The characters in this story belong to their respective creators and rights holders. 
Ranma 1/2 is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi. Sailor Moon is the creation of Naoko 
Takeuchi. All original content is the creation of Samuel Phoenix. Recognition is given to 
John Sanchez for a small kick of inspiration that helped produce this story, and to 
Harold Ancell who has been a near constant source of input, information, and ideas.  
 
Awkward Consequences
Chapter 5: Settling In
PsyckoSama (syp104@psu.edu)
http://www.fanfic.net/~psyckosama/

Hotaru blushed deeply and began daydreaming with a big joyful smile on 
her face. Her mind filled with happy images of her and Ranma.

Ranma blinked, and waved his hand in front of her face. "Hotaru, you 
okay?" 

Hotaru blushed, and put her hands behind her back. "You really want to 
stay with me?"

Ranma nodded, and said, "Yeah, I don't got anywhere else to go."

Hotaru looked down and sighed. "Is that all? Are you just looking for a 
place to stay and nothing more?"

Ranma began to get nervous. In a stuttering unsure voice he said, "Not 
like I wouldn't like to stay here... The place is nice and I...." 

He smacked his head trying to clear it. He was cold, he was wet, he was 
female, and he had just been kicked out of the only home he could 
remember. It was not the best time for him. "Hotaru, if I said 
something that upset ya, I'm sorry. I think you're a really nice girl, 
and we might as well get used to living together." 

Hotaru looked up at him, slowly repeating, "we might as well get used 
to living together." She sat down onto her bed, her face becoming 
totally red. She slowly caught her breath and looked up towards him. 

In a meek voice she said, "We might as well get used to living 
together? Ranma, are you implying what I think you are?"

Ranma in return blushed and scratched the back of his head, "Well... I 
really wanted to wait till I had a ring, and maybe go out to dinner or 
somethin'. You know, make it romantic an' stuff?" Ranma looked Hotaru 
in the eyes. "I want to talk to you a bit before I ask..." 

Hotaru shallowly nodded and motioned Ranma to sit next to her. Once he 
was seated she said, "I want to talk to you too. So, what do you want 
to say?"

"Hotaru, my life is pure hell. No matter what I do, bad things happen. 
My friends and loved ones are always in danger or getting' hurt because 
of me. I'd be willing to risk it with the fiancées cause they can 
defend themselves, but you're just a normal girl and soon we're going 
to be having a kid. I don't know if I'll be able to protect ya and the 
baby." He looked down for a moment, then continued in a weary voice, "I 
just want you to think hard about that before you say. I don't want ya 
or our baby to get hurt."

Hotaru shook her head, chuckled, then kissed him on the cheek. "Ranma, 
that's sweet, but I really doubt there will be any problems."

Ranma scowled lightly. "I'm being serious, Hotaru."

Hotaru smiled in response. "So am I."

"Are you absolutely sure?"

She nodded.

Ranma smiled, and said, "So, what ya wanna ask me?"

Hotaru looked Ranma in the eyes. "Why are you going to ask me to marry 
you? I want you to be honest with me, please. I will not hold anything 
you say against you."

Ranma blinked, and said, "I've gotta. I don't want to make you raise my 
kid on your own. It would be wrong of me to do that to you."

She looked down, pulled her knees up to her chest, and covered her 
face. Ranma could tell that tears beginning to fall. After a minute or 
two she said, "Don't ask Ranma. I'll say no," in a very week voice.

"What? Why?"

Hotaru's tears began to flow in earnest. "I don't want to force you, 
Ranma. This is forever! I... I don't want to marry a man who will 
resent me, or our child, for the rest of his life."

Ranma was dumbfounded. He moved closer to her, held her for a moment, 
and then wiped her eyes with his shirt sleeve in a futile attempt to 
dry them. "Hotaru, thank you. Thank you very, very much."

Narrowing her eyes, she glared at him. "Thank you?" 

Ranma smiled and hugged the smaller girl tightly. "Hotaru, all my 
fiancées care about is themselves, they don't really care about me. 
They're always acting like they own me! They never ask, they just spew 
crap like 'Ranma take Shampoo on date!' or 'I'm your cute fiancée, 
right, Ran-chan' without caring how I feel. You just did something they 
never did." He paused for a moment, then mumbled, "That no body ever 
did."

Hotaru blinked, and asked, "Are you serious?"

Ranma nodded and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Yeah, Hotaru, you're 
the first person to ever really care about *my* happiness. Thanks a 
lot."

Hotaru blushed brightly and looked down.

"There's another reason too. I didn't want to say this but..." he 
sighed then continued, "This could be my escape."

Hotaru cocked her head, and glared at him again. "Your what?"

"My escape from the crap I have to live with in Nerima. I didn't want 
to tell you that because I didn't want you to think I was using you. I 
like ya, and really want to give this a shot, Hotaru."

Hotaru blinked, shook her head, and smiled brilliantly. "You really 
know how to put you foot in your mouth, Ranma."

Ranma scratched the back of his head and said, "Yeah, I've been 
told..." 

Hotaru giggled, then hopped on Ranma's lap, much to his distress. 
Wrapping her arms around him, and in a very cute voice she said, "So, 
are you going to ask me?"

Ranma blushed, and squirmed out of Hotaru's embrace, much to the girl's 
displeasure. "I really wanted to wait till I had a ring..." Looking 
down at 'herself', Ranma continued, "Or at least, was in the right 
body."

Hotaru giggled lightly, jumped off of Ranma, and said, "It's okay, 
Ranma. I can wait."
 
Ranma smiled. "Thank you, Hotaru-chan. So...."

Hotaru chuckled. "Of course you can stay here, except for one little 
problem...."

Ranma sighed. "Your family?"

She grinned and nodded.

"Do they know?"

She nodded again.

"You have any ideas?" 

Once again, she nodded.

With a groan of frustration, Ranma said, "Could please you stop acting 
cute and talk to me?"

Hotaru smiled brightly and giggled. "I have an idea, but are you 
willing to stay a girl for a while?"

Ranma shrugged, and said, "Sure. I'm not exactly fond of the idea, but 
I can manage." 

Hotaru nodded. "Good! I'll tell them the truth."

Ranma gulped. The truth hurt and he had a feeling it would be painful. 
"You sure that's a good idea?" 

Hotaru nodded. "Sure it is! I'll say you're a 'friend' who has been 
kicked out of her house! I'll just neglect to mention that you're 
actually a man, or the details of our relationship!"

"So, you want me to pretend to be one of your girlfriends or 
somethin'?"

"We can say you're my girlfriend, if you want," said Hotaru with a 
suggestive wink.

Ranma blushed. "But we're both girls!"

Hotaru shrugged. "So?"

Ranma blushed. "It just ain't natural!"

Hotaru shook her head. "Both Michiru-mama and Haruka-papa are women. I 
don't think that's unnatural!"

Ranma blinked.

With a sigh, Hotaru said, "They're lesbians..." Glancing at Ranma's 
hair, she added, with a smirk "... and I think you look good in red."

Ranma blushed even brighter. Trying to change the subject he said, 
"Okay... so, what do ya want me to do?"

Hotaru pointed to the window. "Knock on the front door."

Ranma nodded. "I'll be going by the name 'Ranko'. I use that name a lot 
when I'm in girl-form." 

"Okay."

"See you in a couple, Hotaru-chan." Without another word, he was out 
the window.
 
---------------------------------- 
 
"Michiru, what do you think we should do to this kid, Ranma?" growled 
Haruka.

Michiru gave her lover a dirty look. "Haruka, we are going to do 
absolutely nothing."

Haruka scowled. "He's blinding the Time Gates, he might be a threat to 
Crystal Tokyo, and the rat bastard knocked up our little Hotaru-chan!"

Michiru shook her head. "She is not 'our little Hotaru-chan' anymore. 
She's a young woman." Michiru sighed. "I'm disappointed in myself. It 
took something like this to make me realize the truth."

Haruka nodded. She really didn't want to kill the little prick, but he 
was not going to get away with this unharmed. "You're right, but that's 
still is no excuse. If I see him, he will be in a world of pain."

Michiru sighed and shook her head, in a slightly annoyed voice she 
said, "You'd better not kill him."

Haruka waved it off. "Don't worry, I'll leave enough to drag to the 
alter. He's not getting out of this one that easy!"

Ding-Dong!

Michiru looked up at the clock. "Ten-Thirty? Who would visit at this 
time of night?" 

Haruka sighed, and with a grunt of displeasure, she stood up and walked 
to the door. This better be important.

When she opened the door, she was pleasantly surprised. It was a hot 
redhead, drenched to the bone. She mentally went over the girl's 
features. She was tall, had a wonderfully fit figure, really great 
breasts, curves like a racetrack, and a really, really wet shirt. By 
all respects, a total fox.

She looked to the girl's side and saw two very large traveling packs by 
the side of the door. What the hell was going on? 

Not feeling the need to be terribly pleasant, she asked, "Who are you?" 

The redhead looked at Haruka with puppy-dog eyes, and said, in a sugar 
sweet voice, "Hi, my name is Ranko! Is Hotaru home? I really gotta talk 
to her."

Haruka never heard Hotaru mention any 'Ranko's. Of course she never had 
mentioned any 'Ranma's, and look where that got her. With a scowl she 
said, "Can this wait? Hotaru's sleeping."

Ranko shook her head violently. "It can't! I really have to speak to 
her!"

Haruka shook he head. Hotaru had a long day, and the last thing she 
needed was some girl waking her up. "I'm afraid it'll have to wait."

"Haruka! Don't be rude!" said Michiru from behind her. Walking past, 
Michiru pulled the girl inside. "I'm sorry about that, please, step out 
of the rain!"

Ranko nodded. "Thank you."

Hotaru walked into view from the hall. She looked like the doorbell had 
awakened her. One thing that Haruka could not help but note, was the 
presence of large wet spots on her clothing. "Ranko-chan?"

The redheaded girl sniffed and looked at Hotaru. "I've got a problem, 
Hotaru-chan."

Hotaru blinked. "They didn't!"

Michiru blinked. "Who didn't what?" 

"Who is this girl, Hotaru?" asked Haruka.

Hotaru smiled. "This is my friend Ranko."

Haruka sighed. "We know that much, but what is this about."

Ranko frowned and looked down. "I had a fight with my parents and was 
kicked out of the house. My father and I never really got along and 
Hotaru said that if something like this ever happened I could stay with 
her..."

She had never heard anything about this. It was too dangerous. If that 
girl found out that they were Sailor Senshi... "I can not allow this."

Both Hotaru and Ranko blinked. There was a moment of silence then Ranma 
began to whimper.

Ranko gasped, then cried out in desperation, "Oh no! This was my only 
hope! Now all I have left is the street! I'll be a helpless beautiful 
young girl struck out on the streets all alone with no one to protect 
me! What will happen to me! There are bad men out there! I'll be forced 
into prostitution and raped and... and..." it was then the whimpering 
suddenly became a full-fledged unintelligible wail.

Haruka stepped back as Hotaru rushed forward to comfort the girl. She 
could not look into the girl's tear-filled, liquid-blue, puppy-dog eyes 
without having all her will stripped away.

She shook her head, sighed, and then asked, "Isn't there anywhere 
else?"

The girl shook her head violently.

She looked to Michiru, who nodded. Then with a groan of resignation 
Haruka said, "Fine, you can stay."

Suddenly the tears were gone, and the girl was smiling brightly. With a 
cheerful cry of "Thanks," Ranko grabbed her bags from just outside the 
door, then ran back past Haruka to get inside.

Haruka blinked. Had she just been played?

Ignoring Haruka's reaction, Michiru took the girl's hand and led her to 
the living room. "I'm sorry to hear about your family, Ranko-chan. You 
can stay with us as long as you need to."

Hotaru smiled and grabbed Ranko by the wrist, pulling her towards the 
stairs. "She can sleep in my room tonight!"

"Sounds good!" said Michiru as the two girls went up the stairs.

Haruka though for a moment, she wondered how a girl that thin could 
carry two packs that size, and why did Hotaru's smile seem... naughty?
 
---------------------------------- 
 
Hotaru smiled as she closed the door behind her. It had worked; now 
Ranma could stay here with her. 

"So, what now?" asked Ranma.

Hotaru smiled. "Time for you to take a bath. You'll get sick if you 
stay wet like that."

Ranma shrugged. "I guess so... but what if they walk in on me?"

Hotaru shrugged Ranma's paranoia off with a wave of her hand. "Don't 
worry!"

"That nice and all, but I don't think your 'papa' would trust me alone 
in the house."

Hotaru smiled at Ranma suggestively. "I'll just have to solve that 
problem."

Ranma blinked. "How?"

Hotaru shook her head. The boy was cute, but clueless. "I'm going to 
take a bath too."

Ranma jumped back. "What? That's... err... inappropriate!"

Hotaru groaned and gave Ranma a look of exasperation. "We're soon to be 
wed, we live together, and I'm carrying your child. Could you please 
explain to me how it's not proper?"

Ranma blinked, and then lowered his head. "You're right."

Hotaru smiled. She knew that he would agree! She went through her 
closet, grabbed two robes, then threw one to Ranma with a cry of, 
"Catch!"

Ranma caught the violet robe. He took a look at it then glanced around 
the room. "You must really like purple."

Hotaru blushed, and then nodded. "How'd you guess?"

Ranma smiled. "Well, your sheets are purple, your robe is purple, your 
night clothes are purple, even your panties are purple!"

Hotaru blushed bright red and looked down. "It's my favorite color, 
Ranma."

Ranma smiled. "I can see why. You have those big, pretty, purple eyes 
of yours."

Hotaru blushed even brighter. She could get used to this. Smiling as 
she stood up she grabbed Ranma's hand. "Let's take that bath, Ranma!"
 
---------------------------------- 
 
Ranma looked at Hotaru for a moment as she stripped off her clothing. 
She was so beautiful, and she was his. He could not help but think 
about how his life was changing because of her. He had finally made a 
choice. It felt good to be free from the weight on his soul. While he 
had known and accepted the fact that he would never have a chance at a 
normal courtship, he had lucked out. Hotaru was a really nice girl! She 
actually cared about his feelings, and she hadn't hit him once!

Hotaru blushed, then interrupted his train of thought. "Ranma? Aren't 
you going to get undressed?" 

Ranma jumped in surprise, and blushed as he realized that he had been 
just standing there staring at her the entire time.

With a quick, "Sorry!" he began to strip down as fast as he could. Both 
his shirts quickly were tossed into the hamper, quickly followed by his 
pants. As he threw the pants into the hamper something fell out of 
them. 

"Ranma, what's this?" asked Hotaru as she walked over next to him. He 
felt a pang of anxiety go up his back as Hotaru lifted the item. It was 
Akane's ring.

Hotaru opened the box, and then glared at Ranma. She had an angry but 
sad look on her face. "You said you didn't have a ring! If you wanted 
to wait, fine, but there was no reason to lie!" 

"Wait..."

Hotaru sat down on the tile floor and looked up at Ranma. "You never 
really were going to ask, were you?"

Ranma sighed and kneeled down in front of her. "I never lied. It just 
would not feel right giving you that ring."

Hotaru blinked. "Why?"

"Hold on a second..." Ranma quickly rushed into the other room to turn 
on the water to cover their conversation. When he was back, he said, 
"Look at the inscription inside."

Hotaru pulled the engagement ring out of the box and looked. "Ranma and 
Akane Forever?" 

"About the Christmas before last our dads tried to force the engagement 
by making me give her a ring. I never gave it to her, and it would not 
feel right giving you another girl's ring."

"Ranma, how do you feel about her?"

Ranma sighed. There was no reason to keep it hidden. "I loved her, 
once."

Hotaru nodded. "What happened?"

Ranma shrugged. "It started six months ago when I went to a different 
college. She just did not trust me without her supervision and stated 
acting more and more paranoid. She basically destroyed all the progress 
we had made over the previous year and a half."

Hotaru nodded. "I see."

Ranma scowled. "After all I've done for her, she still couldn't trust 
me. Hotaru, I didn't do nothin' wrong and she still didn't trust me."

Hotaru blinked. "All you've done for her? Like what?"

Ranma sighed, a slightly anxious look in his eyes. "I killed for her."

Hotaru gasped. "You did what?"

This would take a while. "I'll explain it to you in the bath."

Hotaru nodded. "Okay, Ranma. I can wait for a little while."
 
---------------------------------- 

Hotaru giggled as she saw Ranma enter the water, and transform from 
female to male. Just seeing how the body changed was fascinating to 
her. 

When he was seated in the waters, Hotaru slipped into the tub. She 
smiled at her lover, and cuddled into him.

As Hotaru pressed her nude body into his, Ranma began to squirm. 
"Hotaru! What are you doing?"

With a blissful moan, she rested her head on his chest. She then smiled 
and looked him in the eyes. "I'm just getting comfy."

Ranma gulped, and started looking side to side, as if he was getting 
more and more nervous. Hotaru wondered what would make him react this 
way to intimate contact? "What's wrong, Ranma?" she asked.

He smiled stupidly and looked down at the purple-eyed girl. "I'm just 
not good with this kinda stuff. It's always been nothing but trouble 
for me."

Hotaru snuggled in a bit then caressed his face. He seemed to be 
relaxing a little. "How so?"

Ranma looked down for a moment, and then very hesitantly placed his arm 
around Hotaru. "I'm just used to unwanted attention. All my fiancées, 
Shampoo especially, try and smother me in intimate contact. A couple of 
times Shampoo even snuck in on me during a bath! It would always end 
with Akane hitting me even if it wasn't my fault." 

Hotaru scowled. Those girls sounded like real pieces of work. No wonder 
he had intimacy problems. Oh well, she could fix that. "Don't worry, 
Ranma, I'll never do anything like that."

Ranma smiled. "Thanks, Hotaru-chan."

Hotaru giggled and kissed him on the cheek. After a moment, she sighed 
and looked him in the eyes. "Ranma, tell me, who and why did you kill?"

Ranma sighed. "It's a long story. I killed the Phoenix-God Saffron."

Hotaru gasped. Ranma killed a god?! She could not believe that, or 
could she? He looked like he was being serious... how could a normal 
human being kill a god? She gulped and continued, "Go on, Ranma."

Ranma nodded. "It all goes back to Jusenkyo..." 
 
---------------------------------- 

"... and that's what happened," finished Ranma. He really did not like 
talking about Saffron, but she had asked and he saw no good reason to 
refuse.

He looked down at Hotaru's small form and smiled. Boy was she cute. He 
slowly placed his arms around her. For some reason he felt at ease. He 
sat in place, holding her for a few moments. He was surprised that she 
had not said anything about the story. It was pretty incredible, and 
sometimes he even had trouble believing it. "Hotaru-chan, what do ya 
think?" 

Nothing.

He blinked. "Hotaru-chan?"

Still nothing.

He nudged her gently, and she shifted slightly. It was then that he 
realized that she had fallen asleep. He sighed, the started to shake 
her. "Hotaru-chan, wake up."

The girl turned and yawned. After a moment, she blinked and looked him 
in the eye. "Ranma?"

He smiled. "You fell asleep."

She moved away from him and stretched. Ranma could not help but note 
the way the movement of her lithe body helped accent her breasts. "I'm 
sorry, Ranma. I wanted to hear the story, but I was so tired and you're 
so comfortable."

Ranma smiled the shook his head. "It's ok." He looked side-to-side for 
a moment, and continued. "Come on, let's get to bed before someone 
walks in on us."

Hotaru nodded and they both stood up. Ranma went over to the faucet and 
placed his hand under some cold water to trigger his curse.

As Hotaru slipped on her robe, she said, "Ranma, can you tell me about 
Jusendo again tomorrow?"

Ranma nodded as he covered himself. "Ok, just don't fall asleep this 
time."

Hotaru giggled. "Don't worry!"

Ranma smiled and left the bathroom, pocketing Akane's ring box.

It was only a moment until they were back in Hotaru's room. Both of 
them quickly finished drying off. Hotaru slipped back into her 
nightclothes, while Ranma dug around in one of his backpacks until he 
found a dry pair of boxers and a tank top. Ranma also took this as a 
chance to put the ring back into his pack. He then pulled out his 
bedroll and prepared for bed.

"Ranma, what are you doing?" asked Hotaru, and she sat down onto her 
bed.

"I'm getting ready to go to sleep."

Hotaru sighed in exasperation. "Not on that you aren't!"

Ranma blinked. "Then where do you expect me..." he paused after a 
moment of realization, then continued, "You want me to sleep in your 
bed don't you."

Hotaru nodded. "It has to be more comfortable than that thing, and we 
might as well get used to it!" 

Ranma blushed, then looked at Hotaru. She was right. He was going to 
marry this girl. He had all but asked, and she had all but said yes. In 
not much more than half a year, they were going to be parents. There 
really was no reason to resist.

"Ok, Hotaru-chan," said Ranma, as he sat on the bed next to her. He 
looked at her, then the mattress for a moment and said, "I don't think 
there is room for both of us."

Hotaru smiled coyly. "Then I guess we'll have to snuggle." 

Ranma gulped, but said nothing. While he though that she was a little 
over-anxious he could understand why. She was a lonely person, and was 
hungry for the affection and kindness of another. He could sympathize.

As the two laid down on the bed, Hotaru snuggled into Ranma and turned 
off the lamp. 
 
---------------------------------- 

Ranma held Hotaru's sleeping figure tightly. He glanced at the alarm 
clock on her nightstand. 1:30. He had been laying here for two hours. 
He could not rest. His mind was too busy, and sleeping next to a girl 
felt strange. The crazed events of the day running through his head. 
 
He gazed at the shadowed walls of Hotaru's room. What would the future 
hold for him now? He had made a choice. The damnable choice that had 
been hanging over his head for two years was finally dealt with. There 
was no turning back, and no regrets. 

His fiancées would be outraged. He had just put himself and Hotaru in 
danger. They would not react well, and if the failed wedding were any 
sign, they would be violent. 

He looked down at Hotaru, the beautiful, innocent girl who would soon 
be mother of his child. He silently swore to himself that no harm would 
ever come to her or their baby. Not Akane, not Shampoo, not Ukyou, and 
not any gods or demons would ever harm his family. They would have to 
kill him first, and Saotome Ranma never loses.

He smiled down at her. "Good night, Hotaru-chan."

Hotaru lightly shifted in Ranma's arms, resting her head between his 
chin and breasts. In a light, unconscious whisper she replied, "Good 
night... Anata."