This is a lemon fic!  By this I mean that this story deals with adult
issues and contains sexually explicit material.  DO NOT read this if you
are underage or if mature themes/sexually explicit contents disturb you.
This is your one and only warning.



The Price of Passion
by Cindy Toler



        "Aren't you ready yet?" Ranma asked crossly.
        "Just a minute!  You don't have to be such a jerk about it," Akane
grumbled, rushing down the stairs.
        "Here, take this with you," Ranma said, tossing a large black
sweater at her.  Akane caught it before it could hit her in the face.
        "Why on earth would I need this?" Akane snapped, gripping the
cardigan in her fist.
        "Because it might get cold in the theater, OK?  And I don't wanna
have to leave early because you get cold or nothing like that."
        "Fine!  I'll take the sweater, jerk!"
        "Tomboy!"
        "Pervert!"
        "Macho chick!"
        "Goodbye!" Soun and Genma called, waving cheerfully as the two
bickering teenagers left together.  "Enjoy the movie!"  The two fathers
shook hands and congratulated each other on their brilliant plan to get
Ranma and Akane to spend some time together. And it had only cost them the
price of a few movie tickets!
        Ranma stalked along beside Akane until they were well out of earshot.
        "They bought it," he sighed.
        "Thank goodness!" Akane answered.  She didn't like deceiving her
father like this, but ever since the first night she and Ranma had had the
house to themselves, they had agreed to keep up appearances as long as
possible.  Otherwise, Soun and Genma's enthusiasm would surely destroy the
rapport that had been so hard for the two teens to establish.
        "Did you leave them at home?" Ranma asked.  Akane blushed deeply.
        "Yes," she answered.  "But why did you want me to bring the sweater?"
        "You never know, it could get cold in the theater," Ranma said with
a grin.


        Akane and Ranma got to the theater a few minutes late; the movie
had already started.  Ranma pointed out an empty row of chairs near the
back, and guided his fiancee to that row.  The two of them sat, and Akane
fidgeted in her chair and draped the black sweater across her lap while
Ranma casually looked around to be sure nobody had followed them.  The last
thing he wanted was nosy parents or pushy would-be girlfriends getting in
his way.  Satisfied that nobody he knew was in the theater, Ranma picked up
the black sweater sleeve closest to him and put his arm in it.
        "What are you doing?" Akane whispered, puzzled.
        "Just keeping my hand warm.  Watch the movie," Ranma whispered
back.  Akane's eyes returned to the screen.  A tiny smile stole across her
lips as she thought back to the first time they had touched each other, how
shy and clumsy they had both been.  Her fiance was certainly
more...forceful now, infinitely more confident, and she enjoyed the change.
She didn't mind his tendency to take charge and give directions, because
whenever he got that special look in his eyes she forgot all about her
pride.  She didn't even mind his choice of a movie, an adventure film that
Ranma promised would have some good love scenes in it.
        Ranma watched her watching the movie for a minute, then slowly
began pulling her skirt up underneath the sweater.  Akane's eyes widened as
she finally understood.  This way, the sweater concealed both herself and
Ranma's hand.  She surreptitiously helped him to bunch her skirt up around
her hips, then turned to face him as his hand began slowly inching up her
thigh.
        "You're not watching the movie," Ranma whispered, and Akane
obediently turned her eyes back again to the screen.  Ranma lightly brushed
his hand up to the top of her thigh.  She had left her panties at home,
just as he'd told her to.  He nudged her slightly, and she sank down a
little in the seat, parting her knees.  Ranma delicately traced his fingers
between her legs, teasing until she silently spread her legs wider.   He
smiled as he found the wet heat that waited just for him.  With a slow,
sure touch, Ranma slid a finger into her, grinning as she drew a shuddering
breath.  He used his moistened finger to gently rub her clitoris.  Just as
he felt her begin to move against his hand, he stopped and waited for a few
moments before beginning again.  Akane was still looking at the screen as
he had told her.  She was biting her lip, and her hands clenched the arms
of the seat with a white-knuckled grip.  By the time the couple on the
screen finally got around to having sex, he had brought Akane to the verge
of orgasm three times.  Now he stroked her with a purpose, using his thumb
and forefinger to delicately pinch her as the couple in the film neared the
end of the scene.  Akane was breathing hard and struggling to remain still
as the desire built up and up...and then the release washed over her in a
blinding flood just as the screen couple reached their noisy climax.  Akane
clamped her hand over her mouth as Ranma kept going, wringing the last few
spasms out of her.  Slowly he pulled his arm out of the black sweater and
licked his fingers, then leaned over to whisper to her.
        "Good thing we brought the sweater.  Looks like it might get even
colder in here."


        Ukyo watched as Ranma leaned over and whispered something to Akane.
She had followed them in from the street, and ducked just in time to avoid
being spotted by Ranma.  Now she wished to God she hadn't even left her
restaurant today.  The movie wasn't even half over yet, but she ran out as
though the building were on fire.  Burning with desire, sick with envy, she
ran home, unaware of the tears that streaked down her face.  It had been
all-too-obvious what the two of them were doing, and in public.  Ukyo
slammed the door shut behind her and ran all the way to her room, where she
threw herself onto the bed.  Still sobbing, she curled up under the covers
in a small, miserable heap.  There had to be some way...surely Ranchan was
only interested in Akane because of their obviously physical relationship.
If she could only get Ranma away from Akane, without hurting anyone, she
was sure he'd realize that Ukyo was the right one, the only one for him.



        It was a fairly slow day at the Nekohanten.  Ukyo walked in and
asked to speak to Cologne.
        "What brings you here to see me?" the old woman asked, wiping her
hands as she stepped out form behind the counter.
        "I need your help," Ukyo said.  "I know you have plans of your own
for Ranma, but if we work together we can get him away from Akane.  After
that, it's every woman for herself."
        "Hmmm....an interesting idea..." Cologne mused.
        "Uh, excuse me," said a familiar voice from the doorway.  "I'm
looking for Furinkan High School..."
        Ukyo and Cologne smiled at each other.


        "Just be yourself!" Ukyo said in an irritated tone of voice.  It
had been no easy task to get Akane to agree to meet her here, and Ukyo was
not about to have her plans ruined by Ryoga's shyness.  Ryoga nodded, a
dazed expression on his face.
        "Just be myself.  Right."  Ryoga barely even heard his own voice
repeating what Ukyo had said.  Akane had agreed to have lunch with him!
Fear and pure joy warred for dominance in his heart .
        "Hello?  Ukyo?  I got your message," Akane called.  At the sound of
her voice, Ryoga's eyes bugged out.
        "Just be yourself, you jackass!" Ukyo hissed at him as she went to
greet Akane.
        "Hi, Akane, I'm glad you were able to make it.  Come on in."
        "Oh, hello, Ryoga," Akane said as Ukyo ushered her to the stool
beside him.  Akane glanced around the empty restaurant for a minute,
puzzled.  "Ukyo, why did you want me to come over here when the place is
closed?"
        "Well, I'll explain in a minute.  First, can I get you guys to try
this?  I've been experimenting with a new recipe."  Ryoga and Akane gladly
agreed to sample the okonomiyaki, and Ukyo served them the Japanese pizzas
in record time.  She set down two cups of tea and then excused herself,
explaining that she had forgotten to pick something up at the market.
        "Please, enjoy the okonomiyaki.  I'll be back later," Ukyo said,
then left smiling.  Ryoga and Akane shrugged and then started to eat.
        The okonomiyaki was awfully spicy!  Ryoga swallowed and took a sip
of his tea.  Feeling a little flushed, he tugged at his shirt's collar,
then glanced over at Akane.  She was just finishing her meal with obvious
enjoyment.
        "Aren't you hungry?" Akane asked, noticing Ryoga's nearly-untouched
food.
        "Not very.  Would you like some of mine?"
        "Thanks!" Akane said as he handed over a large part of his pizza.
Ryoga slowly finished a small share while Akane polished off the rest of
his meal.  She still looked hungry - in fact, the way she was staring at
him was...unnerving.  There was just something about her presence that was
making him even jumpier than usual around her.
        "Uh, would you like something else?" Ryoga asked with a nervous laugh.
        "Yes, as a matter of fact I would," Akane said in a low voice,
licking her lips and leaning in toward him.
        "OK, I'll see what I can find in the kitchen!" Ryoga said in a
rush, practically falling out of his chair.  This was just what he needed,
a chance to get some space and clear his head.  He found some Ramen noodles
in one of the cabinets and sighed in relief.  This was something he knew
how to cook!  He had just put the noodles on to boil when he felt Akane's
hand on his shoulder.
        "Yah!' Ryoga cried, reflexively jumping and turning to face her.
Akane grinned at him as he relaxed back out of his defensive stance.
          "Sorry!" Ryoga said with a shy smile.  "Sorry, I didn't hear you
come in."
        Akane smiled and took a step closer to him.  He was so cute when he
was nervous, she just wanted to hold him and...  Why hadn't she ever
noticed how adorable he was?  Maybe because he smiled so rarely...
        Ryoga unconsciously stepped backward as she advanced until he was
backed up against the stove.  Akane grabbed a fistful of his shirt.
        "What are y-" Ryoga gasped as Akane pulled his shirt out and ran
her hands up under it, savoring the different feel of his body compared to
her fiance's.  Ryoga was solidly built, somewhat more muscular than Ranma,
and she was already wondering what it would feel like to have his hands on
her.   She trailed her fingers lightly across his stomach, grinning as the
sensation made him twitch.
        The feel of Akane's hands against his skin was setting off a riot
of small explosions in Ryoga's head.
        "A-Akane...?" he whispered, barely daring to hope that she meant
what he thought.
        "Ryoga..." Akane moaned as she leaned in to kiss him.  Ryoga's
heart skipped a beat in sheer delirious joy as he bent to kiss her...and
then he noticed the container over her shoulder.
        "What's this?" he asked, peering at the symbols on the small
bottle.  "Passion spice?"
        "Who cares?" Akane asked, pressing up against him and pulling his
head down.
        "But...but if Ukyo used passion spice..."
        "It doesn't matter!" Akane said impatiently, tracing her fingers
just above the waistband of his pants.
        "Akane..." Ryoga squeaked, trying to gently disentangle himself
from her.  "You don't know what you're saying."
        "I know what I'm saying.  I'm saying come here," Akane said huskily
as Ryoga started to pull away from her.  She ended up holding his shirt and
staring at him across the length of the kitchen.  With a confident smile,
she tossed the shirt aside.
        "Uh..." Ryoga said, panicking as she began to slowly advance again.
"Your noodles!  I think they're done!"
        "Forget the noodles," Akane said with a sultry smile.
        "I-I thought... you were hungry..." Ryoga mumbled weakly as Akane
began tracing delicate patterns across his bare chest.
        "I am...hungry..." Akane answered, licking her lips.  "But not for
food."
        Ryoga gasped in shock as he felt his belt fall off in a sudden movement.
        "P-please don't!" he said as he backed away, clutching at his pants
to keep them from falling down.
        "But why?" Akane asked.  "Don't you want me?"  She slowly began to
unbutton her blouse.
        Ryoga laughed nervously.  Not want her?  This was Akane!  He wanted
her so much he ached!  But...he wanted so much more...
        "It's not you, it's the spice talking!" Ryoga said, squeezing his
eyes shut as Akane slid the blouse off her shoulders.
        "And is that so bad?" her husky voice whispered.  "Is it so bad for
me to want you?"  Ryoga thought he heard the sound of more clothing sliding
to the floor.
        "You'd hate me tomorrow!" Ryoga exclaimed, holding his pants up
with both hands as he felt her start to tug at them.
        "No, I wouldn't."
        "Yes you would!  Please stop that!"  What was wrong with her?
Couldn't she see what she was doing to him?
        "Ryoga," Akane said.  "Look at me."
        "Mm-mm!" Ryoga kept his eyes tightly shut.
        "I won't hate you in the morning."
        "Yes, you would!" Ryoga insisted miserably.
        "Tell me this, then, Ryoga.  Are you really going to leave me
suffering like this?"
        "Oh..." Ryoga moaned.  And in his moment of indecision, he felt her
lips touch his with an appeal that left his heart racing.  Any defenses he
had crumbled, and slowly he began to respond to her kiss.  Akane pulled
back a little and Ryoga followed, putting his arms around her.  His pants
fell down around his ankles, leaving him standing in his boxers, and his
eyes opened wide in surprise.  He had forgotten to hold them up!  Akane's
wide brown eyes were smoldering at him with feverish need, but there was a
spark of amusement there as well.