Finally! ^_^ After a long, long, long break from this story, I've finally
revised the first part and started on part two. Please feel free to C&C; I
could really use the input. ^_^ Most of the revisions here were in response
to previous C&C - I've tried to clarify some of the plot points that brought
up questions before. If you still have questions or suggestions, please let
me know. ^_^ Also, please let me know if the formatting comes in looking
funky for you. Thanks! ^_^
Warning - this is a lemon fic! By this I mean that this story deals with
adult issues and contains sexually explicit material. Please 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, Part One
by Yoiko
"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 Soun and Genma's enthusiasm would surely destroy the
rapport that had been so hard for the two teens to establish. It had all
started a few days before, with a note from a "Secret Admirer" that Akane
had found propped up on her pillow when she got home from school. Ranma
had, naturally, pretended to have no knowledge of it, but Akane had known.
Who else but Ranma could have written such an awkwardly sweet note, and then
left it on her pillow with none the wiser?
That night, she had seated herself beside him at dinner and whispered, "I
got your message." He had grinned at her, and she had smiled in return, her
cheeks warming in a delicate blush, and she had known... and ever since
then, things had been different between them.
*****
Akane and Ranma got to the theater a few minutes late; the movie had
already started. Ranma pointed out an empty row of seats near the back, and
guided his fiancee in that direction. The two of them sat, and Akane
fidgeted 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 interfering. Satisfied that
nobody he knew was in the theater, Ranma put his arm along the back of
Akane's chair.
"What are you doing?" Akane whispered, puzzled.
"Uh... nothing. Watch the movie," Ranma whispered in return. Akane's eyes
returned to the screen. A tiny smile stole across her lips as she leaned
against him, and his arm dropped to rest across her shoulders. The motions
were timid, hesitant, as though they were each expecting the other to get
angry. She turned to smile up at him, her heart fluttering in her chest as
he pulled her a little closer, his lips parting slightly as he leaned down
to meet her...
It wasn't magical, this first kiss, but it was... nice, she supposed, in a
sloppy sort of way. Akane was thankful that the theater was dark enough to
mask her blush. "Akane..." Ranma whispered, and pulled her against him,
kissing her as though he wanted to devour her. She was uncomfortably aware
of the arm-rest between them digging into her stomach, the tension in her
back as his arm pulled her forward, the too-sudden shock of his tongue
thrusting into her mouth... but he appeared to be enjoying it, and he seemed
so anxious. Even if it didn't exactly fulfill her romantic girlhood dreams,
it was nice to feel wanted by her fiance... and she could live without
childish fantasies.
It seemed to go on forever, and Akane thought he would never tire. She
pushed against his chest, gently, and when he lifted his mouth from hers,
she whispered, "We'll miss the movie..."
"I don't care," he whispered back, and kissed her again.
*****
Ukyo watched as Ranma and Akane whispered to each other. 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. Sick with envy, she sped through the evening crowds, unaware
of the tears that streaked down her face. 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... 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, and Cologne was tending the
restaurant alone when Ukyo walked in and asked to speak to her.
"What brings you here to see me?" the old woman asked, wiping her hands as
she stepped out from behind the counter.
"I need your help," Ukyo said. "I know you and Shampoo have plans of your
own for Ranma, but so far none of us has had any luck with him. I think we
should team up, at least long enough to get him away from Akane. After
that, it's every woman for herself."
"Hmmm....an interesting idea..." Cologne mused.
"It's got to be something that can't be pinned on any of us," Ukyo
continued.
"The trick is to take Akane out of the picture," the old Amazon said.
"Now, it's possible to use something like the Reversal Jewel to change a
person's feelings... but you can't expect her to wear a jewel all the time.
No, we need something else..."
"Do you have any love potions?"
"Why do you ask, child? I won't give you anything to help you catch Ranma
for yourself."
"Oh, of course not!" Ukyo agreed a little too hastily, discomfited by the
knowing gleam in the old woman's eyes. "No, I meant... if we could get
Akane to fall in love with someone else..."
"That's not a bad idea," Cologne said, her wizened old face wrinkling up
like a monkey's as she smiled. "I have something that just might work, if
you can find someone to transfer her affections to."
"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 her specialty 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 piece of his okonomiyaki.
Ryoga slowly finished the rest of his meal while Akane polished off the
piece she'd been given and drank all the tea. 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!" he 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 feel of his skin under her fingertips. Ryoga was
solidly built, somewhat more muscular than Ranma, and she was already
wondering what it would feel like to have his arms around her, his lips on
hers. 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.
"Touch me..." she whispered against his mouth, and then she kissed him
again, guiding his hands over her warm, bare flesh. Ryoga stared, awed as
she pressed her breasts into his hands. Her own hands slid slowly up his
arms and then down along his ribs. Ryoga bent and kissed her again, then
trailed kisses along her jawline and down her throat as she slid her hands
down his stomach. He grabbed her hands as they began to move lower and
brought them to his lips instead, placing a tender kiss on each fingertip.
He knew that it was the passion spice making Akane act this way, and while
he couldn't let her suffer, he couldn't fully take advantage of the
situation either. He resolved that he'd do everything in his power to
satisfy her.
Ryoga gently lowered his head to brush his lips against her collarbone, and
felt her tugging her fingers out of his. She pressed his hands against her
breasts again, rubbing the tiny hard buds of her nipples against his open
palms. Ryoga was on the verge of a nosebleed as Akane's hands rose to
tangle in his hair, pulling his head down.
"Don't think about it," he told himself sternly. "Stop thinking about
yourself, and think about Akane!" He gently licked at a nipple, hearing
Akane's sharp indrawn breath, and then tenderly fastened his mouth on it and
began to suck. Akane moaned deep in her throat, writhing at the sensation.
One of Ryoga's strong hands rested in the small of her back, supporting her,
and the other stroked her with a feather-light touch, down from her breast
to her navel. Akane wondered dazedly at his delicate touch, for she had
seen these same hands crush walnuts and shatter boulders. His mouth left
her breast and traveled down after his teasing fingers, down to circle her
navel with his tongue. Akane trembled as Ryoga slowly sank to his knees,
dropping one hand to trace along the tops of her dainty feet, his thick hair
brushing against her stomach. Akane braced herself, her feet wider apart,
and Ryoga trailed his fingers up along her calves, tickling, and further up
along the insides of her thighs. He nudged her legs wider apart as he
slowly and gently began to explore that most secret part of her with his
fingers, trembling with awe and desperate longing. Akane moaned
imploringly and moved towards him, and Ryoga finally pressed his mouth
against her, slowly tongueing her.
Akane's knees started to buckle and she cried out at the power of the
feeling. She had never felt anything like this, nothing like...Ryoga's
tongue was moving against her, and she found herself pumping her hips at him
uncontrollably. His hands moved up underneath her, clutching her hips to
hold her still. One of her feet lifted off the ground and the other bore
part of her weight, while Ryoga bore the rest of her weight in his powerful
arms. He held her up to his mouth like a ripe peach, worshipfully
pleasuring her while Akane writhed like a cat in heat. Ryoga fluttered his
tongue against her clitoris and she went rigid, breathlessly frozen and then
exploding in a widening rush of pleasure.
Ryoga drew away, slowly placing Akane back on her feet. He was shaking
with need, still savoring her taste against the roof of his mouth, panting
as though he had run a marathon. He grabbed his pants with numbed fingers
and quickly drew them on, glancing around for the rest of his clothes. He
picked up his belt and then spotted his shirt on the other side of the room.
He hesitantly edged past Akane, who was staring at him oddly.
"Akane?" Ryoga began. She looked at him blankly, and he stared back. He
didn't know what to ask. "Uh..." he said, blushing, "Are you...Ok?"
"Fine," Akane said numbly, scooping up her own clothing with a bemused air.
She was still feeling the aftershocks, faint tremors deep inside her, and
the desperate need for more was building. Ryoga bent over to pick up his
shirt, and desire for him curled in her suddenly and fiercely. Before she
could even think about what she was doing, she had crossed the room and
caught him up in a tight hug. Ryoga dropped the shirt in surprise.
"Akane?"
"Ryoga," Akane sighed, and kissed him deeply, savoring her own taste and
smell on his mouth. She could feel his arousal pressing against her belly
as she hugged him tight. Before he could stop her, she slid one hand down
and stroked him through the fabric of his pants. Ryoga trembled for a
moment and then jumped away from her as if burned.
"I'd better go!" he blurted out, and then stooped to grab his shirt again.
"Ryoga, don't leave me! I need you!" Akane cried desperately,
yearningly.
"I can't stay," Ryoga said, guiltily glancing away from the need in her
eyes. As it was, she might hate him when the spice wore off.
"If you leave now, I'll never forgive you!" Akane cried, fearful that he
might leave her alone with this aching need. Ryoga looked up at her, a
confused, frightened expression on his face.
"If I stay, you'll never forgive me," he whispered harshly. "I don't know
what to do..."
"Ryoga, stay!" Akane whispered back urgently. "Stay here with me, it's
alright, it'll be alright." While she spoke she dropped to her knees beside
him and put her arms around his neck, twining her fingers in his thick hair,
just beneath his bandanna. The soft bundle of her clothes bumped against
his bare back, an unnecessary reminder that she was naked and in need.
Ryoga shuddered wordlessly, then silently scooped her up in his arms and
carried her out of the kitchen.
"Where are we going?" Akane murmured, nibbling lightly at his neck.
"The bedroom."
"Oh," Akane said. "I think it's upstairs. You're going the wrong way."
She gave him directions and they soon made it to Ukyo's bedroom. Akane
could feel the desire humming in her veins, and she was nearly frantic to
know that keening pleasure again. Ryoga placed her on the bed gently and
slipped his hand between her legs, using her own moisture to make his
fingers glide easily over her flesh, and Akane threw her legs wide apart and
bucked against his hand.
"You're so...beautiful..." Ryoga gasped, awed, and then he lowered his
mouth to taste her again, to taste her irresistible nectar.
"Ryoga, please," Akane gasped, as the pleasure built to a low steady thrum,
"I need you inside me!"
Ryoga obediently slipped first one finger and then another into her tight
wet passage, and began sucking on her clitoris again. Akane stiffened
suddenly and then he felt the force of her orgasm pulling at his fingers,
the secret hidden mouth of her pulsing against his hand and lips like a
heartbeat. He kept his mouth on her until the last tremors had faded, and
then he slowly pulled his fingers back out of her and sat back, drawing a
ragged breath. His own heart was hammering in his chest, his body singing
with high-pitched need, his sex achingly alive. He drew his moist fingers
across his lips, tasting her again, inhaling her sweet scent. He could
never get enough of her, he wanted all of her, her body, her spirit...
"Ryoga," Akane moaned again, then opened her eyes to gaze up at him
curiously. "Ryoga, why won't you...I mean, I know you need me, too..." she
said as she reached over to stroke his stomach just above the waistband of
his pants. Ryoga shied away from her and tried to catch her hands in his
own when she persisted.
"Akane," he rasped. "I can't...I...if I...let you, then..."
"Ryoga," Akane said sternly, pulling his face around to force him to meet
her serious eyes, "I forgive you. If you need me to say it again in the
morning, I'll say it again. I forgive you. Do you hear me?"
Ryoga nodded slowly, no longer resisting as Akane brushed her lips against
his. He sighed against her mouth and allowed her to push him down onto the
bed. Grinning down at him, Akane yanked at his trousers, pulling them down
around his knees in one swift movement. Ryoga gasped as her hands roamed
over his naked flesh, gently caressing him and then circling his shaft to
stroke him in an upward motion. Ryoga cried out, arching his back in
reaction. Akane gazed down at him, still smiling, delighted that she had
the same power over him. He looked up at her in almost fearful anticipation
as she lowered her head to slowly take him into her mouth. Ryoga froze,
tense and still, his fists clenched tight around wadded-up bedspread as
Akane lowered her head a fraction of an inch at a time. Just as slowly she
began to rise up again, her lips locked tight around him, her teeth scraping
him lightly. A tiny whispered sigh escaped his lips as Akane began to
increase her rhythm, and soon the sigh became a muted groan.
"Akane," he gasped, "I can't...hold back..." Akane's only answer was to
maintain her pace, using her hands to add to the friction until her mouth
was suddenly filled with salty fluid. She swallowed in surprise and looked
down at him, and smiled at the dumbfounded expression on his face. She
leaned down and kissed him, letting him taste his own seed on her mouth.
"Akane..." Ryoga said shakily, gazing up into her smiling eyes. Akane
kissed him again, leisurely, dropping one hand to slowly rub up along his
thigh. Ryoga kissed her back, growling low in his throat as her hand began
to gently caress him, renewing his arousal with a sensation that was both
pain and pleasure.
"Ryoga," Akane whispered, "Just stay still, OK? Just don't move." She
threw a leg over his hips to straddle him.
"Ah...I...OK..." Ryoga sighed as she began to rub herself against him. He
knew he should stop her now, there was something wrong here...but it felt so
good, the threads of his thoughts flew apart, and all he could think of was
that this was Akane, this was the woman he adored.
Akane kept up the motion, grinding her hips against him until her need had
built back up to a fever-pitch, then she drew a deep breath and, using her
hands to guide him, she brought her weight down on him in one swift
movement. The two of them stared wide-eyed at each other for a moment. A
single tear rolled down Akane's cheek as the sudden sharp pain broke the
spice-induced mood. She had meant to share this with Ranma...
*****
"Ukyo, what's wrong?" Ranma asked. His "cute fiancee" glanced away from
him without answering.
"Nothing. Would you like some okonomiyaki?" Ukyo asked hopefully. Maybe
if she gave him just a little of the spice...
Ranma gave her a puzzled look, then said, "Ucchan, I wish you'd stop trying
to feed me and tell me what it is." He glanced out the window for the third
time in as many minutes, wondering where Akane was. She should have been
home an hour ago.
Ukyo sighed. "Ranchan, I was hoping we could spend some time together,
just the two of us."
"Well... we are," Ranma said, and glanced out the window again.
"That's not what I meant..." Ukyo's voice trailed off as Ranma turned to
look at her, and she averted her gaze once again. This was wrong - she
wanted Ranma to love her on her own merits, not on the basis of some Chinese
herbs... and what she had done to Akane... what she had done was just wrong.
"Yanno, I'd almost think you had a guilty conscience or something," Ranma
said. "What gives?"
"Ranma-honey, there's something I think I should tell you..." Ukyo began.
"So TELL me already!" Ranma shouted, starting to feel paranoid.
"It's..." Ukyo hesitated. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone..."
"Are you gonna tell me, or not?"
Ukyo turned her face away, her long hair partially hiding her guilty
expression. "Ranchan..." she started.
"What?!"
"I... fixed Ryoga and Akane up on a date. And I put something in their
food."
"What did you do?" Ranma asked in a dangerously quiet voice.
Ukyo lowered her head, unable to face the accusation in his bright blue
eyes. "Passion spice..." she whispered. She looked up in time to see Ranma
race out the door, away from her, and her shoulders slumped in defeat.
*****
"Akane?" Ryoga breathed, his concern for her almost making him forget how
good it felt. "Are you...are you hurt?"
Akane moved to get up off of Ryoga, and the sensation of him moving inside
her reignited her desire with a suddenness that made her shudder. Slowly
she sank back down again, moaning, and then began to move in earnest, her
tears flowing all the while. Ryoga brushed her wet cheek lightly and his
own eyes filled with tears as he realized the signifigance. She didn't love
him, she would never love him. Nobody would ever...
Akane threw her head back and called Ryoga's name as she reached her
climax, and the feeling of her body throbbing around him sent Ryoga over the
edge. Akane fell across him like a wilted flower, and the two of them lay
still, their heartbeats gradually slowing down, the occasional hitch of
breath the only sound as they each wept.
*****
Ranma pushed through the door of Ucchan's, his heart freezing as he heard
noises upstairs. He got to the doorway of Ukyo's room in time to see Akane
throw her head back and call Ryoga's name. Ranma stood frozen with horror,
the image of the two of them together etching itself irrevocably into his
memory. Sick with rage, he silently backed away and crept down the stairs.
He stood at the bottom of the stairs, seeing nothing, his mind's eye filled
with that single image while his heart burned with agony and twisted with
dark fury.
"I...will have revenge..." Ranma whispered into the blackness.
THE END
The characters in this story are not mine (they are the creation and
property of Rumiko Takahashi, and are used here without permission), and
neither is the idea of "Passion Spice." My apologies to whoever thought up
"Passion Spice." I don't have a name to attach to the idea, but if you let
me know who you are, I'll be happy to give you proper credit.