[Ranma 1/2: Kasumi Tendo Drabbles 1-5 | Family]
Normality
When Kasumi wakes up, the sun is streaming through her window. Silent this early, except for the birds, and it looks to be a nice day. She stretches out sleepily, rubs her eyes, and blinks away the last of sleep.
A smile. What a wonderful morning.
Sister
Akane is seven, nearly eight, and she wants to be a princess. Kasumi smiles and laughs at this with all the knowledge eleven brings, pats her head and says, "You can be anything you like." Even though her little sister is five times stronger than those who would be 'Prince', with a temper unfit for a tiara and evening dress.
There's a play in her grade, and Akane is excited; to be Juliet, she tells her onee-san, would be a dream come true. Another pat and smile and this time a cookie, and with Kasumi's blessing, she goes off to practice her lines.
"She'll be a perfect Romeo," sensei says when Kasumi picks her sister up the next day. "Better than all the boys." Akane is clinging to her skirts, looking shy. Never one to talk back to those in authority.
"I see," the older girl agrees with a smile. "Thank you."
She takes her sister's hand and leads her away, into the hall and outside. The day doesn't seem as bright as it should have, with the shining sun and cloudless sky.
Akane is crying. Kasumi stops, leans down, says her name. Sniffling and protests and the need to be strong; so strong, this little girl. There is no, "I'm sorry"; that's not what Akane wants. Reaching out with open arms, she scoops her sister up, hugs her close, and comforts her all the way home.
Be that as it may...
They are sitting on the bed, in her room. Nabiki glared up at her, lounging across the covers in a sprawl. "You shouldn't have said yes."
"Oh, but-" her sister said, perplexed. She sat, daintily, on the edge of the bed. "-he was only being nice."
"Kasumi, Kasumi," her sister chidded her, flipping over onto her stomach. "Just because you don't have time for boys doesn't mean they don't have time for you."
Blink, blink, still uncomprehending. Maybe this was a waste of time.
"'Time for me'...?" Was that understanding creeping into her eyes? Dare she hope? "But father takes care of us very well."
Nabiki facefaulted off the bed, coming back up to shout: "That isn't what I meant! He's interested in you!" Older sisters could be so frustrating!
"Oh." A delicate blush stained her cheeks; and with understanding, came a sudden pallor. "Oh my."
"Get it now?" A raised eyebrow, as Nabiki settled back onto the bed.
"I believe I do," Kasumi said, thoughtful.
A pause; silence.
Then, a heartwarming smile. "If I explain this misunderstanding, surely he will understand."
Nabiki shrugged, but didn't say anything. She really didn't think that would work.
Persistance
"More rice," Ranma-kun demands, offering her his bowl. The table is a mess of spilled condiments and precariously stacked empty dishes. There is only one scoop of rice left. She's had half a serving yet, and this boy three helpings.
His father is demanding his attention, and if she doesn't take the bowl he'd drop it. Ranma never fights left handed, when it comes to food.
"Yes, of course," she says. Kasumi wasn't really that hungry anyway.
Forebearance
This was not supposed to have happened. Never in all that she had thought possible, was she to have died.
"If I may," she says to the shinigami come to collect her, "might we stay here for a bit? You have my promise that I shall not cause any trouble." She shall not outright beg; this one is much too refined to accept such an act with anything but contempt.
There is her family to look after, until they are ready to move on. No one is fighting and that...she cannot leave them like this.
He is silent, and perhaps she had expected him to be. No answer can, at times, be better than one, when it is so open ended.
"...for now." It is quietly said, a commanding murmur, but she hears him all the same.
"Oh!" It is on impulse she hugs him, nothing more. And it is nothing that he stiffens, in indignation, or anger. "Thank you very much, shinigami-sama."
It is only right to pull away with a bow, as if nothing had happened. No use upsetting his honorable pride; he was the one to grant her heartfelt request, after all.
Father would take charge. With him, this silence would break, and they would be lively once again. But for now, she would be grateful for what little she had.
When Kasumi wakes up, the sun is streaming through her window. Silent this early, except for the birds, and it looks to be a nice day. She stretches out sleepily, rubs her eyes, and blinks away the last of sleep.
A smile. What a wonderful morning.
Sister
Akane is seven, nearly eight, and she wants to be a princess. Kasumi smiles and laughs at this with all the knowledge eleven brings, pats her head and says, "You can be anything you like." Even though her little sister is five times stronger than those who would be 'Prince', with a temper unfit for a tiara and evening dress.
There's a play in her grade, and Akane is excited; to be Juliet, she tells her onee-san, would be a dream come true. Another pat and smile and this time a cookie, and with Kasumi's blessing, she goes off to practice her lines.
"She'll be a perfect Romeo," sensei says when Kasumi picks her sister up the next day. "Better than all the boys." Akane is clinging to her skirts, looking shy. Never one to talk back to those in authority.
"I see," the older girl agrees with a smile. "Thank you."
She takes her sister's hand and leads her away, into the hall and outside. The day doesn't seem as bright as it should have, with the shining sun and cloudless sky.
Akane is crying. Kasumi stops, leans down, says her name. Sniffling and protests and the need to be strong; so strong, this little girl. There is no, "I'm sorry"; that's not what Akane wants. Reaching out with open arms, she scoops her sister up, hugs her close, and comforts her all the way home.
Be that as it may...
They are sitting on the bed, in her room. Nabiki glared up at her, lounging across the covers in a sprawl. "You shouldn't have said yes."
"Oh, but-" her sister said, perplexed. She sat, daintily, on the edge of the bed. "-he was only being nice."
"Kasumi, Kasumi," her sister chidded her, flipping over onto her stomach. "Just because you don't have time for boys doesn't mean they don't have time for you."
Blink, blink, still uncomprehending. Maybe this was a waste of time.
"'Time for me'...?" Was that understanding creeping into her eyes? Dare she hope? "But father takes care of us very well."
Nabiki facefaulted off the bed, coming back up to shout: "That isn't what I meant! He's interested in you!" Older sisters could be so frustrating!
"Oh." A delicate blush stained her cheeks; and with understanding, came a sudden pallor. "Oh my."
"Get it now?" A raised eyebrow, as Nabiki settled back onto the bed.
"I believe I do," Kasumi said, thoughtful.
A pause; silence.
Then, a heartwarming smile. "If I explain this misunderstanding, surely he will understand."
Nabiki shrugged, but didn't say anything. She really didn't think that would work.
Persistance
"More rice," Ranma-kun demands, offering her his bowl. The table is a mess of spilled condiments and precariously stacked empty dishes. There is only one scoop of rice left. She's had half a serving yet, and this boy three helpings.
His father is demanding his attention, and if she doesn't take the bowl he'd drop it. Ranma never fights left handed, when it comes to food.
"Yes, of course," she says. Kasumi wasn't really that hungry anyway.
Forebearance
This was not supposed to have happened. Never in all that she had thought possible, was she to have died.
"If I may," she says to the shinigami come to collect her, "might we stay here for a bit? You have my promise that I shall not cause any trouble." She shall not outright beg; this one is much too refined to accept such an act with anything but contempt.
There is her family to look after, until they are ready to move on. No one is fighting and that...she cannot leave them like this.
He is silent, and perhaps she had expected him to be. No answer can, at times, be better than one, when it is so open ended.
"...for now." It is quietly said, a commanding murmur, but she hears him all the same.
"Oh!" It is on impulse she hugs him, nothing more. And it is nothing that he stiffens, in indignation, or anger. "Thank you very much, shinigami-sama."
It is only right to pull away with a bow, as if nothing had happened. No use upsetting his honorable pride; he was the one to grant her heartfelt request, after all.
Father would take charge. With him, this silence would break, and they would be lively once again. But for now, she would be grateful for what little she had.