[FFML] Damned If You Don't Chapter 3 (Ranma,Lemon)

[Bolivar Shagnasty]

Damned If You Don't Chapter 3
By the Composer and Bolivar Q. Shagnasty

We don't own Ranma, and even the premise of this story is somewhat not ours.


Nodoka watched in concern as Kasumi slowly and unevenly peeled the
carrot.  "Dear, I'm still not certain you're entirely all right."

"I am still feeling a bit shaky."

"If you wish, I can handle this for you."

Kasumi considered this, then said, "I appreciate that, Auntie, but you
already helped out with breakfast.  The least I can do is help out with
dinner."

Nodoka nodded and continued monitoring the rice in the pot.  "Could you
wash the daikon, dear?"

Kasumi nodded, and wordlessly started running the daikon under the tap. 
Nodoka watched this for a second, then sighed.

"Really, Kasumi, I think you are too tired to prepare dinner."  She
picked up the nailbrush and took the daikon from her.  "These need to be
scrubbed."

"Yes, of course.  I'm sorry, auntie," the younger woman apologized.  

"Don't worry dear, we all have our off days.  I'll be happy to help
out.  I honestly miss it.  I admit," she continued, "that it can be a
bit much when you're doing it every day."

Kasumi looked a touch faint at the last sentence, but shook it off.  "I
don't think I agree with you, Auntie."

She chuckled.  "Your devotion to your sisters is commendable."  She was
surprised that Kasumi blushed at this, then chalked it up to her
well-known modesty.

Nodoka continued scrubbing the taproot and sighed to herself.  "Kasumi
dear, my apron strings are getting loose again, can you tighten them for
me?"

"O-of course, Auntie."

She felt Kasumi fumbling with the knot at the back of the apron, then
heard her mutter something a touch unladylike.  "I'm sorry, Auntie.  I
dropped a string."

Her hand brushed across Nodoka's bottom, recovering the string.  Nodoka
gasped in surprise.

"Sorry."

"No harm done."

Kasumi finished tightening and re-tying the apron.  "All done."

"Thank you, dear."

'Oh, this is very wrong.'  Nodoka closed her eyes momentarily.  'I
really must try not to enjoy such...accidents.'

The sound of the front door brought both women's attention to new
arrivals.  "We're home!" Nabiki's voice cried out.  

"Honestly, I can't believe you got tricked into wearing that, Ranma!"
Akane's voice, obviously peeved.

"Hey, it ain't my fault these things happen to me!" Ranma's voice
countered 

"Well, you should make sure your sisters are prepared for dinner,"
Nodoka said, her voice sounded a bit nervous.  "Especially Akane.  Lord
knows that girl gets active."

Kasumi's eyes glazed over slightly before she shook her head, as if
clearning her mind.  "Oh, of course," she added, barely containing a
smile as she left Nodoka to finish up dinner preparation.

Nodoka called after her, "You could probably do with another soak in the
furo.  Perhaps your sisters could join you?"



* * * * *



Kasumi paced back to the kitchen with an empty tray.  "Miss Cologne,
would it be possible for me to leave soon? I would like to check on my
family."

"Sorry my dear, but the dinner rush is going to need you around for
another half hour, maybe 20 minutes."

Kasumi nodded, and set the tray down.  "Is table seven's order ready? 
They are getting rather insistent."

Kasumi yawned widely, and Cologne looked at her sharply.

"Fatigued?"

"Yes."

"Coffee."

"Oh, bother.  Not again."  Kasumi shuddered, then picked up one of five
cups of thick black coffee, and knocked it back.  She shuddered.  "I do
dislike coffee."

"As much business as you would bring with your...primary recharge...in
the dining room, we could do without the publicity." Cologne stated.

Kasumi considered the implications, and blushed deeply.  "I think I will
have to develop a taste for coffee."



* * * * *



Akane upended the bucket over her head, and shuddered.  She glanced up
as the door opened.  "Oh, hi, Kasumi."

"Hello, Akane."  Kasumi certainly looked tired;  her eyes weren't
meeting Akane's, but drooping towards the ground.  "I'm not really here
to bathe;  I just want to soak in the furo."

"Of course.  It should be nice and warm," Akane offered as she picked up
the wash cloth and started to scrub.

"If you want," offered Kasumi, "I can do your back."

"That would be great, Kasumi," Akane answered as she turned on the
stool, her back offered to her sister.

"I don't really trust my balance right now..."  Kasumi put her hand on
Akane's shoulder, and knelt slowly.  "I haven't been feeling well
today."

"You spend too much time taking care of us, Kasumi.  And no-one here
ever really appreciates you for it."

"Yes..."

Akane blinked.  That was rat"Actually, I do believe it."  Kasumi looked
a bit wistful.  "I always felt that you two got along better than you
pretended to..."

Akane looked at her sister, and sighed.  "I know what you're thinking,
Sis.  Don't worry, there's someone out there for you."

"I thought there was, but I'm worried that I've lost...him."

Akane noted the hesitation before the last word, but pressed on.  "We
don't know where Doctor Tofu is, but I'm sure he's all right."her...not
Kasumi-ish.

"Ranma in particular seems to take me for granted."

Akane went from blink to boggle.  Her sister must really not be feeling
well at all.  She wasn't sure how to feel; these words from her sister
felt cold to her.  But the familiar hands rubbing her shoulders helped
dispel her unease.

Those hands started to drift lower, however, their rubbing felt like
probing, as if seeking something.  Akane wasn't concerned;  she'd been
on the receiving end of several of Kasumi's back rubs, and her sister
was a pro.  But when the hands drifted down below the small of her back,
she started to worry.

"You have such a firm butt, Akane," Kasumi complimented.

"Lots of exercise, and eating right," Akane chuckled, but it sounded a
touch hollow to her.

She could feel the fingertips drift lower, almost tracing the curve of
her butt.  Akane was paralysed, not sure if she should say something, or
even if she could.

Kasumi pulled her hands away, and Akane heaved a sigh of relief.  She
hoped it would be mistaken for a sigh of relaxation.  She heard Kasumi
moving behind her, and her sister said, "Will you wash my back now?"

Akane slowly turned and saw Kasumi's bare back exposed to her.  She
looked the same, but at the same time, it didn't quite feel the same. 
Akane brushed off her fears as stress from the schoolday and worked a
lather into the washcloth.

Kasumi's hair was down, and spilled over her back;  Akane gathered it up
and tossed it over her older sister's shoulder.  "I always envied your
hair."

"Really?"

"Yeah...when I had my hair long, I was trying to look like you."

"It always gets in the way," the older girl confessed.

Akane started to scrub her back, and chuckled.  "Maybe so.  But it looks
so much more...feminine...than mine."

"You have no need to be jealous, Akane.  You're still a very beautiful
young woman."

Again, Akane felt a bit disturbed.  She finished scrubbing Kasumi's
back, then grinned, and started kneading her shoulders.  

"Mmm, you're really good with your hands, Akane," Kasumi moaned, her
voice had a slight sensual flavor to it.

"I learned from the best."

Kasumi turned her head slightly.  "Are you ready for a soak now?"

"Sure."  Akane grinned again.  "A good back rub, followed by a hot
soak...a match made in heaven."

Kasumi stood, and stepped into the furo.  She lay back, and said,
"speaking of matches...how are you and Ranma getting along?"

"Why do you have to ask?"  Akane followed her into the furo.  "You see
me and the perverted jerk every day."

"I only see your public face.  I know there's more below the surface,
that I don't get to see."

"Well, to tell the truth..."  Akane leaned back in the tub.  "We're
getting along a bit better, if you can believe that."

"Actually, I do believe it."  Kasumi looked a bit wistful.  "I always
felt that you two got along better than you pretended to..."

Akane looked at her sister, and sighed.  "I know what you're thinking,
Sis.  Don't worry, there's someone out there for you."

"I thought there was, but I'm worried that I've lost...him."

Akane noted the hesitation before the last word, but pressed on.  "We
don't know where Doctor Tofu is, but I'm sure he's all right."

Akane almost could have sworn she saw a grimace on Kasumi's face, but it
was so slight she couldn't have been sure.

Kasumi looked up at Akane again, and said, "So you and Ranma are working
things out.  That's good.  Does his curse still bother you?"

Akane looked away slightly, her gaze dodging her sister almost as much
as she wished to dodge the question.  "Not really.   The Ranma I knew
always had the curse.  To me, it IS Ranma."

"You have surely noticed the number of times he has been stuck in girl
form.  Eventually, your relationship will become more physical - not
until you are married, of course."  Kasumi looked at her with a
comically stern expression, and Akane giggled.  "Have you considered
what may happen in that event?"

"I guess...I will see what happens?"

"You don't sound very certain of yourself.  In matters such as this, you
really ought to be certain."

Akane looked down in the water for a full minute.   She stood from the
water and stepped out of the furo.  "Thanks for the advice, Kasumi.  I
guess I have a lot of thinking to do."

"Do you love him?"

"...Yes."  Akane studied her toes.  "Boy form or girl form, he's still
Ranma.  I guess that means I've gotta be more...open to ideas."

Akane stepped out of the furo room, sliding the door shut behind her. 
If she'd lingered a moment longer, she might have seen her sister clench
her fist, a look of depression on her face.


* * * * *


Gosunkugi narrowed his eyes at the sliding door, right after Akane left
the bath.  His  physical frustration could now be matched with the
emotional one he felt.  'I always suspected but... I can't believe it! 
She loves that jerk!' he cursed in his mind angrily.

 "Well, of course she does."

"Who--"