Disclaimer: Of course I do not own Ranma 1\2, and this story isn't endorsed by Viz Comics nor by Takahashi, and all resemblance to real (alive) characters is purely accidental, blah blah blah... LOL
' ' Means thoughts
" " Means spoken words
I won't cry.
"Baka, baka! Ranma no Baka!"
Akane Tendo sat angrily on her chair, her fists closed tight on her lap. He had done it again. How could he be so selfish? Akane closed her eyes.
'No. not this time. I won't cry...'
As Akane's features crisped, she tried hard to hold back her tears, which had only little effect, as tears began forming in her eyes. If only she wouldn't care. It would be so much simpler. Very easy too.
'Yeah, I'll do that. I'll just stop caring. Yes! I DON'T CARE ANYMORE, no, wait, better yet, I HAVE NEVER CARED!'
She opened her eyes and smiled faintly at her own reflection projected from the small mirror she kept on her study desk.
AKANE: "I don't care if he doesn't think I'm cute. Because I am. I really am cute...right?"
Her expression saddened.
Flashback
RANMA: "Kawaii-kune! Don't ya understand anythin'?! She stalked me, I ain't the one you should be hittin'!"
AKANE: "BAKA! You deserved it! You..HENTAI!"
RANMA: "Me, HENTAI? Woah! You walked in on me, thank you very much!"
AKANE: "CORRECTION, I WALKED IN ON YOU AND SHAMPOO RUB-A-DUB-DUBBING IN THE BATH!"
RANMA: "OKAY, first, we weren't 'rubadingdugging' or... what it is ya call it! SHE WALKED IN ON ME AND STARTLED M..."
WHAM
Akane dangerously waved her mallet near Ranma once more, only Ranma had seen the second hit coming, and had gracefully (considering the first hit had caught him straight on the head and had delayed his motor skills) dodged it.
RANMA: "LEMME TALK FIRST!"
AKANE: "I know how it goes, you pervert! EVERY EXCUSE IS A GOOD ONE TO END UP NAKED WITH ONE OF YOUR FIANCÉS! H-E-N-T-A-I!!!"
RANMA: "NOT TRUE! I'D NEVER EVER HAVE AN EXCUSE TO END UP NAKED WITH YOU, YOU UNFEMININE built-like-a-brick tom...boy..."
Ranma's tone lowered upon pronouncing these last words, as Akane's abruptly stopped. He had done it, he had hurt her again. He couldn't believe it. He couldn't even remember what he had said, how could he apologize now?
AKANE: "Right. Almost forgot."
RANMA: "A...Akane, I... it just slipped...I mean... I didn't..."
WHAM
Akane looked down at a transfigured Ranma lying on the floor, threw her mallet and ran to her room.
End of flashback
AKANE: 'BAKA BAKA! He can have Shampoo all to himself for all I care! BAKA!'
As her vision blurred, and Akane put the mirror back at its place, all the while carefully wiping away any familiar trail of sadness her tears left on her cheeks.
There were days when she could almost forget they were being forced into this engagement. The rare times he had shown he cared. It was not often, but when it happened, it was strong, she knew this much. But how he managed to be so selfish and selfless at the same time, she did not know. As full of himself as he was, Ranma would often give everything up just to keep her from harm's way...
A soft knock on the door took her from her thoughts, as the faint sound of carefully placed footsteps followed the opening of the door to her room. Akane did not bother to turn around, she did not want anyone to see her like this...
RANMA: "Gomen."
Akane's eyes widened. It was Ranma? And he was...sorry?
Ranma: "I guess I musta said somethin'...I mean I said stuff I didn't think...and well..."
A short moment of silence followed Ranma's appology, during which Akane smiled to herself. Ranma kept on:
Ranma: "I mean I ain't good at saying stuff...and..."
Akane: "Well, you are pretty at saying bad stuff, that's for sure."
The instant Akane finished her sentence, she bit her lips. Here he was, trying to apologize (which in itself was a great deed for Ranma) and she was leading him on... In a swift instant, she got up from her chair and faced Ranma. Ranma was looking intently at the ground. It seemed that he was trying to hold back on a few comments himself, biting his own lower lip.
Akane: "Gomenasai Ranma."
That, Ranma had not expected. He raised his head slowly, throwing a wide-eyed glance at his fiancé, standing a few feet away. Akane was smiling, her eyes closed and her head lightly tilted to the left.
Right then, Ranma was thankful he had found the courage to apologize. The sun rays emanating from Akane's window produced a delightful golden aura-like effect on her short blue hair, making her look like an angel. His angel. Ranma blushed upon thinking these thoughts and turned his gaze to the right, all the while allowing himself to steal a few quick glances here and there from the side.
Akane: "I shouldn't have hit you so hard. I didn't mean to hurt you..."
Ranma: "Apology accepted, but don't worry, your hits don't really hurt, it's more annoyin' than anythin'..."
Akane: "Excuse me?..."
Ranma: (beaming) "Yeah, I gotta admit that a macho chick like yourself can pull a coupla good ones, but I'm way too strong to feel your little punches! So don't ya worry about me bein' hurt!"
Ranma turned back to Akane. Her head was bowed down, and her two arms were extended on her sides, fists clenched. Ranma immediately sensed the danger, and quickly adopted a fighting stance.
Ranma: "Wanna fight?"
Akane's fighting energy grew weaker and her muscles less tense as she took a deep breath and replied:
Akane: "I never really wanna fight. I wanted to apologyze so that we could make up. Wanna?"
Ranma quickly looked at the ground. He felt horrible! There she was being sweet and wanting to make up, and he was ruining it again. With a faint but audible tone of guilt, Ranma added:
Ranma: "Yeah.. I'm sorry Akane. This time for real. I mean I know your'e somewhat of a tomboy, but I shouldn't say those things..I know I acted like a..."
Ranma felt the tingling sensation of the cold water on his warm body, and felt himself become a she. She raised her head as so to face Akane again, and wish she hadn't. A tear. She hated to see Akane cry, she really did. Just as she was about to speak up, Akane grabbed the fighting pole that stood beside her bed, took a good swing and ... WHAM...sent Ranma flying in the stratosphere. She then threw her pole on the ground.
Akane: "Baka, baka! Ranma no Baka!"
Akane Tendo sat angrily on her chair, her fists closed tight on her lap. He had done it again. How could he be so selfish? Akane closed her eyes.
'No. not this time. I won't cry...'
THE END.