"Come on, slowpoke!" came the cheery voice of Ranma Saotome, "Last one home does the dishes!"
Akane Tendo walked slowly, her pace unaltered by Ranma's challenge. His cheerful demeanor was only getting on her nerves. She'd already had to put up with a D+ (she prided herself on NEVER getting anything below a B), spilling food on herself during lunch (everyone laughed, not surprisingly), and the futile come-ons of her obnoxious classmates (couldn't they waste their time on some other unfortunate female?). She was happy that she hadn't had to deal with Ranma, but he was quickly becoming a problem, as if to fill a vacuum left by the absence of anything else going wrong in her life.
"Geez, Akane, you're no fun at all."
Ranma's voice was grating on her consciousness now.
"I've gotta pity the loser that marries you!"
Didn't he know that she could have her pick of any of her classmates?
"You'll probably get someone who's blind as a bat, like Mousse."
Each insult hit like a hammer, although it had no outward effect.
"You'd go great together, you know. An un-cute tomboy like you and a guy who can't see."
She was about to snap.
"Of course, even a blind guy has got to have some standards."
That did it. Akane Tendo, martial artist, tomboy, and seemingly thick-skinned beauty, burst into tears.
"Ranma, you're the worst person I've ever met!" she exploded. "I hate you! You're such a jerk!"
Teardrops began peppering her shoes.
"The only thing I have to look forward to is that no matter what kind of loser I get stuck with, I'll at least be free of YOU!"
She dropped her backpack and sprinted in the direction of the Tendo Dojo, leaving a stunned and speechless Ranma staring after her.
The cork of the bottle of rum gave a comforting pop as it was removed. The rum itself trickled out of the mouth of the bottle and splashed softly in the bottom of the small shot glass. Needless to say, neither the bottle nor the glass belonged to Akane Tendo, who was locked in the sanctuary of her room, sitting on the bed, pouring herself a shot. She'd swiped the rum from Happosai's stash of various alcohols, and the glass from Nabiki's collection, which, as far as Akane knew, she never used. Probably. Throwing her head back, Akane drained the glass, which was filled almost to the brim, and brought her head back, coughing and wincing. The strong alcohol made her eyes tear up, mixing with the tears of sadness. She waited a moment before pouring another shot and draining it as quickly as the first. She coughed again, gagging on the disgusting liquid, but forced it down. She immediately poured a third shot, determined to get the unpleasant part of her drinking over with. She'd only had alcohol a few times before, and never more than two glasses of Saké, which was when her father accidentally poured an extra while serving the sisters' one permitted glass and didn't notice it disappear. Akane flinched as the third shot went down. She coughed again, and then retched violently as her throat fought the alcohol. She only heaved twice, and managed to keep down her stomach contents. She briefly considered a fourth shot, but the very thought of it made her feel sick. How did Happosai manage to drink so much? Letting herself fall backwards onto the bed, she waited for the alcohol to set in.
Ranma Saotome slammed the sliding door behind him out of haste rather than anger. He looked around briefly, but nobody was home. The note on the table most likely explained the absence of the others, but he didn't read it. He listened for a moment, and, hearing nothing, walked softly up the stairs to Akane's room. As he expected, the door was shut and locked. He breathed a sigh of relief. The girl hadn't done something stupid like run away.
The alcohol rolled in like a pleasant fog, numbing Akane's extremities and dispersing her thoughts. She was just getting settled into an aimless daydream when a knock on her door startled her back to reality. She leapt to her feet suddenly, and almost fell over from a combination of the rum and rush of blood away from her head. She almost yelled that she wanted to be left alone, but thought better of it and sat back down, hoping whoever it was would go away.
"I know you're in there, Akane. Open up!"
Ranma's voice was the last think she had hoped to hear. She was really hoping for footsteps going away from the room, but she would have settled for a concerned sister.
"C'mon, Akane. I'm just here to apologize."
Ranma? Apologize? Akane knew he was just going to try and take the heat off of himself. He didn't care about her, he just wanted to avoid the cold shoulder for the next few weeks. Tears came back to Akane's eyes as she remembered his insults. She poured herself half a shot (she wasn't sure she could keep a full one down) and drained the glass with a graceless flip of her head. She was really starting to feel the liquor now, which was doing a number on her because of her petite body and almost nonexistent alcohol tolerance.
"Akane? I can hear you in there, you know. I just wanna talk."
"Go away, Ranma!" Akane's scream responded. "I don't wanna talk with you."
Her speech wasn't slurred, but it was awkward enough that Ranma knew something was up.
"You alright in there?"
The only response was the sound of something, probably a book, hitting the door from the other side. She was not in the mood to talk.
"Fine, then!" Ranma yelled back. "I'll just go. See if I care. I know where I'm not wanted."
Akane heard him walk away from her door, mumbling something about "stupid girl" and "I try and I try". Yeah right. Akane flopped back on the bed and halfheartedly crawled under the covers. She did this automatically, with no real goal of going to sleep. Picking up a book up a book and tried to read, she realized that her vision was too blurry, and she couldn't concentrate anyway. She angrily pushed the book off the bed. Who did Ranma think he was, anyway? Was he just oblivious to her feelings? She began to cry again, although she hardly noticed.
"Akane?"
Ranma's voice again. Why was he back already? He sounded genuinely worried this time, but it was probably just a front.
"Listen, Akane..."
Akane had no choice BUT to listen, although she tried her best not to. Pillows aren't as soundproof as they look.
"I just wanted to say that, er, well..."
Would he get to the point and go away already?
"I just wanted to say sorry."
Akane was unconvinced, but she softened a little. There was a pause, and she heard two footsteps moving away from the door, and then two more moving back.
"I don't know if you're listening, but I really am sorry. I didn't know I was hurting your feelings."
What the hell DID he think he was doing?
"I've just spent all my life around other guys, ya know? I was just teasing. We all do it."
Akane was listening in spite of herself.
"I didn't mean anything by it. I only called you uncute because I thought you'd be smart enough to not take it seriously. I mean, anyone can see that you're, uh, cute, so I figured you'd know I was joking and..."
"Come in."
Ranma stopped in mid monologue, surprised to hear Akane's voice.
"It's locked," he explained awkwardly.
Akane stood up, and the alcohol hit her like a punch to the jaw. She reeled off balance for a moment before steadying herself on the desk. She walked to the door and opened it, but just a crack.
"Did you mean that? That thing you said about me being cute?"
Ranma found it much harder to admit this while face to face with her.
"Uh, yeah. I mean, I'm not saying I like you or anything, but you're certainly, er, very good looking..."
She wished he wouldn't be so defensive. She was smart enough to know that he wasn't professing his undying love or anything.
Akane opened the door a bit wider, and almost fell over. She wasn't nearly as drunk as she felt, but hearing Ranma compliment her good looks was making her dizzier.
"Are you okay?" Ranma asked. Her eyes were red, and there were still tears on her cheeks.
Akane nodded, but Ranma had already smelled the alcohol and seen the bottle on the desk.
"Akane... what..."
Akane burst into tears.
"I just couldn't handle it, Ranma," she whimpered. "I didn't know what to do."
She started to walk over to the bed and stumbled slightly. Ranma caught her, although she didn't need any help, and helped her over to the bed.
"You should lie down, Akane."
Akane obediently fell backwards onto the bed.
"You need to tell me how much you had."
"About four, I guess," she said, gesturing to the shot glass. She could hardly remember.
Ranma shook his head.
"You're not all that big. Four is a lot."
Akane started crying again. Her emotions were being exaggerated by the alcohol.
"Have I ever told you how cute you look when you cry?" Ranma asked nervously, startling Akane through the haze of liquor.
"I... I think so..."
Akane remembered it well, but she wasn't going to let on that she had taken the comment so seriously. There was a break in conversation for several seconds. Akane sniffled for a moment, then rolled on to her side. Ranma looked around awkwardly.
"Well, I guess I'll go get a snack or something."
"Wait!" Akane protested.
Ranma stopped and turned around.
"C-can you stay for a little longer?" Akane asked.
"I thought you hated me," Ranma asked, and Akane couldn't tell if he was being smug or suprised.
"If you're sorry, then I forgive you," Akane replied softly, obviously uncomfortable with admitting this.
"I'm going to get some tea and a bite to eat. I'll bring it back here if you want, and we can eat it together while you sober up. Somebody's gotta keep an eye on you."
Akane smiled slightly. Say what you want about Ranma Saotome, he was as good a friend as any.
Author's note:
This is my first Ranma fanfic. Please review and let me know if I stayed in character. I don't own any part of Ranma 1/2
Stay tuned, I may add a chapter 2 just for fun.