Humiliated. Ashamed. Furious.
Those words certainly described her current emotions.
Akane had always fancied herself an equal to those around her in terms of martial art abilities, although deep down she knew she could not compete with the likes of Shampoo, Ukyo or even Kodachi when it came to physical combat (Although Kodachi relied on underhanded tricks, something an honourable fighter would not resort to). While it wounded her pride, it was simply fact.
She also realised that Ranma was far above her league, competing in ways that she herself could only dream of in her current state. It would be simply ludicrous to put them on the same level. After all, his skills had been born from rigorous training and a stolen childhood. She had the same passion for the art, but it had not been pressed on her as forcefully as it had on Ranma. It was expected from her while it was demanded from him.
None the less, she had always considered herself someone who could take care of herself in every day life and not have to rely on a man like many girls her age did. At the very least, she should be able to defend herself against a mere boy, especially one with no previous martial arts training. In the most important ways, she supposed she had been perfectly capable in fighting her way out of the situation. But what had nearly happened still wounded her pride deeply.
But the fact that it was all caused by a futile glimmer of hope was what stung her the most. He had hurt her in a way that may not show on her skin, but burned all the same.
Akane continued down the dark streets towards her home, furiously holding back the tears that threatened to spill and rubbing her arms for warmth. She yearned for her jacket, but she wasn't even quite sure where it was anymore. It had been lost at some point during her struggle and she didn't think going back would be a wise idea. She could handle herself on even ground, but when it was five on one, she didn't find the odds so favourable the second time around, especially now that the need for revenge would be fuelling them rather then lust.
She glanced over her shoulder despite herself, flinching slightly when she spotted a flicker of movement by one of her neighbour's gates before realising it was nothing more then a trash bag fluttering in the slight breeze. It brushed past her sweat soaked skin, initiating a chill as goose bumps erupted on her arms. Akane shivered and picked up her pace, knowing her house was a mere two blocks away. She was almost home.
Hopefully no one would pay much attention to her entrance, that way she could slink upstairs for a bath that would give her some quiet time to clean herself and tend to her wounds, most of which were more mental then physical, before going to bed and hopefully getting some sleep. Preferably sleep that wasn't plagued by nightmares, but she wouldn't hold her breath.
However, she had no doubt she would have to make up some sort of story for when she arrived. Kasumi would be waiting up for her, along with both her Father and Ranma's, although she doubted either of them would be sober enough to notice her dishevelled appearance. She glanced down at herself, sighing at the torn skirt and filth covered blouse that she had so painstakingly prepared not four hours earlier. Yes, that bloodstain would certainly attract attention. She sighed when she realised that stain was unlikely to come out.
Nabiki would hopefully be asleep and she was by far the hardest to fool, Akane would have to think of something good to pull the wool over her eyes.
And Ranma...
She snorted disdainfully. He would probably say she looked no different then usual, being the rough and tough tomboy he always accused her of being. She doubted she would even be graced with a hello, especially at this hour, from him. No, she would handle the teasing of being dumped with grace and wait until she was in the privacy of the walls of her room before allowing a single tear. She would not show weakness. At least, not while anyone was watching.
Akane lifted her gaze, her eyes landing on the entrance to her home. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight, the welcoming glow of lights in her home drawing her like a moth to a flame. Never before had she felt so overjoyed to see the familiar walls that had always kept her safe. Seeing it reminded her that she had succeeded in escaping and that all would be well. She was fine.
Blinking back tears, Akane picked up speed, ignoring the limp hindering her gait slightly (Something she would need to hide once she stepped inside, even someone as clueless as Ranma would notice a new injury obvious enough to cause her to limp) and she rushed into her yard, glorying in the warmth of her home.
She had won. She was safe.
He would be a school the next day, just as he always was, but he wouldn't be able to touch her there. He wouldn't dare.
And if he tried... Well, she was certain the infirmary would have a capable nurse on duty.
Taking a long, calming breath and repeating until her tremors had subsided, Akane stepped up the wooden steps and pushed open the door.
"I'm home!" She chirped, flinching at how falsely cheery her tone sounded even to her. She brushed it off with a brilliant smile as Kasumi stepped into the entranceway, drying her hands on a dishrag and meeting her with a relieved gaze. Kasumi always stayed up, always waited for her. She felt a trickle of guilt, knowing how worried her sister must have gotten when the sun began to set and night blanketed the sky. But she was home now.
She was surprised to see, however, a pig-tailed boy at her side. He seemed to be determinedly avoiding looking at her, his blue eyes narrowed in obvious annoyance. She felt her temper flare slightly at the sight. After all she went through tonight, what right did he have to be annoyed?
"Akane, welcome back!" Kasumi greeted, "I prepared the bath for yo-" Her smile fell as she took in the sight of her younger sister. Akane shifted uncomfortable under her gaze, twisting her hands nervously.
"Akane... What happened?" She gasped, stepping forward and looking her sister up and down. Akane sighed silently. So much for the hope of no one noticing.
"Nothing!" Assured Akane, waving her hands in a desperate attempt to placate her sister. "I... Tripped on the way back!"
Ahh, there was that foolproof story she had planned. Akane resisted the urge to smack herself on the forehead. That was really the best she could come up with?
"What happened? Did ya' get dumped?"
His comment contained no real malice, she could tell from the light tone he used, one that was commonly heard when he was teasing her. However, the flippant remark hurt a little more then she cared to admit.
"No, idiot." She snapped, glaring at him furiously. "I dumped him."
Ranma nodded sarcastically, his arms crossed across his chest. "Sure ya did. Is Hiro gonna show up to school tomorrow with a black eye?"
"Probably." She muttered, removing her shoes and moving towards the bathroom, fully intending to shut the door and leave her annoying fiancé behind. She didn't dare tell him that he had been right all along and that the boy had been nothing but trouble. "Hopefully a cast and a sling as well... Scratch that, I hope it's a wheelchair. The pervert..."
Kasumi's hand raised to her mouth, her eyes widening in surprise. She seemed lost for words, so she settled on her classic "Oh my...".
Ranma chuckled. "What'd the poor bastard try to do, feel ya up in the parking lot or somethin'?"
She shot him a sharp look as she shoved past, muttering a soft "Close enough."
Had she looked back, she would have seen Kasumi and Ranma exchange looks of concern.
Lifting her chin in defiance, she turned and slammed the bathroom door shut, the sound echoing through the household for everyone to hear. She grabbed the fluffy white towels kept outside the bathroom and stripped her clothes with unbound anger, slamming open the second set of doors into the large tile room. Without a seconds hesitation she marched over in front of the mirror, taking in the sight that stood before her.
She was covered in filth, no doubt courtesy of the disgusting condition of the wonderful gentlemen that had been so charmingly trying to feel her up, and bruises, as she had suspected. She found herself giving her reflection a satisfied smirk, knowing that her victims would be on the receiving end of far worse then she.
Her face appeared to be fairly unscathed, merely a coating of dirt that caused her to wrinkle her nose in distaste. She did feel relief at the lack of black eyes and cuts that may scar. She knew she wasn't the prettiest girl out there, but she did hold some pride in her appearance.
As Akane assessed herself, she felt a sense of shame flow through her. Here she was, Akane Tendo, next in line to take over the dojo, not even able to defend herself completely against a couple of untrained boys. Even if they had caught her by surprise, there was no excuse for what had happened. She had done the one thing she was never supposed to do.
She let her guard down. Now, she needed to face the consequences.
She turned on the shower, the water flowing a scalding hot across her skin as she crossed her arms across her chest, ignoring the steam that rose in the air and the redness of her flesh from the heat. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel his uninvited touch, caressing her before she managed to free herself from the other boy's clutches and beat her way through their defences...
She felt her legs weaken as she fell to the floor, her hair sticking to the side of her face as if attempting to hide the tears that now flowed freely down her cheeks. She sniffled, hating herself for crying and yet not able to stop the flow.
What he had done had hurt, yes, but not nearly as much as the feeling of defencelessness that it had taken to do it.
"Ahh!" Akane sighed, stretching as she left the bathroom and giving a small grunt of satisfaction as her muscles stretched and relaxed, although she still felt exhausted from the events of the night. She wanted nothing more then to slink upstairs, crawl into bed and hope that school tomorrow would never come but she knew it would only cause Kasumi to worry more.
She entered the kitchen, pouring herself a glass of juice and grabbing a couple cookies before heading to the dining room where Kasumi and Ranma were seated at the table.
She flopped down at her place, one of the cookies dangling from her mouth as she considered both her sister and her fiancé who had both fallen silent upon her arrival. She glared suspiciously between the two, feeling self conscious as the quiet dragged to an uncomfortable length. Never before had the ticking of a clock been so loud to Akane.
"So, Akane." Said Kasumi, breaking the awkward silence first, much to the relief of the two teenagers. "It couldn't have been completely bad. What did you do tonight?"
Akane shrugged. "I met Hiro, we went to a pizza place and then he convinced me to take a walk with him through the park just a few blocks from here." She trailed off a bit here, biting her lip in discomfort. "We talked and sort of figured out that... It wouldn't work. That's pretty much it."
"Oh dear." Kasumi said sympathetically as Akane took the opportunity to shove another cookie in her mouth. "What did he say to make you think that it wouldn't work? Surely it couldn-"
"It doesn't matter." Akane interrupted, waving her last cookie in the air as if to make a point. "Daddy would never allow me to really pursue anyone else anyways, even if it had worked out." She gestured to Ranma who's eyes had been growing distant jumped slightly at his sudden inclusion to the conversation. "I'm engaged, remember?"
"Since when has that ever stopped ya?" Accused Ranma, standing up and putting his hands behind his head in a relaxed gesture. "Besides, like I care what your doing. I don't have to worry about much, you're so uncute that a guy would turn tail the second you mentioned the word 'commitment'."
There it was again, that genuine twinge of pain at his nonchalant words. She remained silent for a moment as Kasumi regarded her with concern. Even Ranma seemed to regret his words as he looked down on her, his eyes concerned when she didn't snap back at him with her usual spunk. Perhaps he had stepped out of line... Just a little...
"...'Kane?"
"RANMA, YOU JERK!"
The boy flinched back, waiting for the inevitable piece of furniture to collide with his head, but was shocked when it never came. Akane brushed past him, opting instead to flee upstairs to her room instead of pulverise some sense into him.
Whoa, he thought to himself, watching the girls retreating back and the loud slam of her bedroom door, he must have really screwed up.
Akane breathed in the night air, wrapping her thick comforter around her shoulders and sighing in contentment as she gazed up at the stars. They twinkled in the inky black sky, almost changing colors as the lights pulsed off of them. Her eyes sought out the moon, finding it hanging in the sky, barely a sliver as it's cycle came to an end... Or a beginning, she wasn't quite sure. Not that it mattered, it was beautiful all the same.
After crying for half an hour in her room, she decided that she had had enough of feeling sorry for herself locked up in the safety of her room. She would not act like a victim and hide away from the phantom threats that plagued her thoughts. So, with new resolve, she swung out onto the roof of her home to feel sorry for herself in the open air, no matter how much she attempted to convince herself otherwise.
"Hey."
She looked at her new companion from the corner of her eye, the boy settling down a safe distance from her, gauging for a hint on how Akane's mood was now that she had some time to herself. She almost rolled her eyes at how tense he was. As if she could really do anything to the skilled martial artist if he really decided he had had enough, not that she would ever admit it to him. When she thought about it, that part of their relationship was just so ridiculous and yet, it seemed to be such a large part of it.
She raised her eyes to the skies once more, the small breeze teasing her hair, brushing it lightly against her cheeks.
"Hey." She replied. She tried not to smirk as his posture visibly relaxed.
Sighing to herself, she allowed the tension to leave her body and she leaned back, her rest on the hard shingles cushioned by her fluffy comforter. She placed her hands behind her head to make herself a pillow and breathed deeply, a feeling of contentment at the small moment easing her. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she liked Ranma's company, even when they didn't speak. For all she cared, they could sit there for hours and just watch the stars. As long as he was by her side...
She shook her head slightly, breaking off from the dangerous train of thought. She wouldn't ruin this by over thinking.
"So... What happened?"
At the simple question, Akane felt her stomach clench, her expression growing wary as she continued to gaze at the night sky. Although she didn't look over, she could tell he was nervous about asking her. Realising he was uncomfortable, she reasoned that he probably didn't come up here of his own accord. No doubt Kasumi had talked him into coming up here.
The thought darkened her mood considerably.
"I don't want to talk about it." She told him coolly.
"Why not?"
"Because."
She heard him snort, daringly moving closer to her side and leaning back as well, his elbow brushing hers as he settled. He had obviously deemed the situation to be fragile, but not so much so that his safety was at risk at the moment. "Because why?"
Akane lifted an eyebrow. "Did you really just ask me that? How old are you exactly?"
Ranma ignored her. "Why don't ya just spit it out. Something's definitely bothering you."
"And what does that matter to you, exactly?"
He was quiet for a moment, just long enough to hope that she had evaded the conversation, but his voice broke the silence once again. "Because. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
She couldn't help glancing at him this time, wondering exactly what he was thinking. The stars reflected in his dark stormy eyes, a slight frown on his face as if he wasn't quite certain as to how to approach the situation. Much to her surprise, she saw true concern in those eyes as well.
She sighed, leaning back to get comfortable once more. "It wasn't a big deal. He was just a jerk."
He kept his mouth shut, waiting for her to continue. Finally making a decision, she did.
"It started out fine... Other then you telling me it was all a waste of time. That really did piss me off, you know. I got all dressed up and I was so excited, it felt like you were being mean just to bring my mood down, but I forgot about it soon enough. I was... Looking forward to it." She snorted, attempting to lighten her words. "I'm such an idiot."
She knew he was putting in an effort to stay quiet here and she was impressed by the restraint for an obvious chance at a jab at her. She had to give him some credit, he really seemed to be trying.
"I met up with Hiro and right away, out came the flattery. I mean, he was laying it on thick. How beautiful I looked, how I was like Aphrodite personified," She ignored the eye roll she knew she was receiving. She couldn't blame him, even she thought it was disgustingly heavy. "The whole nine yards. Yeah, it was completely corny but... It was nice. To be told I was pretty for once. Not having to compete for attention or being told I wasn't as good as someone else. To have someone look at me, just me... It was nice."
She cleared her throat, getting herself back on topic. "So we went out for pizza and talked for quite a while. He seemed sweet enough and he kept up the flattery, laughed at the right times, he flirted in a way that made me lower my guard. I have to admit, he was charming. I enjoyed spending time with him."
"When we left the pizza place he suggested we take the long way home and he would walk me to my door. He suggested we take a walk through the park a few blocks from here and it seemed like a good idea at the time. So, I went with him."
"We walked for a bit, just talking and laughing, when these four guys just came out of nowhere. Hiro seemed to... Change. As soon as he saw them, it was like all the warmth just left him." She felt herself frown, her eyebrows furrowing in anger as she remembered the moment. "Apparently, it was all a bet. To see if Hiro Furukawa could get some with the frigid Akane Tendo."
At her side, Ranma tensed. She ignored him, continuing as if she was talking about the weather.
"Supposedly, they saw me as a challenge. According to them, nothing won me over. Kuno had money and looks, and yet they knew he never had a shot with me. He knew I had a fiancé too, but according to him, 'Akane must never put out because that Ranma's always chasing tail'. It intrigued Hiro, so he made a bet that he could win me over with 'studly appeal'." She exhaled heavily.
"Before I could really process it all, two of them grabbed me by the arms to hold me in place and Hiro... Touched me. Ahh, nothing too bad, I guess." She corrected before her fiancé got the complete wrong idea. "He didn't go under my clothes or anything, but... He did kiss me and he did a bit of pawing." She shivered, still feeling the touch that was burned into her skin. She missed the uncharacteristically dark look that crossed Ranma's eyes, too caught up in her own memories to notice.
"So, I beat the snot out of them all and got back home." She ended quickly, growing more uncomfortable as the seconds passed. Of all people she pictured confessing this too, it had not been Ranma. Most likely Kasumi, in the privacy of her room where she wouldn't be overheard. Even now she felt her eyes welling slightly with shame and fury, but she blinked the tears away before they really had the chance to form. She swallowed heavily, hating that it took more effort then it should have.
"I would have stayed and really taught him a lesson, but one of the guys pulled a knife and admittedly, it did scare me a little. Realistically it shouldn't, I've seen way worse, especially since you've come along but still, I really didn't want to take my chances. Besides, I didn't know if they had reinforcements or anything worse. It was dark, I was by myself and I was outnumbered, I really didn't want to take a chance."
She lapsed into silence, her mouth going dry. She had felt like a coward, fleeing just because some guy had pulled a knife, especially considering he probably didn't even know how to use the thing, but the thought that injury hadn't been their actual intention had worried her a little more then she cared to admit. She felt the need to explain it to him, to justify why she fled in the face of an enemy. She wasn't wholly too sure whom she was trying to convince more.
"Men are pigs." She muttered, drawing her blanket closer to her in an effort to drive away the cool night air, "Every single one of them."
"Hey now, I don't think that's fair." Ranma grunted, his tone flat as he considered her story. "I mean, look at me. A little rough around the edges but I think I'm okay and that's with being raised by a selfish, greedy bastard of a father."
Akane chuckled without humour. "But you're also half girl, it doesn't count."
Ranma scoffed, obviously unappreciative at the mention of his curse, but held his tongue. Part of him was too busy wondering if those punks were still in the park. It wouldn't take too long to check and if they were... Well, whatever happened after that he would deal with then.
Already he was wondering how he would handle seeing that prick at school the next day, but he knew Akane wouldn't appreciate him intervening. She was capable of handling her own problems, she had reminded him of that many times. Didn't mean that the mere thought of someone else daring to touch his fiancé didn't piss him off all to hell though...
"Ranma?"
He jerked slightly, breaking from his dark reverie of thought. "What?"
She quirked an eyebrow at his lack of attentiveness but shrugged it off. "I'm going to head to bed now, it's getting chilly and I'm tired..."
"Oh, yeah, alright." He agreed, watching as she stood and walked towards the balcony. "G'Night."
She gave him one last look over her shoulder, a small smile on her face. "Good night Ranma." She paused, considering her words before deciding they were appropriate. "Thank you."
With that, she was gone from his sight. He lay still on the roof, the slight breeze ruffling his hair as he considered his situation. After what felt like hours, he sighed before heading to bed.
He would handle it in the morning.