sit up, and straddling his lap, she placed her hands around Tatewaki’s stiffness, an guided him inside. Instantly, she felt her nipples harden. She felt Tatewaki pushing himself into her, with a strong pace. Nabiki moaned as she pushed against him, feeling how easily he slipped into her. She ran her hands up his back, moaning more as he bent his head down. Kunou teased Nabiki’s taut nipples with the tip of his tongue, as Nabiki shrieked louder, moving with him.

The shriek could be heard in Kasumi’s room.

********************

     “Oh, dear.” Kasumi had just finished tying on an apron when she couldn’t help but notice
her sister’s cries of ecstasy. “If father found out, Nabiki would be in a lot of trouble.” Kasumi stepped slowly out of her room, pondering about whether or not she should intrude on her sister’s intimate spree. Kasumi sighed, and decided to hurry over to her younger sister’s room. Tatewaki and Nabiki could easily be heard from outside the door, and Kasumi knew that if she were to leave the two to their fornication, Nabiki would easily face her father’s wrath later.

Kasumi held her breath and rapped assertively on the door. The sound in Nabiki’s room halted for a second, before reverting to the previous activities. Kasumi held her breath again and turned the knob to enter the room. With her hands covering her eyes, Kasumi bowed in apology. However, the pair was still bewildered. Why on Earth would Kasumi waltz into Nabiki’s room in the middle of something like SEX?

“All right, sis,” Silently, Tatewaki prayed that Nabiki would remain aroused as she spoke to her sister. “WHAT is it that you want? I’m uh, kinda busy here...”

“I’m very sorry Nabiki, but you two should quiet down a bit, or else Father may come in and find you.” With that, Kasumi turned around and crashed into a bookshelf, causing a lamp to come tumbling down onto the top of her head, rendering her unconscious. Getting up and wrapping a blanket around her naked body, Nabiki found that her older sister was insentient at the moment. She began to attempt to push Kasumi out into the hallway, but Tatewaki, throwing on a pair of boxer shorts, stopped her.

“My fair one, mayhap the better of your decisions would be to keep your sister with us. If your father were to pass by, he would surely notice her sprawled across the floor, and proceed further to investigate.” Nabiki sighed.

“Then what do you suggest we do?”

“Come.. put the lady under the bed, and let us continue.”

********************

     “I’m sorry for making you worry... let’s hurry home.” Akane walked behind Ranma, in hopes that she would get a response from him. They had been walking for several hours now, and Ranma had not said a single word since they had left Shinnosuke’s house.

*I almost lost her to a complete stranger...* Ranma battled inside for a moment, before gather his will to reach out and take Akane’s hand. When he felt her soft grasp, he let his breath out and tightened his grip, trying to deny that he was blushing. Both Ranma and Akane walked until the sun sank beneath its blankets of orange and violet. When that time came, Ranma and Akane set up two tents, and a campfire.

“So, Ranma, why did you come for me?” Akane sat thoughtfully next to the fire, trying her best to draw in as much warmth from it as she could. She looked across the dancing flames to her fiancee, who had definitely been at a loss for words in the duration of the day. Her sparkling eyes probed so deep into Ranma’s that he couldn’t help but become entranced by them. Ranma tried his best to look to the stars for the same effect, but he quickly grew bored of their twinkling, in comparison. “Well?” Akane smiled enigmatically at Ranma. “I bet my dad forced you to go.”

Ranma finally realized that he was being talked to. “Y-yeah...” Ranma rocked himself back and forth. “He was throwing SUCH a fit...” Ranma broke the gaze between them and looked forcefully into the crackling fire. It hissed and whirled turbulently, and did an exceptionally good job hiding the redness from his blushing. The illumination of the blaze changed the lighting, and made Akane look even more heavenly. “...beautiful.” Ranma murmured absently. He noticed that Akane was shivering, so he reached into his pack and took a thick blue blanket for her. He rose, walked to Akane and draped the blanket around her shoulders. It was the perfect excuse to keep his arm around her. Secretly, Ranma began to pray for the weather to get colder.

“Thanks.” Akane leaned on her fiancee, taking in his scent. She loved the way he smelled: like fresh soap, but it was a scent that wasn't as prominent. Almost subtle. She would detect it whenever she was close to him, whether it be him saving her, or the two of them sitting together. Much like what they were doing now. “I guess I had better be glad that my dad forced you to come here, or I would have died, nee?” Akane closed her eyes, allowing Ranma’s earlier declaration to echo through her thoughts: “Akane is mine!” She grinned and thought to herself. *You have no idea how true that is, Ranma...* With a yawn, Akane sleepily lay her head on Ranma’s lap.

“Hey, I would have come here on my own...” Ranma’s heart seemed to leap out of his chest. He didn’t want to say anything that would get Akane out of her remarkably cheery mood.

“All right,” Ranma grunted as she gently moved Akane’s head away from his lap, “I’m going to bed, okay?” As Ranma crawled into his tent, Akane watched the movement of his shoulders. They were so swift, and precise. Akane blushed as she noticed that Ranma had turned around to say something. “Good night, Akane.” Then, Ranma did something rare. He smiled tenderly, and ducked further into his tent.

Akane curled up with the blanket that Ranma had given her. “I will. You sleep well okay?” Ranma nodded, and paused for a long time. He ignored his instincts, and kneeled down.

“To tell the truth, I can’t.” Ranma crawled into the tent.

Akane crawled into Ranma’s tent. As she entered, she found Ranma curled up on the bare ground. He was awake, and he looked to Akane in confusion. “Yeah?”

Akane gave Ranma his blanket, and nodded another ‘good night’. “Now you can sleep well, Ranma.” She turned to leave the tent, until Ranma said something else.

“Uhm, no.. I can’t...” Akane turned around and looked quizzically at Ranma.
    “Well, why’s that?” Akane sent a gaze over to Ranma, who returned it wistfully. Ranma then sat up, and pulled Akane into his arms. Akane found nothing to say. She leaned into his shoulder as he put an arm around her waist. She fumbled for words. This was an experience that was totally new to her, and she didn’t know how to react.

“I’d need you... to be with me...” Akane’s heart skipped a beat, as she looked blankly at Ranma. He smiled tenderly, but cautiously to her.

“Are you okay, Ranma?”

Akane didn’t want this to be another prompt for her to express her feelings, only to have them shot down. Ranma had been sweet like this before, but he had always gotten scared, and pushed her away afterward. Or for something to come and interrupt. Those two things had always happened, and Akane felt that they would continue tonight. She didn’t want that to happen again.

But she couldn’t find in it her heart to get away, before it was too late. She took the bait, waiting to get a hook through her cheek. “Ranma? Are you okay?” she asked again, this time with more force. “What do you mean, you need me?”

Ranma laughed softly. “Yes, I’m okay, now.” Ranma felt it in his heart-- he didn’t want to be afraid of showing his feelings any longer. Just for tonight, there was no need, because he could read what Akane was feeling. It radiated off of her like heat. He knew that this was special, because the both of them knew how capable they were of hurting each other. Ranma knew that when Akane opened herself like this, that he shouldn’t back down. She trusted him with her feelings once more, and now he would change things. “I just realized a couple of things, that’s all”

“What?” Akane slowly let her inhibitions shed, as she returned his embrace.

“It hurts...”

Akane let go of Ranma, and mumbled, wide-eyed. “Oh. Uhm, sorry...”

“No, Akane... I mean, that it hurts to be without you.” Ranma mentally clenched his fists, and fought back all of the demons that made him doubt the truth about how he really felt. He mustered his willpower to continue talking. “To lose you would be Hell upon Hell, Akane.”

“But I’m okay, Ranma. I’m alive, thanks to you.”

Ranma sat up, cradling Akane in her arms. He forgot that he was scared, and kept on talking. “It’s not just that part, Akane. When I heard you and Shinnosuke talking, and when you said that he loved you, I wanted to kill him.”

Akane smiled. “I think you got THAT message through, Ranma.”

“I wanted to kill myself.”

“What?” Akane broke out of Ranma’s arms and looked at him levelly. “Don’t say that, Ranma, it scares me...” She caressed his lips with her eyes, and made a silent wish.

“Then don’t make me.” Akane thought about this. What did Ranma mean? She let these thoughts circulate in her head, and let the frosty air circulate through her lungs. Akane sighed, and watched her breath scurry back into the night. “I don’t want to feel that way again, Akane...”

Ranma ignored the tears that were forming in his eyes.

“Ranma, please... don’t cry like that.”

“I’m not crying.”

“Can you listen to me for a moment, Ranma? Please?” He nodded, swiping his face with a hand. “Look, it’s my fault that Shinnosuke was dying in the first place. When I was a little girl, I got lost in Ryugenzawa, and one of those animals attacked me. Shinnosuke saved my life, Ranma.” Akane absently brushed his face with her hands. “Then, the animal scratched him across the back-- the one that attacked me. That should have been fatal, but the Water of Life saved him... for a time.”

Ranma sighed. “So, then when that spring dried up, you had to save him, and return the favor. Well..” Ranma frowned. “But I wanna know why you said what you said.. when Shinnosuke asked if you could love him, and you said, that maybe you could. What about our engagement, Akane? Didn’t you think about that?”

“Ranma,” Akane sighed. “I just said that because I felt like I owed it to him.. I’m sorry if--”

“Akane, do you love him?” Ranma couldn’t keep the question back anymore. He looked down at the ground and wiggled his toes.

“Ranma, when I was drowning, I couldn’t think about anything, except for the fact that I love you... and that I could have never said it- oh!” Akane realized what she had just let slip.

“You- you mean it, Akane?” Ranma’s eyes lit up so brightly, as he watched a meek nod affirm what Akane had said. “Oh, Akane. I love you, too.” Ranma bent down and kissed Akane gently. Akane lost herself in the feeling of Ranma’s soft lips, pressing against her own. Her wish came true. “I love you more than anything else on this Earth, Tendou Akane.” Ranma leaned forward again, and kissed Akane vivaciously. Akane leaned closer into Ranma’s embrace, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Pressing her body tightly against Ranma’s, she ran her hands up his back. She laughed, and lay back onto the floor, taking Ranma with her.

“Akane?” Ranma stopped a moment, and wrapped his arms tighter around her waist. “I uh, just want to tell you that you’re beautiful.” He lay kisses along the length of her neck, feeling how he caused her to get chills as he did so. Akane pushed Ranma up off of her neck for a minute, and unbuttoned her shirt. Ranma blinked in disbelief, as she gave him a sultry smile.

Ranma could feel his heart, ricocheting off of his insides. He had no intention to take things this far, but he didn’t object. Akane arched her back slightly, and the shirt revealed a pair of taut breasts.

*She wasn’t wearing a bra?* Ranma pushed the thought back as Akane took his hands and placed them upon her chest. He ran his fingertips along the soft contour of her breasts, brushing across her hardening nipples, marveling at how different it felt to touch another woman’s breasts. He didn’t even realize that Akane was unbuttoning his shirt.

Akane, upon removing Ranma’s shirt, glared a little at the tank top that stood in the way between her and Ranma’s bare skin. After almost literally ripping it off, she gasped at the sight of Ranma’s muscular build; she had seen it so many times when he was training, but had never paid attention to its intricate contours and shape. She wondered how she could be so stupid as to miss out on this before, as she ran a hand across the crevices of Ranma’s shoulders. Akane felt a shiver running up her body as she did this.

Ranma felt it, too. “Ahhh,” he sighed. Then he looked again at Akane. “Hey, what are you doing?” He watched mesmerized as Akane’s delicate hands trailed down, gracefully to the tie that held his pants up. He watched how her wrist arched to pull a string, and then felt his pants loosen all of a sudden. Ranma felt himself growing stiffer, and reddened. He didn’t know how to react to this in front of someone else before, and he was excited to await the answer. He watched Akane lick her lips tediously slowly, and oh, even slower, unzip her shorts.

Too slow. Ranma reached a hand over to stop Akane from completely undressing. “Hey, do you really want to go through this, Akane? I’m not going to make you, or anything...” Akane simply sported an amazingly seductive look in her eyes. “Akane?”

“Yes?”

“Isn’t this a little weird to you? Just yesterday we were fighting and denying that we even care about each other, and now we’re half-naked together in the middle of nowhere?”

“Ranma,” Akane caressed the side of Ranma’s face, lovingly. “We’ve never really hated each other, have we?”

“Well, no.. but..”

“But nothing.” Akane gave Ranma another kiss on the mouth, hoping to knock some sense into him. She lay back on the ground. “I love you, and you love me, and we’re engaged. We’re alone, where nobody will find us. What else is there?”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Ranma tried his best to hide his nervousness. “We’d better take this chance...”

Akane finished unzipping her shorts all the way down. Ranma gingerly placed both hands on her hips and pulled the shorts off of her. He took his hand and then slowly pushed it up along her thigh, the curve of her hip, her waist, until Ranma’s hand reached her breast. Akane placed her hand on Ranma’s to guide him around her body. Ranma soon caught on about where she liked to be touched, and allowed his palms and fingertips to explore her breasts more thoroughly. He would touch certain places, and Akane would moan softly in approval.

“Akane” Ranma began to feel a strange sensation in his stomach. Akane motioned for Ranma to use his other hand to remove her panties. In the meantime, she removed Ranma’s pants and boxer shorts. When she pulled them off, she noticed that Ranma was very excited.

Ranma’s face reddened shyly, now that he was naked as well. Akane put one leg on Ranma’s shoulder.

“Take my thigh-highs off.” Akane’s eyes glittered as Ranma lovingly brought his hand down her legs, rolling off the stockings. He took some time to admire Akane’s legs. They were unbelievably smooth to the touch, and what a beautiful caramel colour they were! He turned his head to kiss Akane’s leg. When he did so, he felt Akane’s body tingle under every contact with his lips.

“Oh, Ranma, I love you so much...” Akane trailed off. She felt how Ranma trembled above her, more so with every kiss that he delivered to her. Akane began to feel how Ranma became more aroused as the time passed. She found that his manhood was throbbing for attention, and before Akane knew it, her panties were being slipped the rest of the way off, and that her lover’s lips were crossing new boundaries. She jolted at this new sensation. Ranma’s kiss sent hot flashes through her body. Ranma moved his head upward to kiss Akane on the neck.

Between kisses, Ranma began to whisper. “Oh, Akane, I never thought that you and me would ever--”

“Shh,” Akane purred. “Just kiss me.” She turned so that she could receive Ranma kisses with her lips.

Though Ranma had been urged silent by Akane’s whispers, he couldn’t help but think about how strange all of this was. He knew that things would go back to the way they were, once the pair had reached home, so doing this was somewhat foreign, but... right. He had never thought that he could build the courage to even indicate that he cared for Akane, and even more, that he was in love with her. Obviously, he had made the right choice in opening up to her. He thanked any god that was out that night, as he motioned to go inside of Akane.
    “Uh, is it okay, if I--”

Akane nodded her head. “Be gentle...”

“Okay, I promise.”

Ranma held his breath, and slipped into Akane with a slight jerk. Akane felt a sharp pain surging through her body. She threw her head back and shrieked. Ranma stopped cold.

“I-- what, did I hurt you? I’m so sorry, Akane!” Ranma put a hand on Akane’s face, and waited for an answer.

“I’m all right.” Akane smiled warmly, and brought Ranma down for a kiss. “Just keep going, okay?”

Ranma nodded and moved slower. Pushing back and forth, Ranma slowly built up more speed, only if he thought that it wasn’t hurting Akane. Every time, he was reassured, when Akane would move faster with him. Soon, the pair was moving considerably faster, Ranma finally sure that Akane would be okay. He began to revel in these new sensations. Akane thrust her pelvis upward with building intensity. They rocked together, faster, as the minutes passed. Akane began to moan softly.

“Oh, Akane...” Ranma began to push ever further into Akane. She released a loud moan and led Ranma’s hands to her breasts. Arching her back, she felt Ranma’s hands once again as they slipped up the surface of her skin, sliding across the sweat, and circling around the tip of her nipples. She looked up at her lover and smiled lustily.

Akane could feel the tension in her cleft begin to build. She began to thrust her sex up towards Ranma’s at an even faster pace. She screamed out loud, when Ranma began to run a finger across her clitoris as he thrust into her. Akane could slowly feel her body coming to the edge. She could feel that Ranma’s pleasure was deepening, too. He thrust himself with all of his force into Akane more and bent to whisper into her ears. “You gonna come for me, Akane?”

She answered with a cry of heightened pleasure. She could feel Ranma pushing her knees further apart, and hear his moans growing as loud as hers. She felt Ranma penetrating her harder, and driving himself further into her flesh. She could barely mouth another “Oh, Ranma...”

He answered. “Y-yeah?”

“I’m coming, Ranma...”

The lovers rocked together aptly. Ranma became euphoric while he penetrated Akane’s tight opening. Moaning out loud several times, he rubbed his hands across Akane’s chest as if he couldn’t help himself. He watched the expression on Akane’s face; she was coming to the edge even more. He was too, in fact. Akane shouted incoherently, and released herself.

Ranma couldn’t hold on any longer. He felt himself discharging into his fiancee. “AKANE!”

She answered her lover. “RANMA!”

Ranma collapsed over Akane, panting as he withdrew from her. Carefully getting off of her, he lay aside her and gave a sweaty kiss to her cheek. He watched her turn her head and sighed to himself at the loving smile that he received. Even when she was worn out and drenched with sweat, she still looked exquisite. He cradled her in his arms, and took this time to really admire her. He ran his eyes along the edges of her body: the dramatic curve in her waist, the slope of her breasts, the arch in her chin. Ranma smiled again. He couldn’t stop. His smile grew as he watched her softly blink, and as she looked up to him to whisper, “Was it... okay?”

“Ohhhh, it *was*...” Ranma tilted his head back, and recalled the feeling. The he suddenly blushed. “Er, though I’ve never done it before... uhh, I liked it. Loved it, actually. How about you?”

“I’m still recovering...” Akane crossed her legs, and moaned one last time. Ranma didn’t know whether or not he should be wierded out, or pat himself on the back. Instead, he lay a kiss on Akane’s forehead.

“Akane?” Ranma sighed.

“Yes?”

“Will you marry me someday?”

“Ranma...” Akane breathed. “You want me to?”

“Well, yeah. I love you, don’t I?”

“Yes... and I’ll be happy to marry you someday, Saotome Ranma. I love you.”

********************

     *I’ll just SAY that I’m bringing this book back...* Kasumi straightened her dress out and headed out the door. She shuddered at the events that had taken place the night before:

Kasumi had awakened to the sight of springs, bouncing haplessly towards her face. Seeing this, Kasumi screamed in terror, and curled up into the best ball that she could make, under a bed.

Above, Kunou and Nabiki continued to engage in their love-making, little by little, forgetting about the person under their bed.

“Oh my, what will I do?” Kasumi pulled her head as close to the floor as possible. The springs were beginning to hurt her face. She yelled as whispery-loud as her voice would let her, to no avail. Her cries were not answered and so, Kasumi decided to simply crawl out from under the bed.

Willing herself to move, Kasumi reached out one had at a time, and crawled against the force of the springs, which were now tugging at her hair. When she finally brought herself to squirm out of Nabiki’s room, her father had noticed her in pain, and on the floor.

“KASUMIIIIIIII!!!” Tendou Soun rushed to his eldest daughter, who was crumpled in the hallway. He left, picked her up, and ran her to her room. After gently depositing her on her bed, he rushed over to Nabiki’s room in a cloud of smoke. Looking over the wooden plaque on her door, he took the knob and turned slowly.

“Nabiki, what’s wrong with Kasu--” Soun had forgotten how to breathe. He had a good reason, too. There before him, lay his middle daughter, stark-naked-under-the-covers with a man whom Soun thought to be seeking the affections of his youngest daughter. Soun held back a waterfall of tears. “My-my daughter’s become a woman!” He brushed his cheeks with his sleeve, turned around, and slowly left the room.

*Father told me to stay home because of all of those spring marks.* Kasumi began to step out of the kitchen. *I don’t see how I should have an excuse to see Dr. Tofu...*

Kasumi snapped her fingers in realization. *I already have an excuse to see a doctor...*

With that, Kasumi set her book down and jetted out of the kitchen.

********************

     *That was easy,* Kasumi thought to herself as she entered Dr. Tofu’s Clinic. A stampede of patients rushed out through the front door, after acknowledging Kasumi’s cheery appearance in the waiting room. She spotted a place on a nearby couch, sat down and reached for a random magazine.

The cover showed a small orange kitten, sitting on a field of green. “How cute.” Kasumi smiled innocently and flipped through a few pages. A short time later, Dr. Tofu stepped out of a door, drying his hands with a towel. He noticed Kasumi reading and immediately, his glasses fogged over.

“Why, Hello, Kasumi-san,” Dr. Tofu ripped his towel in half. “What an amazing coincidence that we should meet here, of all places.”

Kasumi smiled tenderly and stood. “Don’t worry, Tofu Ono, no one is here.”

Dr. Tofu’s glasses reverted to normal. “So, what’s going on, Kasumi? What happened to your face?” He walked to the front doors of the clinic and locked them tight. “Come on, let’s go into my office.” He took Kasumi’s magazine, put it back on a table, and took Kasumi’s hand.

“I take it that Ranma and Akane are out of town...?” Dr. Tofu shut a door behind them and sat Kasumi down. “Now, tell me what happened to your face.”

Kasumi blushed and looked down at her lap. “An... accident. I’ll be fine, husband...” She reached into a pocket and retrieved a thin, golden band. Dr. Tofu put his arms around Kasumi and kissed her forehead.

“Like I’ve said before, anata,” Kasumi fidgeted with her ring. “My family needs me.” Kasumi sighed to herself.

“Am I not your family?” Dr. Tofu folded his arms and sighed to himself. “Look, do you want some tea? I’ll get some hot water going.” DR Tofu headed towards a sink and let the water run after Kasumi nodded her head slightly. “Now, as I was saying. What of me? You promised to be my partner for life, but you never even come for dinner, you don’t even kiss me in public, nobody knows what we’re engaged-”

“You know why I can’t say anything,” Kasumi interjected. “This marriage would complicate my life even more that it already is.” Kasumi sighed and put her hand on her forehead. She noted the disappointment in her love’s movement and stood slowly. She walked up behind him, and wrapped her arms around his waist. “As far as I’m concerned, we are already married-”

“In spirit.” Dr. Tofu turned to face Kasumi. “And a bond in spirit can never be violated.” His eyes twinkled underneath his glasses.

“And is hundreds of times stronger than any... verbal... promise...” Kasumi slowly tipped her head upward, and delivered a gentle kiss across Dr. Tofu’s lips. He responded by wrapping his arms around her waist, and breathing kisses down her neck. He pushed her back, then, and looked into her eyes with a slight, soft smile.

“Move in with me, Kasumi-san.”

“But my family--”

Dr. Tofu nodded and gave her a knowing smile. “I had to try, didn’t I? All right, what about this? Will you come to live with me after Ranma and Akane marry? They will inherit the dojo, and they will take over, and take care of your father. It won’t be too long off, Kasumi.”

Kasumi thought about this for a moment. “But Akane, she’s going to need some help-”

“Think of yourself for just one moment, Kasumi, please.” Dr Tofu put a hand on Kasumi’s face, and brought her head up for another kiss. “Please consider us. By then, Akane will have matured enough to tell Ranma that she loves him. She will need to be a wife without her sister guiding her every step of the way. The way that you carry on now, you’ll have to hold her hand on her honeymoon night.”

Kasumi blushed. *This is not a time to talk about sisters and their sex lives,* she thought to herself.

“In all seriousness, however, Kasumi-san. Please, can you do this for me?”

Kasumi looked wistfully out a window, and watched the Autumn leaves tumble downward. She opened her mouth, and looked at Dr Tofu with the most serene gaze that he had ever beheld.

“I... no.” She looked down at her lap, and felt Dr Tofu’s hands, beginning to push her away from him. “I will do it for the both of us.” He froze.

“You mean it?” Dr Tofu was too happy to move.

“I promise, and here is the tie that will seal my word.” Kasumi walked over to an examining table and sat down on it. Pulling Dr Tofu with her, she lay back and wrapped her arms around Dr Tofu’s shoulders. She felt how his body stiffened with every kiss that she gave him. At first, Dr Tofu’s face flushed. Kasumi pulled his body closer to his. “Please... look at me...?”

“I want to,” Dr Tofu kissed Kasumi on the neck again. “But I’ll get lost in that chocolate void that you call your eyes.” Kasumi’s whispery voice pleaded.

“This will be our first time... I want to remember the look in your eyes. Please, look at me.”

Dr Tofu forced his head to turn towards Kasumi’s. He did get lost in her gaze; this made him forget, however, the speed at which his heart was beating, and how nervous he was. He kissed Kasumi full on her lips, and felt them part to heave a sigh. Kissing Kasumi while she did this, he surprised both her and himself, when he slipped his tongue into her mouth. She almost giggled when he did that, but pulled her skirt up, just a bit. Enough for Dr. Tofu to get the hint. He did, and pushed up her skirt, so that he could see her panties. Kissing her on the cheek now and then, he brushed his fingers over her thighs, and brushed them a little bit over her sex. Kasumi’ eyes opened widely at this sensation and she moaned very softly. She felt her panties being taken off, and moved so that they could slide off easier. Kasumi kissed her fiancee once more, and helped him slide into her. As that happened, a knock could be heard in the distance.

Kasumi froze, and Dr. Tofu quickly pulled his pants back up. She frowned slightly, and pulled her panties up, after picking them up off the floor. The knock became louder. “I guess a doctor must always answer to his patients, nee?”

Dr. Tofu sighed. “Yes...” he looked at the floor for a second, and blinked. “Much like what you must do with your family.” He immediately felt stupid for what he had asked, and hugged Kasumi, ignoring the knocking in the background, for a moment. “Oh, Kasumi-san, I’m so sorry! I never thought about how I do the same thing...”

She nodded, and hugged Dr. Tofu back. “It’s all right...” She smiled, and grabbed his glasses that immediately began to fog up. “Let’s go answer the door.”

“All right, Kasumi-san.”

“And I’ll still do it.”

“What?”

“I still promise to marry you after Ranma and Akane are married. I love you, Ono-san.”

“And I, you, Kasumi-san.”

“Hello? Is Kasumi there?” There was a voice now, behind the knocks on the door. Dr. Tofu danced out the room and opened the door, with Kasumi in tow. A thumb-twiddling Tendou Soun walked in, smiling at Kasumi. “Ah, hello, you two.” His eyes wandered to the ring on Kasumi’s finger. Soun smiled inwardly. “Uh, so, doctor, how is my dear daughter?”