I couldn't believe it. She was walking back with me- willingly. She was coming home. But... why? Hadn't she said that...
Did she pick me after all?
With the sudden buoyancy of this hope, I stopped in my tracks, closed my eyes, braced myself, and stretched my hand back to meet hers.
After a second, I realized I was still grasping air.
What was I thinking?
I had made a move, left myself vulnerable.
Been rejected.
There was no way to pretend I hadn't. No insult to throw back as a cover-up. I was about to pull my hand to my wounded self once more when my fingertips tingled with newfound contact.
My breath caught in my throat and in its stead I whispered in my head.
Akane...
She had dragged me to school by the hand often enough, each episode affording a few stolen moments of pleasure, no matter how much I pretended otherwise. But this was different.
A sudden surge of relief flooded through me and I instinctively tightened my fingers around hers. Hers. Her tiny, beautiful fingers were in my own... and warmer than I had ever imagined.
My pulse went crazy- I could hear it in my head.
My face was hot- was I blushing?
"Ranma, are you even listening to me?"
"Wh- huh?" I gasped out, frightened by the power of her hand.
She laughed softly and then hesitantly, absently ran her thumb along my palm.
I felt my heart jump and my stomach tumble nicely.
What are you, trying for the Olympics or somethin'? I wondered in vain. This was not the time for jokes. Whatever she was doing, the sensation was delicious. And I didn't want her to stop.
Then it happened. My iinazuke let out the most beautifully stunning, time-stopping sigh I had ever heard, and months of feelings I had tried hard to deny rose up within me.
If she didn't stop, I would lose my last semblance of control, tell her everything, tell her that I lo... Make a fool out of myself.
Get myself malleted before I even started.
Pushing these thoughts away, I said roughly, still tinged with fresh jealousy, "So, Akane... Did you really like that Shinnosuke guy or what?"
"Ranma... He-he saved my life. He took me in from the forest, complimented my cooking, even... said he loved me."
I remembered. I had listened to that jerk say he loved my fiancée with clenched fists. I pressed her hand into mine protectively with the remembrance, stopped and looked at her. My breath caught again. She was so... And the wind in her hair... I-I really...
"Of course I liked him," she went on, matter-of-factly.
"What do you know?" I exclaimed in fury. "Why would anyone like a stupid, clumsy, uncute tomboy like you?!"
Damn.
Foot. Mouth. Insert here.
I flinched dutifully and hung my head, waiting for her battle aura to get the better of her. To my surprise, the attack never came.
Instead, she quietly withdrew her hand from mine and spoke, "If that's how you feel, then why did you come after me?"
Her voice was calm and unwavering.
I longed to bring her close to me and take it all back, but I couldn't. She wanted someone else. The anger grew inside me.
"I told you! Your dad would have my head on a platter if you didn't come back! It's not like I actually wanted to come, anyway!"
Lies, all lies! I screamed silently. Why did I do that?
I knew why. I had too much pride to be rejected twice.
I turned away from her, from her deep dark eyes that looked all the way through me, piercing what was left.
"Ranma," she said.
My shoulders heaved as I drew in deep breaths to calm my misdirected rage. Rage... that I wasn't good enough for her. Rage that I wasn't the one she wanted- though I had thought so many times... Rage that I had let Shinnosuke take her from me.
Fine. Who needs her, anyway?
She touched me softly and a wave of tenderness swept over me, quelling the fires of my rejection. How did she do that? Still, I- I couldn't look at her. Why was she being so nice? I didn't deserve it after what I'd just said.
"Ranma," she said again, brushing hot fingertips lightly over my shoulder. "I... You didn't let me finish," she breathed.
"A-Akane?" The air from her mouth lingered against my neck, and my stomach flipped again. It was getting good at this.
"Baka..." she whispered, left me wincing in the word's wake. "You're a terrible liar sometimes, you know that? I-I don't love him, Ranma. He was nice to me, and I liked him- I'll always be grateful. But I don't love him."
"R-Really?" I wanted to believe her.
She was standing in front of me now, her head tilted slightly upwards- her expression light, but unreadable.
"Hmph. Not like I care, anyway," I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest. "Our pops would sure be pissed if we broke the engagement, that's all."
I chanced a look at her, scowling.
Her eyes flashed. "DAMN IT, RANMA! I'M TRYING, HERE- CAN'T YOU JUST SAY SOMETHING *NICE* FOR ONCE?"
The facade had faltered. She ground her teeth together, muttering, "I'm going home without you, okay?"
It was not a question.
"Akane? Geez!" I sputtered, trying not to sound as frightened as I was.
***
{Well, I've reached a stopping point on this one, but hopefully I'll continue later. By the way, I don't own these characters and I'm not profiting by writing this. Being my first posting, this is really just an experiment to see what kind of response I get. This fic is more a character study than plot driven, but I'm open to suggestions on where this might go. Maybe then I could come up with a decent title!}
Mata ne!
{Oh! "Baka" means fool or idiot, and "iinazuke" means fiancée.}
***