As much as I'm into the whole Ranma/Akane pairing, I can't help but feel that Ryoga deserves a lot more love than he receives so this is for him.
He sat up, not knowing where he was. As usual. He fell back with a thump; feeling the cold night air through a gap in his tent. He muttered in discomfort as he tried to get warm in his lumpy old sleeping bag that gave him back aches worthy of a man twice his age. Coupled with the heartache he felt for a certain blue haired girl, he was truly miserable as he lay in the darkness with her face taking over his dreams.
"My Akane."
After weeks of travelling, he finally arrived in Nerima and laboriously made his way towards the opposite direction of the Tendo house, where he bumped into a wrinkly old prune, decorated with the lace and frills of hastily purloined women's underwear. Seeing as the old pervert bounced gleefully back to where he had come from, the lost boy picked up his pace and followed. He arrived at a familiar doorway and his heart stopped as it opened, revealing a pretty girl in a yellow summer dress; his favourite dress.
"Ryoga-kun! You're home!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around him. His heart was in his throat, thumping harder than ever as he worked up the nerve to hug her back. "Ryoga baby, I've missed you so much," she smiled up at him warmly, watching his face flush. "I-I'm sorry I took so long," he said quietly. She reached up to wipe a smudge from his cheek and stood on her toes to kiss the same spot. "Welcome home, sweetie."
Fingers locked, Ryoga floated on his personal cloud nine as he followed the girl of his dreams into her kitchen as she sat him down for some tea and cookies. "I wish you wouldn't try to find places without me," she pouted. "You're always losing your way and I don't see you for weeks on end. You sure know how to treat a girl." He put down his tea and apologised again and again, despair creeping into his heart as he fretted over losing his beloved's affections.
She noticed the change in his demeanour and slid into his lap, settling herself comfortably in his arms. "I'm not angry with you, love," she intoned gently while she played with his fingers. "I could never be angry with you." The black haired boy looked at her with worry in his eyes and croaked, "Really?" She nodded before laying her head on his shoulder and inhaled his scent, enjoying his warmth and the precious little time they had together before he inevitably lost his way again.
A wave of happiness washed over him as he felt her breath on his neck. He willed himself to hold her tighter against him, relishing the feel of her soft body and the smell of her strawberry shampoo; a gift that he had sent from his travels.
"My Akane."
Comments and reviews are welcome. It's been ages since my last story, so I'm definitely a little rusty.