CONFESSION OF A TEENAGER

It all started with a slap to the face, followed by a knee to the groin and ended up with Ranma sprawled out on the floor, feeling more pain he had ever felt in recent memory.

And he knew he deserved it.

Note to self. Never call Akane a Tom-Boy again. Never make fun of her boyish hair, her rotten cookin' or her lack of femininity.

What was left?

The words, "You jerk!" continued to ring in his ears as he tried to regain some form of composure and dignity as he lain on the left side in the living room, protecting what was left of his manhood, cupping the area with both hands, using them as shield.

He couldn't talk, the pain was just too great.

"Now you did it, boy," his father said, standing over him. Akane had stormed out of the room. "You know how Akane is about certain things."

"Angry chick," Ranma managed to breath out with effort, the slightest movement of any muscle in the stomach area or below his pelvis brought him untold surges of pain. Along with her thick thighs, stout hips, she had hard knees. Very hard knees.

"Need a doctor? Anything broken?"

"Dunno," he was finally able to say plainly. "I'll check when I'm not in a tremendous amount of pain!"

Genma Saotome grinned happily. "That's the spirit, boy! If you're shouting, you're feeling better already."

Ranma growled under his breath. If he could, he would - kick his father were Akane kneed him for that remark.

"Owwww," he moaned favorably. He hoped he could one day still have children. Akane really kneed him hard.

Yet again, he knew he deserved it for what he had said.

She started it.

Never mind, he chided himself.

Recovery time: One hour?

Revenge: Don't even think about it.

Apology: Just stay away from her until cools down; stay very far away.

His father left the room, but then P-Chan came striding in. Actually Ryoga in his curse, he often stayed a piglet in the Tendo home because this was the only way he felt comfortable being around Akane without having to declare his undying love for her.

"Whadda you want?" he grumbled at the pig.

P-Chan hissed a chuckle and then raspberried him, stilling his tongue out. It was a personal shot, knowing Ranma couldn't do anything to him at the moment.

He reached out to grab the pig, but then cringed from the pain of it. "I'm gonna beat you, Ryoga. Mark my words. When I've recovered, you and me are gonna have a fight to end all fights." With teeth showing, Ranma smiled sadistically. "Gotta take out my frustration on some one, don't I?"

P-Chan wasn't smiling, and in fact, swallowed nervously.

"So if I were you, pig," Ranma continued, "I'd leave town now. Fast."

All of a sudden Akane came storming back into the room, lifted the centre table, and brought it down hard onto Ranma. This was her way of saying: "Don't mess with P-Chan!"

She carried P-Chan off.

And Ranma lain there, under the table, cupping his groin, in utter pain.

"Owwwwwwwww," he let out with an elongated and painful moan.

An hour later, despite a cold pack on his crotch to bring down the swelling, Ranma was still feeling the effects of Akane's beating and knee to his groin.

He lain on his bed mattress in his room, very little else to do - no sparring, no Kempo, no walking - no exercise of any kind at the moment. Nothing without the pain returning with great force.

And he feared something was seriously wrong and for a lack of a better word: broken.

He was a sixteen year old teenager and as hard as he tried none of his "thoughts" could enthrall him.

Akane had better not had made him impotent. If she did, he may as well change into a girl, with his own curse, and be done with it, staying female forever.

For without his manhood, he was man no longer.

A knock came at the door. "Ranma, can I come in?" It was Akane.

"Yeah, whatever. It's your house." He wasn't feeling very inviting at welcoming guests. And he remained laying down with the ice pack on his crotch, dignity be damned, when she opened the door.

She stood at the threshold, the light from the hallway beaming into the darkened room, and he tilted his head up to look back at her. "Well? Come to laugh at me?"

"Does it really hurt that much?"

He wanted to yell, shout, and scream at her, but decided against it. "Yeah, very much."

"At the risk of sounding personal, does it…well, you know…does it still work?"

"Dunno yet. Still in alotta pain, you know. But should hopefully soon." He, in absolutely no terms, wanted to tell her that she have "broken" him.

"Dad told me to apologize."

"Yeah, well, hell - you know how I am when I say those things to you. Don't really mean'em."

"Nice apology," she said.

Ranma snorted, then looked away, tilting his head down.

"C'mon, I've hit you harder."

"Not 'ere, you ain't. It smarts!"

"Then maybe I shoulda hit your head."

Ranma tilted his head back at her again. A joke? She was smiling. But he didn't find it funny.

"Look, I just came to say I'm sorry," she confessed.

"Fine. Now leave."

"What? You're throwing me out of your room? This is my house, you freeloader!"

"That's fiancée, not freeloader. Parents, remember?"

"If I had it my way - "

"Me too. But we've been thought this before. Forget it, alright? I'll be better tomorrow. Sorry for what I said to you. Now, can I at least keep some shred of dignity?" He stared to get up, but it was painful. He cringed. "I need to use the washroom."

"Need any help?"

"Absolutely not!"

"Hey, we've seen each other…before."

"Accidentally, nothing more."

"You mean you don't like me?"

The question had Ranma take a mental step back. It was completely unexpected and he didn't know what to say.

"Don't start," he said.

"Don't start what? You either like me or not?"

"Like is a strong word. I like martial arts, I like chocolate, and I like - "

"So you don't like me?"

Again, totally unexpected. He wasn't sure how to respond. And what exactly was she asking him to "like"?

"Are you really that dense?"

"Are you calling me stupid?"

"How 'bout idiot, moron and stupid!"

He snorted angrily. "Stupid, angry chick!"

"What did you call me?"

Ranma gulped as Akane's eyes widened with absolute fury. He would never admit it, but he was truly frightened of her when she got this way. She had such a short-temper.

"I like you!" he said.

Akane blinked, this time she was caught off guard. "What did you say?"

"I said, I like you. That's what you wanted to hear right?"

"Quit playing games!"

"What games? I'm your fiancée. I wouldn't've said it if it ain't true. Can't a guy have an epiphany every once in a while? Sheesh!" He looked away.

"You're just saying that 'cause I said it."

Ranma looked back. "Well, maybe. But I don't want you to hit me again. It really does hurt, you know."

Akane shook her head. "You'll never change," she said calmly.

And then she did something totally unexpected - she went over to him, leaned down, and gave him the tiniest kiss on the forehead, then left the room.

He sat there stunned and flabbergasted. Was that her actual apology? he thought.

Then he felt a twinge, and something else, and with only a slight ounce of pain, and looked down.

"Hey, it works again!"

END.