The streets of Nerima were dark when Akane exited the building. The music of the party had not vanished from her ears yet, but when the cold and fresh air started to fill her lungs she knew it had been the right decision to leave.
She looked at her watch. Why hadn´t she realized it was already past two ó clock in the morning?

Heading towards her home she shivered. A thin fog floated around her and covered the houses in a milky blanket while the streetlights rays shimmered through the white layers like distant souls.
It was the first time in months her father had allowed her to go to a friend´s party without Ranma attending as her shadow. There had been seemingly endless discussions with her father until he agreed she could go alone since she was no little child anymore and capable of being cautious.

It wasn't that she did not want Ranma to go with her but she felt bad about tagging him along when he knew none of her new friends.
He would sit in some distant corner, sip at his drink and watch her like a hawk, though she should not notice. And whenever a guy would come near her Ranma would glare at him in that one manner only he could come up with until she, Akane, was left alone.
Akane knew of course he did this because of some hidden affection deep inside of him, she had learned enough about their relationship in the past years, but still she wouldn´t be able to resist starting an argument with him.
She would tell him he was a jerk and he would answer his only intention was to save those poor guys from meeting an uncute tomboy like her.

This time Akane did not want them to end up arguing. So she just left without him this one evening, passing him in the hallway and putting on her shoes while he eyed her apparently indifferent.
When she turned around and their gazes met she smiled lightly.
"So, Ranma, what are you doing tonight?"
He only snorted and turned around. "Not your business, tomboy. And what is it you´re wearing? You should were a skirt, not a belt!" he mumbled.
"Oh, and who are you to know so much about fashion, Mr. "I-only-got-two-shirts"?!" she hissed back at him, already losing her temper.
Ranma smirked. "Never mind, it´s not like anybody would be interested in you. No need to be worried, even if you wore nothing at all…"
With that he had jumped up the stairs before Akane could respond at all.

Sighing, Akane took the last corner before arriving at home.
Sometimes she just did not understand how they could quarrel as much as they did.
Looking down at her feet that looked distant because of the billowing fog at the ground she passed the front gates when something caught her eyes.
Jumping back she stared at the dark figure on the wall, her heart racing in her chest. Had somebody followed her?
The now thicker fog rounded the dark figure which did not move. Slowly sneaking towards the person Akane hold her breath, only the sound of her beating heart resounding in her head.

"But…?" she gasped, staring at the pig-tailed boy who was sleeping on the wall, his arms folded across his slowly up and down moving chest.
What is he doing there?!
"Ranm…!" she started to growl, when he all of sudden mumbled her name.
"Akane…" he sighed in his sleep, leaving the girl speechless.

He seems so peaceful! she thought, involuntary reaching out for him. Was he waiting for her?
She gently touched his cheek with two of her fingertips, slowly tracing the line of his face while watching him.
Had he always waited like that when she went out on her own?
And suddenly she realized he never wanted her to see him. He had waited for her each time and whenever he had realized she was coming he had retreated into the house.
A little smile crept onto her features when she thought about all the times they had met in the house when she came back and he had said he just wanted to get a drink or something to eat.

"Oh Ranma…" Akane moaned, looking at him intensely. Ranma stirred in his sleep and his eyelids started to flutter.
Yawing he opened his eyes and realized he was still sitting on the wall. It had gotten even darker. Frowning he looked around, but no one was to be seen.
Akane, who had hidden behind the corner, heaved a sigh of relief. Changing into an upright position she cleared her throat and coughed only once to let Ranma know she was coming, before walking around the corner.
Grinning she saw the dark figure on the wall was gone, only some leaves of the tree behind the wall seemed to rustle in a soft breeze. She´d never have noticed.

Entering the house she got rid of her shoes and went in the direction of the kitchen, nearly colliding with a certain pig-headed boy.
"Oh, I´m sorry, Ranma!" She smiled at him brightly.
"Watch your step, tomboy" he answered, which made her smile grow even wider, leaving him confused.
"What´s up with you, are you drunk?" he asked, checking on her from top to toe.
"I´m fine", she answered, "just why are you still awake?"
"I wasn´t, you just woke me. You´re just too loud, you know. And you let the fog in, too! You´re such a clutz!" His voice sounded as mean and stubborn as always, but she could not help herself.

She giggled, which made him stare at her even more. Shooting him the most beautiful smile he had ever seen, she stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.
"Sorry. Won´t happen again!"

Author´s Notes:

Ok, this is my way of getting back into the subject. I had not read or watched or written about Ranma1/2 in more than one year and now I´m starting to feel bad since I haven´t finished my other Ranma Story and you are still waiting.
Since I really put much into "RapI" I don´t want to finish it just somehow to get it off my neck. I first have to get back to Ranma and Akane (by writing short stories), so this is my first approach.
Hope you liked it!

Read and review.
Ria

P.s. I do NOT own Ranma 1/2