The Last Straw

By Gayle S.

Akane shifted a little as night switched to morning. She didn’t want to wake up for some reason. Her body ached from the night before, and she could recall vaguely how she’d fallen asleep in tears. She could feel something resting on her hand as she tried to rub her eyes. Opening them, she blinked a few times, and looked over to see what she was caught on.

“Ryoga...” she spoke softly, looking down at his large warm hand. He had stayed with her the whole night, almost like a guardian angel. She smiled at his soft features, the way his soft black hair rested on his smooth forehead. He looked so peaceful sleeping. Suddenly, he shifted, and opened his eyes. Akane blushed, and looked away awkwardly. They both moved apart, Ryoga standing and stretching. His back popped back into a normal standing position. Sleeping in a chair had did a number on his spine, but he was used to sleeping in strange places, what with him getting lost all the time.

“..H-hi...”. Ryoga stammered. He felt a rush of heat in his face, and beads of sweat gathered on his forehead.

“W-what are you doing here..?” she questioned.

“Well I... I..” he tried to say, but struggled with the words. How could he say it?! “Akane, I just... I wanted to make sure you were okay...” He turned away, blushing. She nodded, and rose to her feet.

“Ryoga, thank you.” She smiled, and walked out the door. He stood unmoving for a moment, then walked out after her, not noticing the face smooshed up against the window, red with anger.

“Just you wait... Ryoga.” Ranma muttered to himself. He climbed down off the house, and dropped onto the deck of the back porch just before Akane could reach the table. He scrambled to his sitting mat, and casually sipped at his tea, ignoring them as they entered the room.

“Ohayo....Kasumi...” Akane spoke softly, and sat down at the table. She could feel motionless eyes watching her, and ate quickly, not saying a word. They glanced back and forth at oneanother while sipping their miso soup, trying to pretend not to care. As she finished (unfortunatly, at the same time as Ranma) .

Akane slammed down her chopsticks, stood up, and grabbed her book bag, and headed for the door. She had to get out of there. Away from Ranma at least. She fled the entrance and stopped at the main doors of the dojo, resting and thinking to herself.

Ranma scurried to his feet and grabbed his slippers and bag, running for the door. He felt something collide with his foot as he ran, and then gracefully slammed against the floor face-first. Ryoga was propped himself up against the doorway, grinning devilishly.

“Hmph.. Ranma. You’re a disgrace!” He sneered, looking down at him. Ranma glared up at him.

“Look who’s talking P-CHAN!” Ranma taunted, expecting a blow to the head. Ryoga only laughed.

“Heh heh. I could care less. Akane is with ME now, your petty insults have no effect on me.” he stated. Ranma was speechless. He puffed up angrily, and retalliated, not noticing that Akane was standing in front of the Dojo gate, listening intently.

“Yeah, so! S’not like I wanted to her anyway. Who’d want such a macho chick like that, all buff an’ manly anyway? I suppose you would, eh Ryoga? I mean, bein’ that you’re not much of a man yourself, eh?”

“RANMA YOU BASTARD!!!” Ryoga cried out, throwing a punch towards his face, “TAKE THAT BACK!!!!” Ranma barely dodged it, sending Ryoga hard into the door frame with a kick to his back. Ryoga lie still for a moment, then gathered himself, brushing the bits of wood shrapnel from his clothes. He readied his fists, awaiting another attack. “Fight back! Or are you too afraid?!!” Ryoga yelled. Ranma grinned, and clenched his fists hard enough so that his finger nails dug into his own flesh. He thought to himself, this one... revenge.

He punched as hard as he could, closing his eyes, and felt his fist collide with flesh. Something was different though.

Why was it softer than usual?

Ryoga had a rock-hard chest, and Ranma knew this because after fighting him so many times, he’d struck him there more than twenty times and had felt his throbbing knuckles afterward. He opened his eyes just as the punch followed through, and was thrown aback by shock. He didn’t realize who he’d hit at first, until he took a closer look. She lay trembling on the floor, coughing and grasping her stomach. Ryoga was just as shocked, as he brought his guard down.

“A-akane?!” Ranma stammered in disbelief. He had struck his own fiancee.

To be Continued....