A Night Alone
A work of Ranma fanfiction.
By David Myers
All characters owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Viz blah blah blah. Not
intended to infringe upon any ones rights etc etc.
All was quiet in Nerima as Genma and Ranma Saotome made their way
through the empty streets. Their training trip had lasted just over
three weeks and the intense training had left the two feeling bone
tired. Ranma led the way eagerly choosing the quickest path back to
the Tendo Dojo.
"What's the hurry Ranma my boy?" Genma asked mockingly.
"No reason, I'm just eager to get home..."
"..and see Akane hey boy?"
"Don't be ridiculous, why would I wanna see that Uncute Tomboy type
anyway." Ranma growled angrily "I just wanna soak in the bath. Hanging
out with you for three weeks is bad enough, but having to put up with
that smell you make when you're in Panda mode. Urrgh I think I've
still got it all over my clothes."
"Foolish boy!" Genma scolded. "Why can't you just admit to your
feelings for Akane and let nature take its course." Ranma shook his
head dismissivily.
"I think I've had enough NATURE over the last three weeks to last me
a life time."
"Listen to me Ranma my boy, and hear your fathers advice." Genma
stopped and pointed at Ranma dramatically savoring the moment.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." Genma nodded at his profound
statement, and watched his son's reaction. Ranma for his part stared
at his father clearly confused.
"What the heck are you talking about!"
"It could be that in your absence, Akane might actually have missed
you."
"Well frankly who could blame her." Ranma replied cockily.
"Gyah foolish boy. If you return now, you'll just get into another
fight and all my hard work over the last three weeks will have been
for nothing. I think another two weeks in the forest might teach you
the manners I failed to beat into you over the last three. C'mon.".
Genma turned regally and began striding down the street, back the way
they had come. Ranma stared in surprise for a minute, watching his
fathers back before his face contorted into anger as his words sunk
in. He leapt into the air and kneed his old man in the back of the
head angrily.
"You mean to say this whole training journey was some excuse cooked
up by you and Mr Tendo to get Akane and I to miss each other?" Ranma
shouted angrily. "I've gone through three weeks of intense training
for THAT!" Genma from the ground adjusted his glasses.
"We thought that three weeks might be a good time to beat some
manners into you."
"Just wonderful pop! Who was suppose to teach me these manners? You?
And what kind of a place is a forest to teach good manners."
"Well I admit, that it's probably not the best...." Ranma kicked his
father in the face.
"I'm going home old man with or without you." With that he leapt
up onto a nearby wall and ran ahead before his father could hit him
in the back of the head with a sign or something.
"Ranma! Come back here! I'm not done with your manners training yet."
Genma yelled and leapt up onto the fence in pursuit. Laughing Ranma
led his father on a merry chase across the Nerima district. Finally
the two arrived at the gates to the Dojo and Ranma ran from the wall
until he arrived at the steps of the Front door. He slid the door
open and saw Kasumi straightening in the front entrance, having just
put on her shoes.
"Why hello Ranma welcome home." Kasumi greeted the two smiling.
Ranma looked at her in surprised, noticing her heavy coat and a
travelling bag by her legs. Genma skidded to a halt behind Ranma
and looked down at the eldest Tendo sister.
"Hello Kasumi, are you going somewhere?" Genma inquired politely, if
not somewhat out of breath. Nabiki full of pep rounded the corner.
"Fact is Kasumi and I have been invited to a hot spring for the
weekend. We were just about to leave, so whilst I hate to be rude,
it's time for us to go."
"Hot spring?" Ranma asked somewhat confused.
"Oh Ranma I almost forgot. While you were gone some of your little
friends came by." Kasumi said almost as an afterthought. "Ukyo
wanted to know where you had gone, and said she'd catch up with you
when you got back." Ranma nodded smiling. Kasumi continued smiling
cheerfully the whole time. "Kuno said that you were a cowardly curr
who obviously had fled to escape his vengeful wrath. Ryoga and Mousse
both said they would kill you when they see you next, although Ryoga
did say he would first send you to a hell so deep you would never see
the light of day ever again. Kodatchi wanted to know if this Saturday
or the next would be better for your engagement party, whilst Shampoo
wants you to beat up Mousse and take her back to China as your bride.
I think that's all of them." She finished still smiling. Ranma had
completely face faulted and his clothes hung loosely from his body as
he stared at Kasumi in shock.
"Well now that you're up to date, time for us to go. Ta ta Ranma."
Nabiki cried leading the way.
"We'll see you tommorrow then." Kasumi added and started off after
her sister.
"Ah Saotome you've returned. Good good." Soun Tendo observed. "I
thought we might go out for some sake to celebrate your return."
Genma looked at him surprised.
"Well it's a nice thought Tendo, but I must admit I wouldn't mind
taking a quick bath first." Genma answered.
"Ah Saotome you don't quite understand. With Kasumi gone for the
night that means that the duties of cooking are left to...."
"Sake it is!" Genma cried enthusiastically as he about faced and
began striding off for the Dojo gates.
"Hey what about me?" Ranma cried in alarm.
"Be serious boy we can't take you out for Sake you're too young.
Besides it would mess with your training." Genma scolded
"Yes Ranma, it's a husbands duty to savor the cooking of his wife."
Soun added
"What the?"
"Yes a nice Romantic evening for two is just what the doctor ordered
hey Tendo!" Genma cried
"HAHAHAHA why yes it is Saotome, I couldn't agree more HAHAHAHAHA."
Soun agreed.
"WHO'D WANT A ROMANTIC EVENING ALONE WITH THAT SEXLESS... *mmphh*"
Soun quickly clamped his hand over Ranma's mouth.
"Son shhhh!" He warned "Tonights your chance to get to first base
with Akane. Who knows if you play your cards right you might even
get all the way."
"MR TENDO!!!!" Ranma cried, quite shocked.
"Initiative son! That's the key initiative."
"Well let's go Tendo, that Sake's getting cold." Genma cried and the
two ran off like a couple of school boys leaving Ranma standing by
the front door in a state of shock. He stood in silence for a moment,
considering his options when Akane appeared around the corner. She
smiled as she saw him, but the smile dropped when she saw the look of
fear etched upon his face.
"Hi... what's wrong?" She asked somewhat concerned.
"Nothing, nothing's wrong, Nothing at all." Ranma stuttered out
nervously "I'm fine, yes good, never better, glad to be back. Yeah
good, nothing wrong at all...how... how are you?" Akane frowned.
"You're acting pretty strange Ranma. Where's dad and Mr Saotome?"
"Uh they left, went out for some Sake."
"Oh, and after I put all that work in as well. Well I hope you're
hungry." Ranma laughed somewhat nervously.
"No not really." He replied tactically.
"Well we're eating enough food for four tonight. Kasumi and Nabiki
have gone to the Hotsprings, so I cooked enough for you, my Dad and
your dad. Since there's only you and I, well I hope you find your
appetite soon " Ranma felt sick just thinking about it. "You better
go wash up." Ranma winced slightly as Akane stared at him. Maybe he
could insult her cooking and she could beat him up. That would get
him out of it. Being malleted was much more preferable to being
subjected to that poison that Akane tried to pass off as food.
Surprisingly though when he opened his mouth, not a single insult
sprang to mind. Not one. He racked his brain thinking of something
to hit her with but nothing would come.
Instead he found himself saying "Umm I'm kinda on the nose, mind if
I take a bath first." Akane frowned before leaning in slightly
towards him and sniffing.
"Wow you're not kidding. Yeah I think you better, I'll be in the
kitchen if you need me."
"Uh yeah O.K" Ranma smiled and made his way into the bathroom.
Here was his chance, all he had to do was squeeze out the window,
dash off and he could grab some Okinomiyaki at Ucchan's. Smiling he
opened the sliding door to the bathroom and after closing it behind
him leapt up onto the Bath tub, opened the window and vaulted up
trying to squeeze through.
"Ranma!" Akane cried. Ranma froze, preparing to be caught.
"Uh yeah?"
"I left some spare towels outside for you. The others are in the
wash."
"Oh ahh O.K. Thanks." He replied lamely.
"I'll be in the Kitchen" He returned to his task and prepared
himself as he pushed through the narrow space. Yep Ucchans cooking
was preferable to Akane's any day of the week. Sure Akane would be
mad at him for ditching her but.... Suddenly Ranma stopped as he
thought through the implications of what he was doing.
Akane would wait for him by the table with all her food, alone.
She'd wait awhile wondering why it was taking him so long. Then
she'd probably wait a little longer, feeling hungrier and hungrier,
wondering if he was O.K. Concerned she'd probably check on him,
calling in tentatively to see if he was O.K. Reluctantly she'd open
the door and where she'd see the empty bathroom, and would be witness
to his betrayal.
Ranma knew that even as guys went, he was pretty insensitive, often
speaking before thinking, thereby more often than not putting his
foot in his mouth. But despite this fault he wasn't totally
heartless. "I must be outta my mind." He muttered as he pulled
himself back into the bathroom.
Sighing heavily he started the bath and began stripping off throwing
his clothes into the Hamper. He picked up a bucket of cold water
and dumped into over his head. There was a tingle as his body
changed, shifting, altering. Expanding in some places contracting in
others. She sighed heavily as she picked up the bar of soap and
began scrubbing herself. "Jeeze the things I go through." Ranma
muttered to herself. Dumping another bucket of cold water over her
body, she shivered as the soap suds splashed off her feminine curves.
Standing she entered the Hot bath and he sank into the steaming water
as his body returned to normal.
The hot water worked it's magic as Ranma felt the muscles in his body
relax and surrendered to the weariness that had built up over the
last three weeks. He soaked leisurely for several minutes enjoying
the hot water that seemed to sap the strength from his body. It
burned his skin refreshingly and he dunked his head under the water
enjoying the blistering sensation against his face and lips.
Resurfacing Ranma struggled to his feet, and then dried himself with
the towel. Wrapping it around his waist he wandered out of the bath
room into the cool air of the hall.
"Akane, I'm just gunna get changed!" He called out.
"Oh sure thing Ranma." Akane replied softly from the other end of the
hall. He frowned as she gazed at him, feeling a little uncomfortable
under her intense scrutiny.
"Wha?" He asked uncertainly.
"Nothing." She said whimsically and turned, a faint smile on her
lips, making her way back towards the living room. Shaking his head,
the half naked Ranma climbed the stairs and entered his room before
changing into his Chinese clothes. Finally he stole himself, "No
point putting off the inevitable," and with a manly "Yooorsh" He
strode through the hall, and down the stairs.
"Oh you're here." Akane said brightly as he entered the living room.
"Uh yeah." He replied staring at her uncertainly. He was a deer
caught in the headlights.
"I thought maybe you'd tried to escape out a window or something.."
Akane said smiling and then she giggled at her own joke. Ranma
laughed nervously with her smiling stupidly.
"Aw C'mon Akane gimme a little credit." He murmured.
"Sit down, I haven't seen you in three weeks." She said. Ranma
stepped back in shock his fathers words replaying themselves over in
his mind.
**"Listen to me Ranma my boy, and hear your fathers advice." Genma
stopped and pointed at Ranma dramatically savoring the moment.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder." Genma nodded at his profound
statement, and watched his son's reaction
"What the heck are you talking about!"
"It could be that in your absence, Akane might actually have missed
you........."
"Whoa could it be that.. she really did miss me?" He thought
surprised.
"Are you gunna sit down or not?" Instinctively he obeyed seating
himself by the table. "What's with you tonight Ranma?" Surprised he
shook his head.
"Uh Nuthin' just tired I guess." He said lamely.
"Well be sure to eat up." Akane replied heaping a serving of stew
onto his plate. Still suffering somewhat from shock at this new
revelation, Ranma continued staring at Akane and mechanically
retrieved some stew with his chopstick and shoved it in his mouth
without thinking. Ranma shuddered dropping his chopsticks in the
process. Reflex took over and he spat the stew out which flew across
the room and hit Akane in the face.
"Gods what kinda toxic waste is that?" He spluttered "It's even
worse than that cake you tried to make last month, that one bite
nearly killed me." Akanes face contorted in anger.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" She yelled
"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME ON PURPOSE?" Ranma yelled in response.
"HOW DARE YOU! HERE I AM TRYING TO BE NICE AND MAKE YOU A HOMECOOKED
MEAL...."
"OH YEAH REAL NICE. I GO AWAY FOR THREE WEEKS AND THE NIGHT I GET
BACK YOU TRY TO KILL ME. I'M SO LUCKY I HAVE SOMEONE SO NICE LOOKIN'
OUT FOR ME!" Ranma interrupted. As soon as he said it though he knew
he'd screwed up. Ranma watched as the fury on Akanes face disappeared
and was replaced, by something else. With tears in her eyes she
jumped up and ran from the table. Ranma half rose to his feet as she
leapt up the stairs her racking sobs punctuated by her feet slamming
into the wooden floor. "Akane.. wait..."
"Ranma no Baka." She cried as she disappeared up the stairs. A
second later a door slammed and Ranma winced at the sound. He stared
up the stairwell for awhile before closing his eyes and shaking his
head.
"Damn!"
"Akane.. Akane I'm sorry." He said sitting his back set up against
the wall outside Akane's room.
"Go away!" She yelled through her closed door.
"It just took me by surprise that's all. I over reacted...." He
waited for a reply. He didn't get one. "Jeeze Akane I can only say
I'm sorry so many times."
"Then stop saying it." She yelled through the closed door.
"Jeeze why do girls have to be so moody all the time." He muttered to
himself. He rose to his feet and regarded the door silently. His
heart genuinely filled with regret despite his harsh words. "Akane....
I'm honestly, really sorry." He said to the closed door softly. He
waited a moment, unsure if she'd heard him or not and then turned and
walked down the stairs.
It was all so frustrating, just when it looked like they might have
a chance to enjoy each other's company he had to run off at the mouth
and ruin it all. "Still it's not all my fault" he thought "I know she
was trying to be nice but she knows I hate her cooking. I've
certainly told her enough times. I dunno why she can't just give up.
Make life a whole lot more pleasant for both of us, since she
wouldn't have to keep ambushing me with all that toxic waste she
calls food." He shuddered as he walked through the Living room
staring at the various colored poisons that littered the table.
Muttering he walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge looking
for something that wouldn't kill him if he ate it.
Finding an apple he bit into it and regarded the huge mess that
covered much of the kitchen. "Wow I guess she put in a lot of work
into this." He said whistled softly to himself. He counted at least
seven different pots and pans and massive quantities of discarded,
burnt or ruined food hidden in the trash which was nearly full.
"Yikes." He muttered. Feeling a little guilty. He turned and stared
out into the living room at the table of abandoned food. Sighing
heavily he again bit into his apple.
"Ranma no baka, Ranma no baka, Ranma no baka." Akane cried over and
over to herself. She had tried so hard today. Spent hour after hour
in the kitchen slaving away, discarding the food she knew to be no
good. For once washing the pans before reusing them, applying every
correct technique she'd learnt over the last year. One bite, just
one bite from just one of her dishes and he was criticizing her.
After one bite he made up for three weeks of fighting with one
comment.
Tears fell from her eyes as she thought about how hard she had
worked. How long she had practiced, hoping, praying she could
surprise him with a decent meal. One that wouldn't send him fleeing
for the sink. His words bit into her, hurting her to her very core.
Sometimes... sometimes he could be so cruel without even realizing
it. "Ranma no baka" she sobbed.
She lay there like that for a while. Sobbing and weeping. Staring
about the room at nothing. Slightly disappointed that P-chan wasn't
hiding somewhere. As usual the small little black pig was nowhere to
be found. She longed to hold him and tell him all her problems. He
was a good listener hanging on her every word as if he understood
them. Cheering her up with his little squeals of delight as she
scratched his belly. Acting almost modestly when he walked in on her
naked. Getting little nosebleeds whenever she hugged him to her
chest. She frowned wondering why it was he did that.
He was her friend and confidant, and what's more he seemed to, for
reasons unknown, regard Ranma as his mortal enemy. But he was also a
fickle pig, coming and going as he pleased. Appearing in the
strangest places and then wandering off at every opportunity. Akane
often wondered if he had other homes to go to. Other places he lived,
when he wasn't at the Dojo. She supposed he must since he spent more
time away from the Dojo than he did in it. But when he was here he
regarded the place as home. She longed for him, longed to hug him to
her and scratch his ears, listening to his little piggy laugh as she
tickled him. Akane smiled as she thought of her pet and the tears
slowly stopped to a trickle.
She sat up and wiped her eyes clear with her sleeve. The make up
that she wore had smudged, and she muttered angrily thinking Ranma
probably hadn't even noticed that she'd made the effort. She
wondered why she had, what had possessed her to try. She must have
been crazy. Slowly she rose and sitting at her dresser wiped her
face clean with a rag, removing the smeared makeup. She stared at
her reflection, composing herself.
"Well the dishes aren't going to clean themselves." She whispered and
stood making her way out of her room. She walked softly down the
hall, composing her face into a disapproving pout. Which she fully
intended to hit Ranma with. Stealing herself she almost regally
descended the stairs, preparing to bombard him with her cold fury.
She stopped though as she reached the bottom of the stairs and
watched in disbelief at the scene before her.
Ranma sat at the table, his back to her, a set of chopsticks in his
hand. He had a large lump of rice and a bit of squid balanced
precariously within the chopstick. He paused for a minute before
shoveling the food into his mouth. After a second he twitched, and
reached quickly for the glass of water, which he drowned in one gulp.
"Bleeuughhh I'm gunna need some more water." He muttered softly to
himself. Akane looked down at the table, noticing that over half
the food had been eaten. He turned suddenly seeing Akane for the
first time, a guilty look on his face. "Akane....." Akane watched
him tears welling up in her eyes. "Hey...I... well.... I.. I.."
"Oh Ranma! Thankyou thankyou thankyou." She cried throwing herself
into his chest as she again burst out crying. She wrapped her arms
around him and wept with tears of joy. Ranma his arms free could
only stare down at her, unsure whether or not he should return her
embrace. He sat awkwardly for nearly a minute as Akane cried herself
out. "Ranma... you don't know what this means to me." She said
looking up at him tenderly.
"Akane.." Ranma said uncertainly
"Ranma?"
"Can you help me outside. I think I'm gunna be sick." Akane's face
darkened.
"Baka!" She thought as she helped her fiancee to his feet. Ranma
stumbled once or twice as the two made their way outside. He
collapsed onto the veranda and took long deep breaths of the fresh
air. "You O.K Ranma?"
"Uh yeah.... I think I'll be O.K."
"Alright then I better go inside and clean up."
"Akane...."
"Yes Ranma."
"Could you... well... could you stick around for a little while. I
could use some company, take my mind off my stomach." Akane knew that
she probably should have been angry at Ranma for that last comment,
but she accepted his request with little protest.
"Are you sure you're O.K Ranma?"
"I'll be fine." Ranma groaned.
"O.K, well what would you like to talk about?" Akane asked, seating
herself beside him.
"Anything." Ranma moaned "You choose." Akane thought for a minute
trying to think of something to talk about. It was so rare that the
two of them just talked without arguing that for a few moments she
was completely stumped as to what to talk about.
"How did you're training go?" She finally asked. Ranma looked up at
her for a minute, and then he broke into an amused smile. He started
chuckling to himself and then he broke into a laugh. Akane frowned
at him thinking that he was making fun of her or something.
"A complete failure, Pop sent me out there to teach me some manners."
Ranma chuckled.
"Manners?" Akane asked incredulously. "Somehow I can't imagine your
father teaching classes on etiquette or proper dining procedures."
"I know, it was another one of Pop's half baked ideas that he didn't
think through."
"Like Neko-fu?" Ranma's face darkened visibly and he spoke softly in
a cold voice.
"Yes like Neko-fu." Akane cringed slightly and changed the subject.
"So what kind of training did you do?" Ranma snapped out of his surly
mood and turned to her.
"Ah, well nothing to do with manners. I actually spent a lot of time
trying to perfect this technique that Ryoga has down."
"You tried to perfect one of Ryoga's techniques?"
"Yeah, I dunno if it's a side effect of another of his other
techniques like, the endurance benefits from the Bakusai Tenketsu.
But, last time we fought Ryoga was using his Chi in a way that I've
only seen a few really good Martial artists do. He has a kind of
inner balance thing down, I don't really know how to describe it.
The only other people I've seen who also use it are Happosai and
Cologne, no wait Kirin and Epiten had it down too, now that I think
about it. It's a fantastic form, but I just can't seem to get the
hang of it. I'd love to know who taught it to him." Akane watched as
his face filled with passion as he talked. "I mean I can still beat
him, but he's throwing punches with so much more ease than he was
before, I wish I could figure out how he does it."
"Why not just ask him to teach you." Ranma looked at Akane strangely.
"I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"Well for one thing we're rivals, he wouldn't teach me any of his
techniques and I wouldn't teach him any of mine. That's not how it
works."
"Ranma, I've been meaning to ask you this for awhile, why do the two
of you fight?" Ranma fidgeted nervously.
"Well, ahh..."
"Can you give me a straight answer for once, please." Ranma took a
deep breath.
"No I can't." Akane looked at him angrily "I did something to Ryoga a
long time ago. He's embarrassed about it now, and would really
rather you didn't know about it. He'd die if you ever found out.
Because... because it's my fault that this thing happened to him, I
figure that I owe him enough to at least keep his secret. I'm...
I'm sorry Akane. I'd like to tell you, but I cant." Ranma stared at
his feet guiltily. Akane was still dissatisfied, but she knew the
emphasis Ranma placed on honor. Whilst she still wanted to know, she
knew that Ranma wouldn't reveal anything else about it tonight. So
rather than get angry over it, she let the matter drop.
"It's nice to have a night alone for once isn't it." She whispered
staring up into the starry sky.
"Yeah.. yeah..." He replied still examining his socks. They sat that
way in silence for awhile, neither saying anything. Each content to
nervously enjoy the moment and each other.
"I wonder is he going to try to kiss me tonight?" Akane thought. She
blinked for a moment, wondering where the hell that had come from.
She sighed as the thought sank in. "Probably not, I doubt he has the
guts. The mood is right. Maybe... maybe he would if I encouraged him
a little." Then before she knew what she was doing..
"Ranma..." Akane said blushing slightly. "You looked really... well
handsome tonight... coming out of the bathroom I mean." Shocked Ranma
turned his face full of surprise. Akane's colored slightly, under his
gaze. "What?" She demanded angrily as he looked at her strangely.
"Nu..Nothing..." He replied "umm.. yeah thanks, you didn't look so
bad yourself." He mumbled. Akane smiled at this and reached out,
taking Ranma's hand in her own.
"Ranma.."
"Akane.." The two paused unsure of what was suppose to come next.
Akane tipped her head up slightly and waited expectantly. "It's now
or never." She thought "Please don't let anyone burst in and ruin it."
Ranma stared down at her face, their bodies inches from each other.
Akane tentatively leaned slightly forward tipping her chin further
up invitingly. Ranma continued to stare down at her, his face
nervous. He began to bite on his lower lip, his eyes were a little
full of fear.
Akane stared up at him waiting vulnerably. She licked her lips
nervously as seconds ticked by. "Please Ranma, please do it." She
thought, her heart beating at a million miles an hour. But Ranma just
continued to stare at her his face twitching in apprehension and
confusion over his conflicting feelings. He exhaled heavily and
slowly began to move his head towards her. Lowering it and adjusting
the angle of his face to match hers. She could feel his breath upon
her lips, and his smell engulfed her. The distance closed intimately
between the two until... Ranma pulled away and returned to the
examination of his socks. Hurt Akane also pulled away, and somewhat
embarrassed also began examining her socks. "Baka baka baka baka."
She thought irritably. Ranma buried his face in his hands in
frustration "Why Ranma, do you hate me that much." She thought to
herself quietly as she rubbed the tears from her eyes.
Suddenly without warning and with alarming speed Ranma grabbed her
shoulders roughly and threw her to the ground. Akane shocked hit her
head against the floorboards and stunned watched as Ranma leapt onto
her. Her body reacted instinctively, but not the way Ranma would
have hoped.
Had Akane been a normal girl Ranma, would have easily succeeded in
kissing her, but despite the fact that Akane was vastly outclassed by
a number of the various residents of Nerima, she was still a
formidable martial artist. Her instincts took over as Ranma leapt
onto her and her hand struck him in the chin, as she defended
herself. Shocked Ranma fell back onto the ground clutching his jaw
tenderly, and Akane shuffled fearfully away from him staring with
wide eyes.
"Akane.. I'm... I'm......" Akane turned and ran before he could
finish his sentence. She ran wildly out into the street and kept
running blindly. She had to get away, and calm down. She pounded
through the streets turning corners as her instincts took her through
Nerima to a place she could feel safe. She stopped as she reached Dr
Tofu's office and stood panting heavily by the gate. With slight
disappointment she noticed the lights were not even on. She turned
in despair and leaned heavily against the sign.
Why? Why had he done that? He'd literally forced himself onto her
and tried to... tried to... tried to kiss her. She stared blindly
ahead in realization. He'd tried to kiss her. Wasn't that what she
had secretly wanted him to do? Hadn't she only a minute before
silently prayed that he would? Hadn't she invited him to do as much?
Almost throwing herself at him. Why then? Why had it all felt so
wrong? She fell to the ground sitting in a fetal position and started
rocking back and forth. Akane gingerly rubbed the back of her skull
where she had hit it on the wooden boards. She closed her eyes as
she thought about the incident and again tears began to run down her
face.
Could it be that Ranma wasn't going to be the gentle and tender lover
that she had always imagined she would one day marry? He loved a
fight which was why he created so many rivals for himself. Even in
dealing with her, he seemed to prefer fighting with her than actually
talking to her. She felt slightly angry by this thought but it was
tempered somewhat with a new feeling she hadn't ever considered
associating with him. Fear. For a brief moment she had known what
possibly Ryoga, Mousse, Kuno and various other rivals all knew. For
a few brief seconds she had known what it was like to fear Ranma
Saotome.
"Akane..." She looked up to see him standing over her tentatively.
His face was full of guilt and concern. "I'm so sorry Akane, I dunno
what came over me. Please forgive me." He fell to his knees and
prostrated himself before her, his palms on the ground, head bowed
low humbly. She almost chuckled as she wondered if this could be the
same man who had only minutes before scared her so.
"Its.. its O.K Ranma.."
"No it's not, I hurt you. I'll never be able to forgive myself.
Please Akane hit me.. Hit me really hard I deserve it." Akane smiled
down at him sadly.
"No Ranma I'm not going to hit you."
"But Akane I..." But she interrupted him
"I forgive you Ranma, just try and learn to be a little more gentle
in future O.K."
"Sure Akane, whatever you want. Are you sure it's O.K"
"Yes, I think maybe we tried something you're not yet ready to do..."
Akane said thoughtfully. "Come on lets go home." She stood to her
feet and strode off down the street. Ranma leapt up after her and
followed a little behind. For once not jumping up onto the fence.
Akane rubbed her head tentatively where she had hit it against the
floor.
"Are you O.K I didn't hurt you or anything did I?" Ranma asked
fearfully
"No, no it's fine, I've had worse."
"Akane, you know that I would never hurt you, don't you?" Ranma asked
his voice still uncertain.
"Yes Ranma I know that." Akane replied surprising herself with the
confidence in her own voice. Ranma smiled slightly obviously feeling
a little better, before turning and regarding the road in front of
them. As they walked he reached out for her hand. She watched it
for a moment, staring at his peace offering. She finally took his
outstretched hand in her own and the two walked hand in hand through
the streets "For now... For now this will have to be enough." Akane
thought as the two made they're way home.
THE END
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