The young girl turned and looked over the moonlit lake. Tears swarmed in her vision. A soft sob left her trembling lips. A single tear fell down her white cheek only to be followed by many others. She started when she felt a large warm hand gently grasp her bare upper arm.
She turned and took in the blurry view of the man in front of her. The same bright red shirt was now a dark maroon in the night light. The same black drawstring pants blended into the shadows surrounding them. The ever present pigtail was gently resting on his left shoulder.
The girl felt a wave of comfort and relief flow into her at seeing him. The young man reached over hesitantly. A soft, yet callused hand cupped her cheek. With a rough textured thumb, he wiped away a few tears.
"Why are you crying?" the deep voice asked. The girl felt a shiver flow down her spine as his voice flowed over her.
"I-I saw you..." She turned her bright eyes away from his deep blue ones and gazed at the lake again. The man sighed in irritation.
"You don't believe me do you." She turned back to him in surprise. How could he be so calm...so cold. The young man read her question in her eyes and the ever present smirk appeared.
"I don't like getting overly excited over things that I know aren't true. Come on Akane, do you believe everything you see?"
Akane blushed as she remembered the first time he had asked her that question. It was right before their first real kiss. And no one knew about it. That was perhaps what made it even better.
"Y-you know I don't. But I have a question for you, Ranma." She tentatively looked back up at him and smiled weakly.
"Shoot." He pulled his hand away and crossed them across his chest. Akane felt a loss at his sudden removal of his hand. But she steeled herself forward. She took a deep breath and asked.
"How...how can you love me?"
Ranma drew back at the question. This was a surprise to him. He never expected to hear that from her. Ever. He frowned as he noticed the sincerity in her voice. And inwardly gasped as he noticed the pain in her eyes.
"God, Akane." He reached over and pulled her into his warm embrace. His arms tightened around her and he breathed in the scent that was Akane. Cherry blossoms and rain drops. It was always around her. Maybe it was this that first made him notice her.
He rubbed his hands up and down her back. Akane wrapped her own arms around Ranma's torso. She buried her face in his Chinese shirt. She took a deep breath and smiled. He was so warm. He smelled like sunshine. Like the wild wind in a country field.
"Akane...how can I not love you?" His voice washed over again, drowning her in a million emotions. "You are everything to me...and so much more. You're my life. You're my soul. Yo-you're the other half of me."
Akane looked up into his serious face and noticed the unshed tears in his eyes. The Great Ranma, crying? Never. A single tear slipped down his tanned cheek. With a gentle hand, she wiped it away and kissed the spot it was removed from.
"And you are the other half of me." She looked up into his darkening blue eyes and inwardly grinned at the blush that stained his cheeks. Still the shy little boy. A devilish laugh rang through her mind and she pressed herself into Ranma's body.
He looked down at her in surprise. And even more surprise, when her soft lips found his. His pigtail shot straight out behind him in shock. His senses were on overload. This was nothing like their other kisses. This was so much more...intense.
He glanced into her still open eyes and saw the challenge there. His eyes answered her back and he pressed himself more into her. Her eyes widened in surprise...then pleasure.
Their eyes closed simultaneously as they lost and found each other in the kiss. The stars twinkled above them. The lake shimmered beside them. And somewhere in the heavens...an angel smiled.
Karoi Tendo gazed down at the two love struck mortals and laughed. "Take care of her Ranma. She needs you more than ever now." She was shocked to see Ranma give her a thumbs-up sign behind Akane's back.
She shook her head and laughed again. "That boy. An excellent choice you have made my daughter. Have many happy years together...and one day...I'll meet you both. In person."
With a delighted giggle at the thought of seeing her daughter again, she flew off to dance in the clouds...or perhaps a moonlit lake...
Author's Notes: This is just a short, tiny vignette I wrote a while back during a sappy moment in my life. ^^; No, its not going to be continued. And it doesn't fit in with the real timeline or any of mine. I also realize that both are so OOC they can't even be identified by their dental records. *swings E-chan around by his tail* But didn't you know that I love OOC waff and AU's? Besides...*evil grin*...this is my playground kiddies. Whoever said I had to follow the rules....??? *poofs*
~Silver-sama