Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2, belong to Rumiko Takahashi
Characters may be OOC - slight A/U
Written
:Thoughts:
Ranma was angry. He'd been malleted again. Why? Shampoo and Ukyo. They both showed up at the same time. Shampoo glomped him, Ukyo tried to feed him. Next thing he knew. . . Akanes Mallet with her shouting "RANMAAAAAA!"
Not even listening to him trying to get rid of the others.
:That's it – she never listens when I talk, humph, she never listens to me full stop.:
On the slow walk home he decided what he was going to do. He could not take it anymore.
Akane was in her room angry at Ranma again. He'd let those, those . . . bimbos hang off him again, so she had rightly malleted him. Served him right.
Suddenly her door opened and she looked to see a very, VERY cold Icy gaze directed her way from her fiancée. He flipped an envelope to her before saying. "The engagements off. I'll be out of your life for good in an hour. If you want to know why it's all in that letter." He closed the door leaving her staring stupefied at what he'd said.
:The way he looked at me . . . I . . . I think he's serious.: She thought.
Slowly she started to read the letter.
Akane,
You have made it clear that no matter what I do you will always blame or hate me.
I use this morning as an example. You came round the corner and saw both Ukyo and Shampoo bothering me. Straight away you malleted me. Did you even bother to hear the words I was saying at them? No of course not, because then that would mean you accepting you're in the wrong.
I was telling shampoo, and I quote. "Get off me you phsyco – I hate you!" As for Ukyo trying to feed me again – do you really think that I want her? Gods no, she's a good chef yes, but in every other way I used to think you were better.
All I have ever done since you died in my arms at Jusendo is try to be a better person near you. Think about it. When was the last time I insulted you huh? Have I said anything truly horrible to you since? No, the only insults heard now are from you to me.
I once thought maybe you like me, but you have made your feelings plain. No matter what I do you'll always despise me – so with this knowledge I have decided it is best for your happiness that I leave. In part this is because if you mallet me once more without provocation I honestly think I would snap, and the thought of hurting you turns my bones to ice.
For these reasons and to escape your hatred is why I've decided to leave,
Just promise me one thing, the next guy who falls for you, don't mallet to oblivion every day.
I know I have no right to say the next words but, still I feel you should know.
Akane, I love you.
Ranma
By the end of it, faced with the truth of what she'd done, tears were streaming down her face. She sat there for ages, before leaving her room.
Still holding the letter she ran to the kitchen where Kasumi was as per normal. "K . . . K. Kasumi, is it true? Do I treat Ranma b. . . Badly? Is what he's written here true?" She passed the letter to her sister.
Kasumi couldn't believe it – Akane still didn't accept the truth? She decided a few home truths were needed.
Akane's head snapped looking up to her sisters' eye's when she heard the answer.
"Yes Akane, its true – All he wanted was your heart. He told me earlier what happened, and how he felt you'd never love him, so he's leaving. It's quite obvious you don't want him – so he's doing the right thing for you."
Tears starting afresh she looked up and spoke.
"But Kasumi it's not TRUE! I don't hate him!"
With a raised eyebrow Kasumi spoke. "Could have fooled us – you tell him every day 'I hate you, you macho JERK! I hope you do run off with one of your floozies!'"
I saw his reaction the one time after you left – he was sat in the dojo, talking with Hibiki, it's a damn good thing too. Hibiki stopped Ranma committing Seppuku that day. If you truly care for him – tell him, before you truly do lose him." Hearing that she'd pushed him that far she whirled round and ran to the guest room.
Once there she didn't even bother to knock, just opened it and ran in. stopped, and screamed at the sight.
:Well this is it.: Ranma thought pulling the knife across his wrists, not allowing himself to scream. :She's got what she wants – I hope she'll be happier when I'm gone.: Just as he finished though he heard his door open and Akanes scream.
She ran to him clamping her vice grip over the cuts screaming Kasumi's name. Looking to Ranma's eyes – seeing the pain in them, pain she caused, as he passed out, she broke down herself.
Kasumi hearing Akane's panicked cry ran to the sound, once she got there Kasumi paled, ran back down stairs and got the first aid kit, running past her sister she screamed at Nabiki.
"Call an ambulance – She pushed him too far, he cut his wrists!"
Hearing this Nabiki swore – She'd tried to get her little sister to see what she was doing wrong but she hadn't listened. After calling for an ambulance she went upstairs.
Once in the guest room she saw that they'd managed to stem the bleeding, and that Kasumi had everything in hand in looking after Ranma, Akane was just sat there crying – Time for some tough love. – Nabiki thought.
"Akane!" her voice as cold as her 'Ice Queen' persona. "With me." She saw her look to Kasumi for backup but all she got was a slight headshake – no help would be forthcoming from her.
Akane got up off the floor and followed the middle Tendo to Akanes room, once in though she did not expect what happened next. Nabiki whirled around and slapped her sister across the face.
"You see what you've done thinking only for yourself now! I tried to warn you – told you if you didn't stop hitting him, having a go when it's NOT. HIS. FAULT! That something bad would happen! No"
She was interrupted by Akane Shouting back "It was his Fault – He was letting those hussies han – OOMF!" Nabiki had thrown her on to her bed.
"Right now Akane I'm ashamed of you – Think back to his reactions huh? Even when you've not been there at the start but walked in – He's always tried to get away from them! Gods the only girl he lets near is YOU! Now I'm leaving and you better think on this – If he survives – just think on this, it's because he thinks you hate him he's done this. I hope you're HAPPY now little sister – you wanted him gone!" Without a single word more she watched her sister walk out the door.
Akane stared after her.
:Have I really been that bad? Does he truly think I want him dead?: shaking she re-read the letter, and thought back to the last words she heard him say. "I'll be out of your life in an hour"
:Dammit he'd given me time to stop him!: she couldn't hold it in any more, she started to let the tears fall as she wandered around the house listlessly, finally sitting in the guest room, staring at the stained patch on the floor. Knowing what had caused the stains she completely lost control of her emotions, let all the barriers down, screamed her cries out to the harsh world.
Eventually she moved, but only enough to grab one of his shirts, holding it close she lay on his bed, crying. Silent sobs racking through her.
:If I ever see him again, I'll do right by him, I need him! Gods . . . why couldn't I just tell him I love him?: 'Because you were afraid' her conscious answered for her.
:Afraid? What of?:
'Rejection'
:Yeah? Well now I know the truth. I need him.:
Getting up she grabbed the paper and pen off the desk.
Ranma,
I'm no good with spoken words, all I know is I need you.
I never meant to push you away; even now I can't believe how far I pushed you.
I have never hated you, I realise that you may not believe this, especially after some of the things I shout at you. I only do that because I get scared.
Yes that's right, me, Akane, gets scared.
Scared of how I feel when you're around. You wake a desire within me I never knew I could feel. All the times you've saved me and I've been in your arms – I've always been disappointed when you've let go. If I see you're in danger then it's like a piece of me dies.
Over the time you've been here you've opened up every crack in my hearts defences until the only one left was anger. I can't pretend anymore, can't deny what I feel anymore,
I know you won't believe what I write next,
Ranma, I love you
Akane
She finished writing Folding it over she wrote Ranmas name on it, then once again allowing the tears to fall, laying back down on the futon she put the letter next to her, She would give that to Ranma next time she saw him, she would make it up to him somehow. These were her last thoughts as she fell asleep.
-o.O.O.o-
She was walking down the hospital corridor towards the room where Ranma was being kept.
Lining the wall her family were all there, plus Ranma's parents. On the other side, all his and her suitors or fiancées, their faces filled with scorn. :Why are they all looking at me like that: Suddenly people spoke up, but the words were not encouraging.
Shampoo – "You never good enough for Airen"
Ukyo – "At least it wasn't your cooking that did this"
Tatewaki – "Akane Tendo, your actions prove you are beneath my worth"
Kodachi – "At least he's safe from you now"
Genma said nothing, just glared
Nodoka – "At least my son won't hurt now"
Soun – "I have only two honourable daughters, I don't have a third"
Nabiki – "Can't help you this time sis, not enough yen in the world this time."
Kasumi – "I'm so disappointed in you"
Finally she made it to his room, eyes streaming at the harsh words she went in, stopped and couldn't process what she was seeing; the Doctor had just pulled a sheet above his face.
"I'm sorry miss, you'll have to leave, they'll be here for the body in a minute.
Her mind froze :Ranma – dead – my fault:
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
-o.O.O.o-
"NOOOOOOOO!" She shot out of the futon screaming, looking around saw the familiarity of the guest room, realised it was all a dream, pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs, resting her head on them, sobbed her terror out.
Miraculously a strong pair of arms, bandaged at the wrists wrapped around her, she looked up, still crying, and was lost in a sea of blue.
-An hour Earlier-
Ranma walked back into the house, still dazed.
:Why did they save me: Determined not to fail again he went up to the spare room, thinking only to grab his pack and go to the mountains.
Stepping in he saw her lay on his futon, next to her a piece of paper with his name on it.
Walking slowly around he watched her, making sure to make no sound, he sat down Indian style on the floor by her.
:God she's cute, if she only returned my feelings: he thought looking at her tear-streaked face, picking up the paper he realised it was a letter for him, unfolding it, he read through the contents, his heart feeling lighter every second until he read the last line – I love you – he smiled the first smile he'd cracked in over a week. Deciding to stay there until she woke he watched her.
After some time he noticed the rapid movements of her eyes, realising she was dreaming – saw her expressions change rapidly, for once being able to identify them – anger, rage, surprise, shock, worry, pain, rejection, hurt and then finally eyes streaming again, despair, he nearly fell over when she sat bolt upright screaming, not seeing him, saw her collapse on herself and start crying again.
Without thinking he wrapped his arms around her, saw her look up, her dark brown eyes looking into his blue.
She looked in his eyes, lost in them, saw love, forgiveness and a peace she had never seen in them before, she collapsed against him this time crying quietly, wrapping her arms round him, she whispered between sobs. "Ranma . . . don't you . . . ever leave me. I'm sorry . . . I . . . love you."
finished speaking she collapsed against him completely.
Hearing these words spoken was all he ever wanted, holding on to her, he let the storm of tears die down, before saying his own piece.
Looking back to her eyes, capturing her gaze, he spoke only four words.
"I love you too."