A Ranma ½ Fanfic Have You Ever Just Listened to Your Heart? by Kris Thompson This is a work of fiction based on Rumiko Takahashi's 'Ranma Nibun no Ichi' a.k.a. Ranma ½ and was created for the author's personal enjoyment. Note: Akane and Ranma are both around nineteen in this fic. Ranma and Akane sat alone in the dojo. The quiet pitter-patter of rain was the only sound that kept the two company. "So, now we're married..." Ranma said, his voice breaking the silence. Akane nodded her head silently. He glanced over at her downcast figure, her back bent over in sadness. "Akane?" "Yes?" She replied, not moving. He turned away from her. "I'm sorry." She turned to look at him. "What for?" "For you having to marry me. I know you didn't want to." There was a long pause. "It's not that..." Ranma turned to look at her. Now she had turned slightly away from him so that all he could see of her face was her profile. "What?" he urged her on. Akane shook her head, as if she had been thinking for a moment and had needed to clear her thoughts away. "It's nothing." Ranma wasn't buying that. "No, what is it?" She turned to look at him once more. Her deep brown eyes held something in them... hope, perhaps? He wasn't sure. Akane stood up then, much to his surprise, and walked over to the sliding doors and opened on of them to look out at the evening rain. She stood there for a moment and turned suddenly to face him. "You want to know?" Her voice caught up with emosion at the last word. He nodded, remaining mute for her to continue. "You shouldn't be sorry, Ranma. You're not the one who married someone who doesn't love you," she paused before going on, her eyes glittering with unshed tears. "I love you. More than you'll ever know, Ranma. And I'm so sorry you didn't get to marry the one you love." her voice cracked on the last 'love'. Ranma was shocked. Akane loved him? Really *loved* him? A sob escaped from Akane as she turned to cry on the door frame. ~*~ Akane wept into her hands as she leaned against the doorway. It had taken all of her energey and strenght to tell him that she loved him. She vaguely recalled the phrase "that the truth sometimes hurts", which only made her cry harder. Before she knew it, she had been turned one hundred and eighty degrees and his right and was on her shoulder while his left hand was wipping away her tears. "Akane, please look at me," his voice pleaded to her. She sniffled and looked up into his blue eyes. "Have you ever been in a room with someone and felt a connection between you and the other person the first *second* you lay eyes on them? Have you ever wanted to hold someone in you arms and never stop?" He leaned closer to her his voice dropping to a husky whisper as he drew nearer. "Have you ever wanted to kiss someone who loves you?" She lowered her eyes as he leaned closer towards her. He had both of his arms on either side of her, supporting his weight against the wall while also trapping her at the same time. He took her arms at her shoulders and slowly slid his hands down to the wrists as he pulled them up behind his neck. "Have you ever jus listened to your heart?" he whispered, his lips inches from hers. "Ranma," her voice came out as a trembling whisper before his lips met hers in a deep kiss, unlike their wedding kiss, which had been a quick peck on the lips that had lasted for a grand total of two seconds. This kiss was a kiss of passion, of passion. Akane felt his arms wrap around her waist and pull her closer to him. She felt his rapid heartbeat, which strangly was the same as hers. When it ended, Ranma looked down at his fian - er, his *wife* and smiled. "I love you, Akane. For as long as as I can remember." She smiled at him as her eyes glimmered with tears. She didn't say a word; just kissed him once again. Author's Notes: Well, after writing this in class, I have to say I think it's pretty good. I had been thinking about how I hadn't written any fanfics in a month or so, what with my job and school and getting ready for college and everything, it's been really insane around here lately. But I started this one off as a scene from a fanfic I was going to write later, when I had a bigger plot. But this scene just kept going through my mind and wouldn't leave me be, so here it is. I hope everyone enjoys! Signin' off! Krissy cartoonpaperclips@email.com www.geocities.com/kuroi_hoshi