Lonely no more
Ukyo snarled and flipped another Okinamyaki on her grill 'stupid RANMA!!! Calling me Ucchan then breaking it to me that Hes getting married to Akane!!!' 'HOW DARE HE!!!' She looked down, her normally perfect Okinamiyaki was burning on the grill, its sizzle seemed to mock her mood like a crow. She looked around at the empty restraunt, where was everyone? Oh yes at Ranma and AKANE'S second wedding, she seemed dismayed, she really wasn't that sorry for her part in the first wedding's fiasco. A loud knock came on the door, she pointed to the sign that said "Closed" on her door to the shady figure.
But the figure knocked again, it seemed like a weak knock, so she opened the door-To have Ryoga practically fall in her lap, half unconcious. "ACKK RYOGA!!!" She yelled, but the limp figure couldn't hear her.
She set him on a table, on the side of his head was a semi-deep gash,and his shirt was tattered and ripped, she couldn't help but notice his mucles, he wasn't a six pack build by far, but he was masculine. 'Look at me, I'm sitting here admiring this poor guys muscles when he's unconcious on my table, shame on me!' She mentally chided herself. But she couldn't help but thinking.
'He's more masculine then Ranma...' she slapped herself lightly on the arm. She pulled out bandages from her bathroom, the long white cloth kind, and bandaged his Forhead and cut, she took the Bandanna out of his smooth yet unkept hair, and replaced it with a bandage. His eyes were still unfocused and shut, she sighed, he was a limp noodle on her table- 'A masculine limp noodle' 'shut up brain' 'hey I'm just having fun.' She argued with her head. She peeled off his shirt, the wounds there were long but not as deep as the wound on his head, they had undoubtbly hurt though. She grabbed at a damp,clean rag in her sink, and pulled it over to her. she lightly wrapped the rag around one finger and used it to lightly clean off the dirt and blood off his chest, his breathing uneven under her touch. She wondered why she all of a sudden kept noticing his handsome features and masculine chest. 'Loneliness must be getting to me.' she lied to herself. She really knew she never noticed her friend's appeal because she was always wrapped up with stupid Ranma, the more she thought about it, the more she resented spending so much time with Ranma, Ryoga had stuck with her A LOT more then Ranma ever had. She looked at Ryoga once more, her heart felt sick. She bandaged his chest quickly and smiled at him.
'He'll wake up soon then I don't have to sit here and feel guilty.' She tried to clean the grill, but it was sparkling and she kept glancing over at his sleeping form. She hauled his umbrella with both hands and the aid of her spatula into the Okinayaki restraunt, and his back pack with less difficulty. She walked into the other room and removed her chest bindings, it was a lot more comfy and Ryoga certainly knew she was a girl, Her okinamyaki outfit was considerably tighter around as she fit it over her now reasonbly large chest. She smiled, satisfied. To her suprise Ryoga was sitting up and examining his bandages. He noticed her and smiled a cute fanged smile. "Hello Ukyo."
She smiled nervously at him, gulping at his smile. "heya Jackass, did you really have to land on me and collapse?" His face fell a bit and she cursed herself. "S-sorry Ukyo" she smiled her brightest smile that she could manage "Its ok Ryoga-kun" He smiled a bit, 'He's so simple in ways' she thought with affection. She looked at him sharply all of a sudden, it made him gulp and start. "What happened to you anyway?" He sighed weakly and lay back on the table as if sitting up had hurt him all that time. He didn't answer, she walked out form behind the grill to inspect him, only to find him, silent with tears runnging down his face. "Akane did it to me."
She looked at him, shocked, and put a hand on his shoulder, a tingle ran trough his back at her touch and he gulped. She looked at him with pity and saddness. "Why?" "Well it got out that I was P-chan...And it got back to Aka-" He felt ukyo hug him tighly, his chest burned like fire but his heart beat twice its normal rate. "You poor thing" she mumbled into his bandages. He grinned a fang-y grin at her. She let go of him, embaressed and decided that position woudn't be the best one for someone to walk in and find them in. She went about making him an Okinamiyaki while he rested, a pillow from the geust room under his head. Thoughts and emotions meshed together in her mind. 'Damn what a jackass I've been, not noticing him, he must feel kind of used by me, and thats all I did, was use him...'
Ryoga watched her silently, his mind a war of thoughts. 'She'll never like me, she loves Ranma, we'll always be just friends, but why am I so dissapointed?'
Ukyo turned away from Ryoga to get a plate off the counter, she turned back to the grill- Only to find Ryoga stripping down to nothing, she felt her nose twitch violently. "RYOGA-KUN WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!?" She managed to turn around before he was out of his pants . He looked a bit confused then smiled lightly. "Sorry Ukyo-chan I was getting out of my ripped up clothes." She turned back around once he was decent. He smiled cutely and sat on a stool. She handed him an Okinamiyaki. Ryoga twiddled the end of his bandanna between his fingers while intently watching ukyo. She smiled under his gaze, somehow she felt warm and secure with his presence.
***
Ryoga lay in the guest bed room, Ukyo had insisted he stayed. 'Why do I feel so nervous around Ukyo? I've known her for a long time, but, now I feel almost as if..as if.. I had a crush on her...' he pondered with the thought for a moment, she was prettier then Akane, she was nice and took him in, had a big heart, nice body, nice face, kind intentions. He could name a million other things but didn't feel like it. He still couldn't figure out his feelings, mixed up as he was.He still went to bed with the feeling of dread, something bad was to happen.
********************
Ryoga knew that feeling was right, who else in the world besides the eternally lost boy and The worlds greatest Okinamiyaki chef could get themselves lost in a Forest far from Nermia? Only Ukyo and Ryoga of course. Ukyo Yelled at him. "WHY DID I LISTEN TO YOU!?!??!" She yelled loudly to him. He just growled and kept walking. She yelled it at him again. He still ignored her and kept walking. She wheeled him around and pressed his chest to hers, her face in his, her pretty features angry. "I SAID WHY DID I LISTEN TO YOU!??!??!?!??!" Even with her chest bindings, he could feel her cleavage rather well. The blood rushed to his nose and threatened to spill as he mumbled. "I don't know Ukyo..." She let go of him softly and pushed him along. Ryoga gulped, he loved no one but Akane, so why did he enjoy that so much even when she was so angry, plus with her chest bindings on, she didn't have half the cleavage Akane had. But WITHOUT the bindings Ryoga, think.. A little voice in his head nagged him.
Ukyo took out a small radio and turned it on, Japanese music floated through it peacfully. Ryoga had to grin, music had always been a weak spot, it could calm him down. She put it away after a few minutes and continued walking softy, every once in awhile tilting her head up to look at the back of Ryoga to make sure he was still there, he may have gotten them LOST, but she wasn't a fool and knew she couldn't survive with out him. She still enjoyed his company even though right now she was ticked off. He suddenly stopped, causing Ukyo to crash rather violently into his back, she pressed herself against his back and looked over his shoulder in order to see from his point of view, the tip of his bandanna tickled her ear and he felt warm against her neck. She breathed in, he had a sort of nice smell to him, he pointed to the sky wearily, breaking Ukyo out of her little world. "Ukyo its going to rain soon, hard, I'll put the tent up for the night." Even though the pre-rain breezes blew, It was hot and the extra stress of putting the tent up, they were soon sweating beads. Ryoga soon had his shirt off.
He watched as Ukyo set down the stake she was drilling in, and pulled off her shirt, leaving her chest bindings, they looked sort of like a tube top, but made out of white bandages, and they came down under her pants. Ryoga's nose began to leak with force, he caught it as he twisted his head to rest it on the shirt he kept hung over his shoulder. Ukyo looked at him oddly, luckily she didn't see the blood leaking. She walked back over to the stake and shoved it in with trouble. She smiled at him lightly as she pushed the last stake in. She pulled him over the threshold until they came to a reasonbly large, slow moving river, it posed no threat to them. "Ryoga, this place is great to cool down in... I'm going, if you want to then come on!!" She smiled, placing her shirt on a tree branch, she jumped in with her chest bindings and pants still on. Ryoga hung his shirt beside Ukyo's and Tightened the Leather straps around his ankles before dipping a toe in ' Thank God, its warm because of the sun' he thought then jumped in beside her. Ukyo swam suprisingly well, Ryoga swam well because sometimes in his travels he HAD to swim to survive. She splashed him then dove back under, sometimes popping up in front of him, her hands on his shoulders, sometimes 10 feet away. He smiled, his fangs poking out, suprising Ukyo as she really looked at them, His fangs are AWFULLY cute... Her thoughts were interupted as he dunked her underwater, he swam away, laughing. She swam powerfully behind him, tackling him a bit, his stiffened for a moment, his mind whirling-until she dunked him, and held him until he broke free.
He jumped away in the water, crossing his arms and smiling an evil grin at her, his fangs fully shown. Ukyo smiled too, throughly enjoying herself. God, Ranma was never this fun, With Ryoga its like we're pals. Ranma treated me as something that should give respect to him, as a child almost. She stopped thinking as she saw the sky get darker. "Ryoga, look at the sky, we should head back..." He nodded, a bit dissapointed. "I haven't had that much fun in..." He paused, trying to remember. "Ok never mind Ukyo I don't remember when I last had that much fun." She laughed and climbed out of the river, her wet-with-water dark pants sticking to her lithe figure, showing off her hips. Ryoga grinned a small grin, to cover up for his racing mind. She flung her shirt over herself, covering some of her womanly figure. Ryoga sighed and jumped out, his hard chest glistening with water, the droplets catching the last rays of sunlight. She stared for a minute, unable to not catch a glimpse of his handsome frame. He seemed to take no notice of her gaze and he walked up to her, holding out his hand to be led back to camp. She smiled a bit, it seemed childish but cute coming from Ryoga Hibiki. she took his larger rough yet smooth hand in her smaller one and walked with her friend back to camp, the last rays of sunlight drifting on the river behind them.
Ukyo walked inside the tent first, Ryoga stood outside, watching her slim shadow. She removed the soaking chest bindings, Ryoga felt his nose heat up, even at her shadow. She put more bindings on on, replacing her wet pants with dry ones. she walked out, her hair still damp and hung free over her bare shoulders. She hung her bindings and other pants on a tree branch, knowing full well they'd be soaked but they'd dry after the storm passed. Ryoga went in next, quickly stripping to nothing then replacing his clothes quickly. He walked out and hung his beside Ukyo's clothes. She never put her shirt back on, she seemed perfectly happy with walking around in the bindings. Ryoga watched his best friend with curiosity. She pulled him in the tent as it began to rain. They sat on her sleeping bag, his still rolled up in a corner. They ate Okinamiyaki and talked to each other. She found out a lot about Ryoga, some made her throat tighten and her to swallow tears. How could someone love A girl like Akane so much? More importantly, how could Akane not notice this??? She sighed, she heard things interesting about his travels. He heard about how she had pledged to get Ranma back for stealing her Okinamyaki Cart. How she had been promised as a fiancee. Ryoga balled his hands into fists at this, somehow he didn't like the idea of Ukyo as a fiancee to Ranma. She smiled a bit at this, she didn't like Him loving Akane either. They seemed protective of each other, they were all each other had left, a suprisingly good friendship that built from hate. Ukyo placed an arm around Ryoga's bare shoulder and Split her last Okinamiyaki with him, breaking the bread in half. She sighed, guilt turned her features. He is such a good friend, Much more then Ranma ever was, He has feelings too, I guess I just never noticed them, up until recently. The Ryoga I know is sweet... Her thoughts were interupted by a clash of thunder, she jumped, grasping onto Ryoga's arm painfully. "T-That sc-scared me!!" She yelped, he laughed quielty and peeled her off his arm a bit reluctantly. "Ukyo, its late, go to sleep now.." She grinned sheepishly. He rolled out his sleeping bag a half a foot away from hers, thats about all they had in space. He slipped in his sleeping bag and shut his eyes. Right before she fell asleep she heard him say something. "Sweet dreams Ukyo." She grinned a bit and placed her hand on his shoulder for a moment before dragging her hand back under her sleeping bag. "You too Ryoga, Goodnight." That made him smile as he fell asleep.
Ryoga woke up early, Ukyo still slept peacfully, strands of brown hair blowing softly in her face, he brushed them back with a rough hand and smiled, sitting outside the tent, keeping one hand on it so as not to get lost, he felt horrible about his sense of direction, and he had heard rumors that Akane did tease about his direction reliability, and most certainly didn't help him. It made him feel horrible and unwanted, and Ranma was no help either. Ukyo walked out of the tent, just in time to see him hang his head, depressed. He felt his chin touched, and Ukyo lift his face up, she gently placed her fingers on the corner of his mouth and tugged gently. "Come on Ryoga, smile sugar." He had to grin about that. she sat beside him. She asked him, "What were you thinking about dare I ask?" He sighed and grinned at the same time. " I was thinking about my directional sense... No one helped, no one cared..." "Why do you say that past tense sugar?" He smiled. "YOU helped Ukyo, you led me back, you cared...your a friend I never knew I had." She smiled at him and hugged him, resting her head in the nook of his shoulder for a moment before setting herself beside him. He then looked at her, her face stared into nothingness for a moment. He waved his hands at her. "Hey Ukyo...Theres a town south of here, we can keep camp set up, but we need supplies...wanna come? This may sound odd, but you better dress as a boy...Women are really to OVERLY welcome here.." She smiled at him ironicly. "Ryoga, for all the towns you get lost in, you remember how to get to the town where you get your supplies. Plus why aren't women allowed there??" Ryoga turned red and twiddled his thumbs nervously. "Well lets just say the guys there are all bachelors, and will take any woman that comes along, and Ukyo, your not strong enough to beat off 50 men at once, plus, if they'll take anything...They'll go after you with Brute force and determination of an ox..." "Why is that sugar?" He turned a new shade of red that resembled a tomato. "Your VERY pretty Ukyo, they'd be after you like rats on cheese." She grinned at him, and pulled on her shirt, bandolier, spatula, and tucked her pony tail into her dark shirt. Ryoga looked at the young man in front of him, still seeing Ukyo, but it must have been a great disguise if it fooled so many people. The radio tuned into a song at the moment, before it was just news babble. {Look at me, I will never pass for the perfect daughter. Can it be I'm not meant to play this part? Now I see, if I were truly to be myself, I would break my Family's heart.... Whoooo is that girl I see? Staring straight back at me? Why is my reflection not my own? Somehow I can not hide, who I am, though I've tried, when will my reflection shooowwww who I am inside?} Ryoga was almost afraid to look at Ukyo's face, he knew that song must have struck a nerve, a BIG nerve. He glanced her way, she stood silent, tears rivering down her face. He gathered her sobbing form in his arms, hugging her tightly. "Ukyo, its ok, its only a song.." He heard her muffled voice from his chest, muffled by yellow fabric. "Sugar...It sounds like it was made for me..." He didn't know how to comfort her then, he just swallowed his own sorrow and let her cry in his arms. After she stopped crying, she looked up at him, her eyes red, but her face looked like the composed one of a young man. "Ryoga Hibiki you are no doubt the best friend I have...if I HAVE any friends besides you..." She followed Ryoga down to the town.
Ukyo took one look at the Town and immediatly didn't like it, Burly, hairy men seemed to be drunken everywhere, the shop keepers were normal enough though. She clutched onto Ryoga tightly where ever he walked. He ran into one shop, Ukyo not far behind. He ordered the essentials, "30 pounds of dough please, sauce, a pocket knife, a water cantine, and.." He looked ay Ukyo, his face got redder then wine as he spoke quietly. "Two sets of chest binding cloths...." Ukyo smiled and smacked him lightly in the rear, since she couldn't talk, her voice would be picked up right away. Ryoga turned a shade of red that rivaled that of a beet when she smacked him. The shop keeper looked at him strangely for a moment then handed him the things he needed. Ukyo gladly led him back to the camp site, immediatly whipping off her shirt and pulling her hair out of the ponytail. She loosened the chest bindings a tiny bit, her chest filling the small space once more. Ryoga watched in fascination as the young man turned into his best friend. She laughed and put a hand on the yellow fabric near his chest, still cracking. "Did...Y-ou...see his face???...Wh-when you asked him for those...... CHEST BINDINGS!?!??!" She cracked, pressing her forehead against his chest. He groaned. "Ok ok so yes it was embaressing" He threw them at her. "They aren't mine to wrap around me!! Thats for sure!!!" She looked at him for a moment then slipped off her shirt silently, he thought he said something wrong, until she smiled, turned away from him and took the bindings off,she put her top back on, they set about filling out her upper shirt nicely. she stepped out of the bandages and smiled. "There just for today I'll wear no chest bindings." He eyed her up for a moment and swallowed hard, the blood already begining to leak out of his nose.
****
Ryoga and Ukyo were on the road again. She wore her chest bindings again but looked perfectly female. They spied a town up ahead, which had a HUGE gym in it. Ukyo read over what was allowed in there. She looked at it for a moment. "Ohhh...Ryoga? They have basketball there...and swimming..can we please go???????" "Ukyo-" He started, but she stared at him with shiny eyes. "Oh alright lets go!!" He groaned and allowed himself to be dragged along.
Ukyo faced him in the empty basketball court, apparently no one liked to play on thursdays. She wore only her chest bindings again. He wore a yellow tanktop. Ukyo grabbed a ball off the rack and circled around him playfully. He tried to grab it but hit thin air. She lightly tapped him on the back before running off again. He smiled a fanged grin at her and chased her. Someone placed a hand in front of him, he skidded to a stop. A guy about Ryoga's age stared at him, he had nice features, and a 24-25? Build of chest muscles alone, Ryoga thought it was disgusting to have so MANY muscles. Ryoga noticed him eyeing Ukyo up and down. He scowled at this. "Heya, can I play with you and your sister?" The guy grumbled in a low voice. Ryoga growled, the guy knew full well they weren't related, they didn't look ANYTHING alike, he was testing Ryoga to see what he'd say. "She is NOT my sister. We are not related in any shape or form." The guy grinned and leaned in close. "Well you better watch out if she's your girlfriend, I just might make you single again." Ryoga flipped under The guy with a hard shove and walked over to Ukyo, who was eyeing the guy up. She leaned in and whispered into Ryoga's ear. "Those HAVE to be fake, C'mon, there are too many and their too ugly to be real." She said as she pointed to the guy's muscles. Ryoga smiled, relieved. Ukyo placed her hand on his arm, handing him the basketball. The guy, "Kensuke" played in with them, "defending" Ukyo, practically groping her each time. Ryoga growled. He watched until he could take it no more, he didn't feel like losing his best friend to a creep. "LEAVE UKYO ALONE!!!!!!!!!!" He yelled, grabbing the guy by his muscle shirt. Ryoga lifted the larger boy off the ground with Hibiki strength. Ryoga shook him, HARD. Ukyo looked at Ryoga, she smiled a smile of relief.
***
They sat on ukyo's sleeping bag again, playing poker, strip poker to be exact. Ryoga was losing horribly, wearing only his pants, underwear, and bandanna, his had lost his belt, shirt, leather ankle straps, and umbrella. Ukyo sat there, only her bandoleir was gone. He pulled a winning hand.
She sighed and pulled off her shirt. Ryoga delt the losing hand this time. He pulled off his bandanna, his black hair falling into his eyes cutely. He stuck the bandanna on top of his neatly folded shirt. Ukyo held up 2 Kings, and a few other high number cards. Ryoga growled and pulled off his pants. He saw Ukyo snort and cover her mouth, her face turning red. "Ryoga, boxers that match your bandanna?...cute." He grinned sheepishly, his fangs glinting. He delt a winning hand this time, by one point too. Ukyo slipped off her pants and threw them in the corner of the tent, muttering something about cursed cards. Ryoga stared, she had low cut blue bikini underwear, high on the sides. Ryoga delt a winning hand again. Ukyo looked at herself and threw off her chest bindings, covering herself with her arms faster then Ryoga could blink. Ukyo looked in dilemma, she needed her arms to get her cards, she couldn't very well play with her feet. Ryoga looked at her, mischeif shining in his Sapphire colored eyes. She catiously removed both her arms, Ryoga felt his nose heat up, and he had to sneeze, he tried to catch it, but he sneezed on his cards.
He held them up, shutting his eyes as he tore them away from the cards. "Three 2's and a bloody ace?" he smiled weakly at her, his eyes still shut tightly. She growled. "I Forfeit before I'm deathly embarassed!!" She yelled in mock anger. He sighed and placed the cards away.
****
The two friends stared at Nermia's lights in the brilliant twilight. Ukyo immediatly sped to her Okynamiyaki shop. Her oldest and dearest cutomer had placed a scribbled sign on the door.
"ATTENTION:
UCCHAN'S OKINAMIYAKI SHOP CLOSED UNTIL OWNER RETURNS"
Ukyo stared approvingly at the door. Ukyo walked in, followed by Ryoga, who seemed content to follow her retreating figure. Her face fell at what she saw, then twisted into anger. Ranma and Akane were practically making out on her tables!! Ranma and Akane froze, Ranma slowly slid his hand off Akane's leg, lowering her dress. Ryoga stood there, growling, his fangs bared. He had a wild look to him that Ranma had never seen before. Ukyo went for her spatula, ready to pound both Ranma and Akane into her tables until they blended nicely. Ranma thought Ryoga was going to give him hell about Akane. But Ryoga grabbed Ukyo's arms and pushed her back against him, removing her spatula from her hands, and let it drop to the silent floor with a resounding 'CLANG' that hurt their ears. With her back pushed against him and him leaning over her, he regarded Akane and Ranma Iceily.
"What a LOVELY picture poor Ukyo comes home too..." Ryoga spat out coldly. Akane lowered her dress to modesty and defended. "We Thought Ukyo was going to be gone!!!" Ryoga growled. "So you decide to take advantage of her store!?! WHAT KIND of friends are you!?!?" Ukyo sobbed quietly, turning around and facing Ryoga. She buried her face in the Fanged boy's chest, his shirt getting darker with her tears. Ranma noticed this, so he decided to take advantage of the situation. "Find someone besides Akane to have an infatuation with Ryoga??" Ukyo, to Ryoga,Ranma and Akane's complete suprise, whipped around and slapped Ranma forcefully on the cheek, leaving a mark that drew blood. "Ryoga has been more of a friend then you EVER have Ranma, you lead three girls on for more then about half their life...Is that fair!?!? Ryoga may not have the best sense of direction, or understand some stuff, but at least he's.." She searched for the right word. Then finally she whispered softly. "He's the best friend I ever had." The words stung to Ranma, she had just denied her friendship to him. Akane looked royally pissed at this whole situation.
Ukyo snarled and flipped another Okinamyaki on her grill 'stupid RANMA!!! Calling me Ucchan then breaking it to me that Hes getting married to Akane!!!' 'HOW DARE HE!!!' She looked down, her normally perfect Okinamiyaki was burning on the grill, its sizzle seemed to mock her mood like a crow. She looked around at the empty restraunt, where was everyone? Oh yes at Ranma and AKANE'S second wedding, she seemed dismayed, she really wasn't that sorry for her part in the first wedding's fiasco. A loud knock came on the door, she pointed to the sign that said "Closed" on her door to the shady figure.
But the figure knocked again, it seemed like a weak knock, so she opened the door-To have Ryoga practically fall in her lap, half unconcious. "ACKK RYOGA!!!" She yelled, but the limp figure couldn't hear her.
She set him on a table, on the side of his head was a semi-deep gash,and his shirt was tattered and ripped, she couldn't help but notice his mucles, he wasn't a six pack build by far, but he was masculine. 'Look at me, I'm sitting here admiring this poor guys muscles when he's unconcious on my table, shame on me!' She mentally chided herself. But she couldn't help but thinking.
'He's more masculine then Ranma...' she slapped herself lightly on the arm. She pulled out bandages from her bathroom, the long white cloth kind, and bandaged his Forhead and cut, she took the Bandanna out of his smooth yet unkept hair, and replaced it with a bandage. His eyes were still unfocused and shut, she sighed, he was a limp noodle on her table- 'A masculine limp noodle' 'shut up brain' 'hey I'm just having fun.' She argued with her head. She peeled off his shirt, the wounds there were long but not as deep as the wound on his head, they had undoubtbly hurt though. She grabbed at a damp,clean rag in her sink, and pulled it over to her. she lightly wrapped the rag around one finger and used it to lightly clean off the dirt and blood off his chest, his breathing uneven under her touch. She wondered why she all of a sudden kept noticing his handsome features and masculine chest. 'Loneliness must be getting to me.' she lied to herself. She really knew she never noticed her friend's appeal because she was always wrapped up with stupid Ranma, the more she thought about it, the more she resented spending so much time with Ranma, Ryoga had stuck with her A LOT more then Ranma ever had. She looked at Ryoga once more, her heart felt sick. She bandaged his chest quickly and smiled at him.
'He'll wake up soon then I don't have to sit here and feel guilty.' She tried to clean the grill, but it was sparkling and she kept glancing over at his sleeping form. She hauled his umbrella with both hands and the aid of her spatula into the Okinayaki restraunt, and his back pack with less difficulty. She walked into the other room and removed her chest bindings, it was a lot more comfy and Ryoga certainly knew she was a girl, Her okinamyaki outfit was considerably tighter around as she fit it over her now reasonbly large chest. She smiled, satisfied. To her suprise Ryoga was sitting up and examining his bandages. He noticed her and smiled a cute fanged smile. "Hello Ukyo."
She smiled nervously at him, gulping at his smile. "heya Jackass, did you really have to land on me and collapse?" His face fell a bit and she cursed herself. "S-sorry Ukyo" she smiled her brightest smile that she could manage "Its ok Ryoga-kun" He smiled a bit, 'He's so simple in ways' she thought with affection. She looked at him sharply all of a sudden, it made him gulp and start. "What happened to you anyway?" He sighed weakly and lay back on the table as if sitting up had hurt him all that time. He didn't answer, she walked out form behind the grill to inspect him, only to find him, silent with tears runnging down his face. "Akane did it to me."
She looked at him, shocked, and put a hand on his shoulder, a tingle ran trough his back at her touch and he gulped. She looked at him with pity and saddness. "Why?" "Well it got out that I was P-chan...And it got back to Aka-" He felt ukyo hug him tighly, his chest burned like fire but his heart beat twice its normal rate. "You poor thing" she mumbled into his bandages. He grinned a fang-y grin at her. She let go of him, embaressed and decided that position woudn't be the best one for someone to walk in and find them in. She went about making him an Okinamiyaki while he rested, a pillow from the geust room under his head. Thoughts and emotions meshed together in her mind. 'Damn what a jackass I've been, not noticing him, he must feel kind of used by me, and thats all I did, was use him...'
Ryoga watched her silently, his mind a war of thoughts. 'She'll never like me, she loves Ranma, we'll always be just friends, but why am I so dissapointed?'
Ukyo turned away from Ryoga to get a plate off the counter, she turned back to the grill- Only to find Ryoga stripping down to nothing, she felt her nose twitch violently. "RYOGA-KUN WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?!?" She managed to turn around before he was out of his pants . He looked a bit confused then smiled lightly. "Sorry Ukyo-chan I was getting out of my ripped up clothes." She turned back around once he was decent. He smiled cutely and sat on a stool. She handed him an Okinamiyaki. Ryoga twiddled the end of his bandanna between his fingers while intently watching ukyo. She smiled under his gaze, somehow she felt warm and secure with his presence.
***
Ryoga lay in the guest bed room, Ukyo had insisted he stayed. 'Why do I feel so nervous around Ukyo? I've known her for a long time, but, now I feel almost as if..as if.. I had a crush on her...' he pondered with the thought for a moment, she was prettier then Akane, she was nice and took him in, had a big heart, nice body, nice face, kind intentions. He could name a million other things but didn't feel like it. He still couldn't figure out his feelings, mixed up as he was.He still went to bed with the feeling of dread, something bad was to happen.
********************
Ryoga knew that feeling was right, who else in the world besides the eternally lost boy and The worlds greatest Okinamiyaki chef could get themselves lost in a Forest far from Nermia? Only Ukyo and Ryoga of course. Ukyo Yelled at him. "WHY DID I LISTEN TO YOU!?!??!" She yelled loudly to him. He just growled and kept walking. She yelled it at him again. He still ignored her and kept walking. She wheeled him around and pressed his chest to hers, her face in his, her pretty features angry. "I SAID WHY DID I LISTEN TO YOU!??!??!?!??!" Even with her chest bindings, he could feel her cleavage rather well. The blood rushed to his nose and threatened to spill as he mumbled. "I don't know Ukyo..." She let go of him softly and pushed him along. Ryoga gulped, he loved no one but Akane, so why did he enjoy that so much even when she was so angry, plus with her chest bindings on, she didn't have half the cleavage Akane had. But WITHOUT the bindings Ryoga, think.. A little voice in his head nagged him.
Ukyo took out a small radio and turned it on, Japanese music floated through it peacfully. Ryoga had to grin, music had always been a weak spot, it could calm him down. She put it away after a few minutes and continued walking softy, every once in awhile tilting her head up to look at the back of Ryoga to make sure he was still there, he may have gotten them LOST, but she wasn't a fool and knew she couldn't survive with out him. She still enjoyed his company even though right now she was ticked off. He suddenly stopped, causing Ukyo to crash rather violently into his back, she pressed herself against his back and looked over his shoulder in order to see from his point of view, the tip of his bandanna tickled her ear and he felt warm against her neck. She breathed in, he had a sort of nice smell to him, he pointed to the sky wearily, breaking Ukyo out of her little world. "Ukyo its going to rain soon, hard, I'll put the tent up for the night." Even though the pre-rain breezes blew, It was hot and the extra stress of putting the tent up, they were soon sweating beads. Ryoga soon had his shirt off.
He watched as Ukyo set down the stake she was drilling in, and pulled off her shirt, leaving her chest bindings, they looked sort of like a tube top, but made out of white bandages, and they came down under her pants. Ryoga's nose began to leak with force, he caught it as he twisted his head to rest it on the shirt he kept hung over his shoulder. Ukyo looked at him oddly, luckily she didn't see the blood leaking. She walked back over to the stake and shoved it in with trouble. She smiled at him lightly as she pushed the last stake in. She pulled him over the threshold until they came to a reasonbly large, slow moving river, it posed no threat to them. "Ryoga, this place is great to cool down in... I'm going, if you want to then come on!!" She smiled, placing her shirt on a tree branch, she jumped in with her chest bindings and pants still on. Ryoga hung his shirt beside Ukyo's and Tightened the Leather straps around his ankles before dipping a toe in ' Thank God, its warm because of the sun' he thought then jumped in beside her. Ukyo swam suprisingly well, Ryoga swam well because sometimes in his travels he HAD to swim to survive. She splashed him then dove back under, sometimes popping up in front of him, her hands on his shoulders, sometimes 10 feet away. He smiled, his fangs poking out, suprising Ukyo as she really looked at them, His fangs are AWFULLY cute... Her thoughts were interupted as he dunked her underwater, he swam away, laughing. She swam powerfully behind him, tackling him a bit, his stiffened for a moment, his mind whirling-until she dunked him, and held him until he broke free.
He jumped away in the water, crossing his arms and smiling an evil grin at her, his fangs fully shown. Ukyo smiled too, throughly enjoying herself. God, Ranma was never this fun, With Ryoga its like we're pals. Ranma treated me as something that should give respect to him, as a child almost. She stopped thinking as she saw the sky get darker. "Ryoga, look at the sky, we should head back..." He nodded, a bit dissapointed. "I haven't had that much fun in..." He paused, trying to remember. "Ok never mind Ukyo I don't remember when I last had that much fun." She laughed and climbed out of the river, her wet-with-water dark pants sticking to her lithe figure, showing off her hips. Ryoga grinned a small grin, to cover up for his racing mind. She flung her shirt over herself, covering some of her womanly figure. Ryoga sighed and jumped out, his hard chest glistening with water, the droplets catching the last rays of sunlight. She stared for a minute, unable to not catch a glimpse of his handsome frame. He seemed to take no notice of her gaze and he walked up to her, holding out his hand to be led back to camp. She smiled a bit, it seemed childish but cute coming from Ryoga Hibiki. she took his larger rough yet smooth hand in her smaller one and walked with her friend back to camp, the last rays of sunlight drifting on the river behind them.
Ukyo walked inside the tent first, Ryoga stood outside, watching her slim shadow. She removed the soaking chest bindings, Ryoga felt his nose heat up, even at her shadow. She put more bindings on on, replacing her wet pants with dry ones. she walked out, her hair still damp and hung free over her bare shoulders. She hung her bindings and other pants on a tree branch, knowing full well they'd be soaked but they'd dry after the storm passed. Ryoga went in next, quickly stripping to nothing then replacing his clothes quickly. He walked out and hung his beside Ukyo's clothes. She never put her shirt back on, she seemed perfectly happy with walking around in the bindings. Ryoga watched his best friend with curiosity. She pulled him in the tent as it began to rain. They sat on her sleeping bag, his still rolled up in a corner. They ate Okinamiyaki and talked to each other. She found out a lot about Ryoga, some made her throat tighten and her to swallow tears. How could someone love A girl like Akane so much? More importantly, how could Akane not notice this??? She sighed, she heard things interesting about his travels. He heard about how she had pledged to get Ranma back for stealing her Okinamyaki Cart. How she had been promised as a fiancee. Ryoga balled his hands into fists at this, somehow he didn't like the idea of Ukyo as a fiancee to Ranma. She smiled a bit at this, she didn't like Him loving Akane either. They seemed protective of each other, they were all each other had left, a suprisingly good friendship that built from hate. Ukyo placed an arm around Ryoga's bare shoulder and Split her last Okinamiyaki with him, breaking the bread in half. She sighed, guilt turned her features. He is such a good friend, Much more then Ranma ever was, He has feelings too, I guess I just never noticed them, up until recently. The Ryoga I know is sweet... Her thoughts were interupted by a clash of thunder, she jumped, grasping onto Ryoga's arm painfully. "T-That sc-scared me!!" She yelped, he laughed quielty and peeled her off his arm a bit reluctantly. "Ukyo, its late, go to sleep now.." She grinned sheepishly. He rolled out his sleeping bag a half a foot away from hers, thats about all they had in space. He slipped in his sleeping bag and shut his eyes. Right before she fell asleep she heard him say something. "Sweet dreams Ukyo." She grinned a bit and placed her hand on his shoulder for a moment before dragging her hand back under her sleeping bag. "You too Ryoga, Goodnight." That made him smile as he fell asleep.
Ryoga woke up early, Ukyo still slept peacfully, strands of brown hair blowing softly in her face, he brushed them back with a rough hand and smiled, sitting outside the tent, keeping one hand on it so as not to get lost, he felt horrible about his sense of direction, and he had heard rumors that Akane did tease about his direction reliability, and most certainly didn't help him. It made him feel horrible and unwanted, and Ranma was no help either. Ukyo walked out of the tent, just in time to see him hang his head, depressed. He felt his chin touched, and Ukyo lift his face up, she gently placed her fingers on the corner of his mouth and tugged gently. "Come on Ryoga, smile sugar." He had to grin about that. she sat beside him. She asked him, "What were you thinking about dare I ask?" He sighed and grinned at the same time. " I was thinking about my directional sense... No one helped, no one cared..." "Why do you say that past tense sugar?" He smiled. "YOU helped Ukyo, you led me back, you cared...your a friend I never knew I had." She smiled at him and hugged him, resting her head in the nook of his shoulder for a moment before setting herself beside him. He then looked at her, her face stared into nothingness for a moment. He waved his hands at her. "Hey Ukyo...Theres a town south of here, we can keep camp set up, but we need supplies...wanna come? This may sound odd, but you better dress as a boy...Women are really to OVERLY welcome here.." She smiled at him ironicly. "Ryoga, for all the towns you get lost in, you remember how to get to the town where you get your supplies. Plus why aren't women allowed there??" Ryoga turned red and twiddled his thumbs nervously. "Well lets just say the guys there are all bachelors, and will take any woman that comes along, and Ukyo, your not strong enough to beat off 50 men at once, plus, if they'll take anything...They'll go after you with Brute force and determination of an ox..." "Why is that sugar?" He turned a new shade of red that resembled a tomato. "Your VERY pretty Ukyo, they'd be after you like rats on cheese." She grinned at him, and pulled on her shirt, bandolier, spatula, and tucked her pony tail into her dark shirt. Ryoga looked at the young man in front of him, still seeing Ukyo, but it must have been a great disguise if it fooled so many people. The radio tuned into a song at the moment, before it was just news babble. {Look at me, I will never pass for the perfect daughter. Can it be I'm not meant to play this part? Now I see, if I were truly to be myself, I would break my Family's heart.... Whoooo is that girl I see? Staring straight back at me? Why is my reflection not my own? Somehow I can not hide, who I am, though I've tried, when will my reflection shooowwww who I am inside?} Ryoga was almost afraid to look at Ukyo's face, he knew that song must have struck a nerve, a BIG nerve. He glanced her way, she stood silent, tears rivering down her face. He gathered her sobbing form in his arms, hugging her tightly. "Ukyo, its ok, its only a song.." He heard her muffled voice from his chest, muffled by yellow fabric. "Sugar...It sounds like it was made for me..." He didn't know how to comfort her then, he just swallowed his own sorrow and let her cry in his arms. After she stopped crying, she looked up at him, her eyes red, but her face looked like the composed one of a young man. "Ryoga Hibiki you are no doubt the best friend I have...if I HAVE any friends besides you..." She followed Ryoga down to the town.
Ukyo took one look at the Town and immediatly didn't like it, Burly, hairy men seemed to be drunken everywhere, the shop keepers were normal enough though. She clutched onto Ryoga tightly where ever he walked. He ran into one shop, Ukyo not far behind. He ordered the essentials, "30 pounds of dough please, sauce, a pocket knife, a water cantine, and.." He looked ay Ukyo, his face got redder then wine as he spoke quietly. "Two sets of chest binding cloths...." Ukyo smiled and smacked him lightly in the rear, since she couldn't talk, her voice would be picked up right away. Ryoga turned a shade of red that rivaled that of a beet when she smacked him. The shop keeper looked at him strangely for a moment then handed him the things he needed. Ukyo gladly led him back to the camp site, immediatly whipping off her shirt and pulling her hair out of the ponytail. She loosened the chest bindings a tiny bit, her chest filling the small space once more. Ryoga watched in fascination as the young man turned into his best friend. She laughed and put a hand on the yellow fabric near his chest, still cracking. "Did...Y-ou...see his face???...Wh-when you asked him for those...... CHEST BINDINGS!?!??!" She cracked, pressing her forehead against his chest. He groaned. "Ok ok so yes it was embaressing" He threw them at her. "They aren't mine to wrap around me!! Thats for sure!!!" She looked at him for a moment then slipped off her shirt silently, he thought he said something wrong, until she smiled, turned away from him and took the bindings off,she put her top back on, they set about filling out her upper shirt nicely. she stepped out of the bandages and smiled. "There just for today I'll wear no chest bindings." He eyed her up for a moment and swallowed hard, the blood already begining to leak out of his nose.
****
Ryoga and Ukyo were on the road again. She wore her chest bindings again but looked perfectly female. They spied a town up ahead, which had a HUGE gym in it. Ukyo read over what was allowed in there. She looked at it for a moment. "Ohhh...Ryoga? They have basketball there...and swimming..can we please go???????" "Ukyo-" He started, but she stared at him with shiny eyes. "Oh alright lets go!!" He groaned and allowed himself to be dragged along.
Ukyo faced him in the empty basketball court, apparently no one liked to play on thursdays. She wore only her chest bindings again. He wore a yellow tanktop. Ukyo grabbed a ball off the rack and circled around him playfully. He tried to grab it but hit thin air. She lightly tapped him on the back before running off again. He smiled a fanged grin at her and chased her. Someone placed a hand in front of him, he skidded to a stop. A guy about Ryoga's age stared at him, he had nice features, and a 24-25? Build of chest muscles alone, Ryoga thought it was disgusting to have so MANY muscles. Ryoga noticed him eyeing Ukyo up and down. He scowled at this. "Heya, can I play with you and your sister?" The guy grumbled in a low voice. Ryoga growled, the guy knew full well they weren't related, they didn't look ANYTHING alike, he was testing Ryoga to see what he'd say. "She is NOT my sister. We are not related in any shape or form." The guy grinned and leaned in close. "Well you better watch out if she's your girlfriend, I just might make you single again." Ryoga flipped under The guy with a hard shove and walked over to Ukyo, who was eyeing the guy up. She leaned in and whispered into Ryoga's ear. "Those HAVE to be fake, C'mon, there are too many and their too ugly to be real." She said as she pointed to the guy's muscles. Ryoga smiled, relieved. Ukyo placed her hand on his arm, handing him the basketball. The guy, "Kensuke" played in with them, "defending" Ukyo, practically groping her each time. Ryoga growled. He watched until he could take it no more, he didn't feel like losing his best friend to a creep. "LEAVE UKYO ALONE!!!!!!!!!!" He yelled, grabbing the guy by his muscle shirt. Ryoga lifted the larger boy off the ground with Hibiki strength. Ryoga shook him, HARD. Ukyo looked at Ryoga, she smiled a smile of relief.
***
They sat on ukyo's sleeping bag again, playing poker, strip poker to be exact. Ryoga was losing horribly, wearing only his pants, underwear, and bandanna, his had lost his belt, shirt, leather ankle straps, and umbrella. Ukyo sat there, only her bandoleir was gone. He pulled a winning hand.
She sighed and pulled off her shirt. Ryoga delt the losing hand this time. He pulled off his bandanna, his black hair falling into his eyes cutely. He stuck the bandanna on top of his neatly folded shirt. Ukyo held up 2 Kings, and a few other high number cards. Ryoga growled and pulled off his pants. He saw Ukyo snort and cover her mouth, her face turning red. "Ryoga, boxers that match your bandanna?...cute." He grinned sheepishly, his fangs glinting. He delt a winning hand this time, by one point too. Ukyo slipped off her pants and threw them in the corner of the tent, muttering something about cursed cards. Ryoga stared, she had low cut blue bikini underwear, high on the sides. Ryoga delt a winning hand again. Ukyo looked at herself and threw off her chest bindings, covering herself with her arms faster then Ryoga could blink. Ukyo looked in dilemma, she needed her arms to get her cards, she couldn't very well play with her feet. Ryoga looked at her, mischeif shining in his Sapphire colored eyes. She catiously removed both her arms, Ryoga felt his nose heat up, and he had to sneeze, he tried to catch it, but he sneezed on his cards.
He held them up, shutting his eyes as he tore them away from the cards. "Three 2's and a bloody ace?" he smiled weakly at her, his eyes still shut tightly. She growled. "I Forfeit before I'm deathly embarassed!!" She yelled in mock anger. He sighed and placed the cards away.
****
The two friends stared at Nermia's lights in the brilliant twilight. Ukyo immediatly sped to her Okynamiyaki shop. Her oldest and dearest cutomer had placed a scribbled sign on the door.
"ATTENTION:
UCCHAN'S OKINAMIYAKI SHOP CLOSED UNTIL OWNER RETURNS"
Ukyo stared approvingly at the door. Ukyo walked in, followed by Ryoga, who seemed content to follow her retreating figure. Her face fell at what she saw, then twisted into anger. Ranma and Akane were practically making out on her tables!! Ranma and Akane froze, Ranma slowly slid his hand off Akane's leg, lowering her dress. Ryoga stood there, growling, his fangs bared. He had a wild look to him that Ranma had never seen before. Ukyo went for her spatula, ready to pound both Ranma and Akane into her tables until they blended nicely. Ranma thought Ryoga was going to give him hell about Akane. But Ryoga grabbed Ukyo's arms and pushed her back against him, removing her spatula from her hands, and let it drop to the silent floor with a resounding 'CLANG' that hurt their ears. With her back pushed against him and him leaning over her, he regarded Akane and Ranma Iceily.
"What a LOVELY picture poor Ukyo comes home too..." Ryoga spat out coldly. Akane lowered her dress to modesty and defended. "We Thought Ukyo was going to be gone!!!" Ryoga growled. "So you decide to take advantage of her store!?! WHAT KIND of friends are you!?!?" Ukyo sobbed quietly, turning around and facing Ryoga. She buried her face in the Fanged boy's chest, his shirt getting darker with her tears. Ranma noticed this, so he decided to take advantage of the situation. "Find someone besides Akane to have an infatuation with Ryoga??" Ukyo, to Ryoga,Ranma and Akane's complete suprise, whipped around and slapped Ranma forcefully on the cheek, leaving a mark that drew blood. "Ryoga has been more of a friend then you EVER have Ranma, you lead three girls on for more then about half their life...Is that fair!?!? Ryoga may not have the best sense of direction, or understand some stuff, but at least he's.." She searched for the right word. Then finally she whispered softly. "He's the best friend I ever had." The words stung to Ranma, she had just denied her friendship to him. Akane looked royally pissed at this whole situation.