She looked around the dark bedroom. The only sounds
she could hear were the snoring of a sleeping
panda...and the quieter breathing of the best martial
artist she knew...
...of a pig-headed jerk...
...of a sex-changing pervert...
The most annoying...
...kind...
...honorable...
...wonderful...
..._man_ she knew.
And she was leaving him. She wouldn't be able to see
his face. Hear the sounds of his fighting. The
beautiful sound of his laugh. The look in his eyes
when she caught him looking at her, before they were
once again hidden inside.
She was leaving him...
...his warmth...
...his love...
...the man she loved...
...more than anything...
@---
A fic written on a cold, cold Sunday
by
Mana~Chan
@---
Akane checked her ticket one more time. Glancing at
the clock in her room, she decided that she would have
to leave in ten minutes if she wanted to get to her
plane on time.
It was the middle of the night and everyone was
sleeping. No one knew what she was planning, and for
that she was thankful. No tears or yells or people
trying to convince her not to leave.
She snorted to herself as she checked her bags and
purse for everything she would need to start over.
*Eight teen years old and I still can't make my own
decisions. It's time to take my life back.*
She sighed quietly, fingering the envelope of money
and a note to Nabiki. *You'd figure everything would
settle down by now, but noooooooo.* Three fiancees,
two psychos, a grip load of vengeful people, princes,
monsters, perverts and meddlesome parents. The
insults and thoughtless words. Hidden feelings and
hidden pain. *Oh Ranma, did you really mean
everything you said...?*
Silently, she opened her sister's door and tip-toed to
the desk, setting the package down, knowing that it'd
be read first thing in the morning.
At the door, she glanced over to the bed and smiled
softly at her sister. "Goodbye Nabiki-oneechan," she
whispered.
Making her way to the next room, she snuck a light
kiss on her oldest sister's cheek. She sent out a
prayer for Kasumi to find the happiness she deserved.
Again, at the door, she took one last look while
saying softly, "Kasumi-oneechan...thank you..."
Two more stops and she would be gone. Visiting her
father first, she tucked his blanket around him
tighter and also left a kiss on his cheek. She
quietly apologized to him and quickly left.
She paused at the last door, debating whether or not
to go in. She took a deep breath and straightened up,
steeling herself. The door slipped silently open, the
sound of snoring getting louder without the barrier in
the way.
Taking a good look around the dark room, her eyes
finally settled on the figure sleeping next to a big
furry mass.
His face was peaceful, no arrogant smile or taunting
words. The blankets were kicked down by his knees,
his arms akimbo.
He was beautiful.
As if in a trance, Akane made her way to kneel next to
him. Her eyes never left his sleeping face. She
wanted to memorize everything. His thick black hair,
pigtail peeking out from under him. The slope of his
nose, the shape of his lips. His hidden eyes...his
mezmerising steel-blue eyes...
Tears began to gather in her eyes as she reached out
and brushed away the bangs on his brow, her hand
trailing down to settle on his cheek.
Slowly she leaned down and pressed her lips lightly to
his, the liquid finally spilling over and running down
both their faces. She tasted the salty tears and knew
that Ranma was tasting them too, though he was unaware
of it. She pulled back reluctantly, not wanting to
leave him.
She pulled up his blanket and tucked him in. Tears
still running, she gave him another soft kiss and
whispered her goodbye.
He never saw or heard her leave...
...never saw her tears...
...her heart-broken face...
...her goodbye...
...her "I love you"...
@---
She was gone.
He remembered waking up to crying three weeks ago. He
ignored it, it happened so often and for the most
trivial things.
But the words that had drifted up to his ears-Akane,
left, doesn't, found-had frozen him. He sprang from
his futon, his blankets falling off him, breifly
wondering how he had retained them the night before,
and was downstairs in a flash.
She left, they had told him. She didn't want to be
found and had paid Nabiki to make sure it stayed that
way. And Nabiki was actually going to follow her
sister's wish, despite all the pleading and money
being thrown at her.
She was gone. He couldn't find any trace of where she
went. He couldn't find her. He couldn't see her...
...her big, beautiful brown eyes...
...her tinkling laugh...
...her smile...
...her warm personality...
...her fire...
He was broken.
@---
Ranma stared blankly at the oknomiyaki in front of
him. He absently picked at it with his chopsticks,
ignoring the busy chatter of people around him.
It had been nearly three months with no sign of his
fiancee. And he was beginning to lose hope that she
would come back.
Why had she left? He had asked this question many,
many times since she was found missing. So many
answers, so many possibilities.
The fiancees...
...the fights...
...the chaos...
...the engagement...
...himself...
Kami forbid if she left because of him. Because of
the thoughtless words he didn't mean. He tortured
himself with guilt and self-hatred. His words coming
back to haunt him...
"Uncute tomboy!"
"At least Ukyou and Shampoo can cook!"
"They'll beat you in a fight anyday!"
"They're cuter than you! Nicer too!"
"No one needs you! You can't cook or sew. You have
the feminity of an ox, and your martial arts skills
suck!"
"I wouldn't marry you if my life depended on it!"
All said the night she left. Was that it? Did she
really believe what he told her? She had ran out of
the dojo in tears and was gone for hours.
Hours that he didn't spend looking for her. Hours he
had spent with two girls hanging on him, feeding him
delicious food.
She had came back and went straight to her room, not
looking at anyone. His heart broke at the sight of
her. He had caused this...
...her drooping shoulders...
...her dragging feet...
...her hanging head...
...her sniffles...
He checked on her before heading to bed himself, and
she was sleeping peacefully. No signs of her earlier
depression. His heart lightened. That meant she had
decided to be angry instead of sad.
He would probably recieve a good beating in the
morning, but he would glady take the pain if it meant
she understood that he didn't mean it.
But there was no beating. She wasn't there to give
him one.
The other girls were quiet. They saw the broken look
in his eyes and finally admitted to themselves what
they had been denying for so long. He wasn't
theirs...
...he didn't love them...
...he loved Akane...
...and now that she was gone...
...he was becoming a shadow...
They all felt a sense of sadness. Akane, though she
was competition, was a good friend if they needed one.
She was always willing to help.
If it weren't for Ranma, they all could have been good
friends. Now she was gone. They had all driven her
off. A cloud of guilt hung over the Nermia crowd, and
it wasn't leaving until amends were made.
So they did the best they could. They watched Ranma
slowly slip deeper and deeper into depression and knew
that Akane wouldn't have wanted that.
They talked civily and coaxed him bit by bit out of
the stupor he had put himself in. They treated him as
a friend, not as a lover.
And it began to work. He started to come back. He
had lost most of his openess and was more meek. His
feelings were under a tighter control and sometimes he
would get a haunted look in his eyes, but at least he
was moving on.
He threw himself into his school work, wanting to get
his teaching degree. The dojo had more students that
he was dedicated to in teaching kempo.
He made friends with Ryouga, Mousse and Kuno. They no
longer fought as they did. The boys were too happy
that Ranma was inching his way back into his life.
It was not natural seeing him so down and in the
dumps. He was the brash one. The arrogant person
that was bursting full of life.
So they began to move on. They remembered the bright
and firey girl and smiled at her memory. They played
and learned and laughed and cried together, feeling a
sense of something...or someone...missing. But they
knew-they knew that in the end, that the hole would be
filled once more.
@---
The young woman was beautiful. She glowed and
radiated life. Men lusted for her, women envied her.
But she was haunted. She was cold and no one got
close.
She was alone and she liked it that way.
She smiled only for her children, but that was enough
for the people around her to see that behind the walls
she put up was a happy and loving woman waiting to
break free. But no one could break the walls...
...no one but him...
...the one she had loved...
...and loved still...
How she missed him. She missed everything. So many
times, she had wanted to go back. Had wanted to go
home and see the faces she loved so dearly.
Her fathers, her sisters. Aunty and Uncle. Ukyou and
Shampoo. Mousse and Ryouga. Kuno even. But
mostly...mostly, she wanted to see him.
Five years. She had been gone for five years. Where
was he now? What was he doing? Did he still remember
her? Did he still think of her every day, as she did
him? But most importantly...
...Did
He
Love
Her...
Her heart added the word 'still' to her final
question. 'Did he still lover her' it corrected.
She had no choice but to agree. He had loved her
then, she realized. As much as she had loved him.
But it was too late by then. Three years had passed
and she was too scared to return.
What would he think if she did? He might hate
her...but then again, he might take her in his arms
and hold her close...
...never
to
let
go...
How she longed to be with him. To see him. It didn't
matter to her, how it was, as long as he was in her
life. But one thing held her back. Kept her from
returning to him. Fear. Fear of rejection, fear of
hatred, fear of anger.
If only she knew that he too, felt the same things she
did. If only she knew that for the past five years,
he had spent many many nights awake, wondering of what
could have happened if only...if only...
If only she knew that his heart was crying for her,
his mind torturing him with memories. Memories of
her...
...of her smell...
...of her eyes...
...of her smile...
...of her warmth...
...of her love...
Fate spun her wheel. Round and round it went,
spinning in a rainbow of colors. Then it
stopped...and the decision was made.
@---
She stood at the front of the building, waving warm
goodbyes to the young children leaving her classroom.
They all ran to their parents, pausing to turn around
and wave short arms back at their beloved teacher.
She smiled...
...and the world was that much brighter.
A frozen figure caught her eye, and her mouth opened
in surprise.
The dirty dark brown hair...
...the hazel-brown eyes...
...yellow tunic...
...hunter-green pants...
...worn traveling pack...
...spotted bandanna...
The name escaped her mouth in a silent whisper. And
suddenly she was running, her eyes shinning in a way
that no one in this town had ever seen, her smile
brighter than ever.
The two laughed happily at the gate, their chatter
going at a rate that no one else could understand.
He spun her around in circles, her feet lifted off of
the ground. He was so happy...
...happy for her...
...happy for himself...
...happy for her family...
...happy for his friends...
...happy for Ranma...
Now, she could come home with him. Their circle would
be complete once again.
@---
She was reluctant to return. Her doubts and fears
thrummed in her heart, making her self-doubt return
double-fold.
But...she was going home. Home to her family...
...her friends...
...home to her heart...
...her love...
Ryouga had stayed with her for the three months it
took to get things in order. Her resignation from the
Kindergarten, finding a new job in Nermia and keeping
it hush-hush.
Only Nabiki knew she was coming home and had promised
to keep her lips zipped. She was glad her imouto was
returning, was what Akane had heard.
So many things had changed while she was gone. Ryouga
had told her everything...well...almost everything.
The look of pain in her eyes when Ranma was mentioned
was enough for Ryouga to shy away from that subject.
It wouldn't matter anyway...she was coming home.
He kept to happier news. They all got along now. No
fights amongst the friends. Kuno and Nabiki. Kasumi
and Toufu.
Aunty had moved into the Tendo dojo. Ranma got the
extra spare room while Aunty and Uncle stayed in one.
Her room was left the way it was, waiting for it's
owner to come home.
@---
There it was. Her house. Never had anything look so
warm and inviting. She nervously took Ryouga's hand
as he began to enter the gate. He squeezed her hand
reassuringly and smiled at her.
She could only manage a sick grin back.
The two paused and stepped out of the way as people
began to come out of the dojo. Akane watched silently
as the strangers greeted Ryouga warmly, smiling to an
occasional person who gave her a greeting.
The last person came out of the smaller building, and
stepped out of the shadows and into the bright yard.
Her breath caught in her throat...
...broad shoulders...
......strong arms...
...red Chinese shirt...
...long black pig-tail...
...steel-blue eyes...
He was handsome.
@---
Ranma froze as he stepped into the warm sunlight. His
heart sped up to an almost painful rate and it was
hard to breath.
His dreams...
...lithe, slender body...
...short, silky blue-black hair...
...pouty red lips...
...the familiar curves of her figure...
...beautiful brown eyes...
She was gorgeous.
@---
How long the two had stood looking at one another,
neither knows. They studied each other with such
intensity. In such detail. Neither wanted to forget
this moment...it was just the two of them.
Then his eyes fell to her hand...
...which was still clutching to Ryouga's.
And his broken heart. Those small broken pieces...
...they broke again.
Pain filled his entire being. Years of pent up
emotion came flooding back, sweeping him away. With a
strangled sob, he turned and fled from the scene...
...of the woman he loved...
...and his best friend...
...in love...
@---
Akane choked back a sob. His eyes. They were always
so expressive. The pain they showed...it was just as
bad as hers. He hurt as much as she did.
And she loved him too much to have him in such pain.
So she ran after him, her tears blurring her vision.
But that didn't matter. Her heart knew where he was
going. To the bridge.
It was their bridge...
...their place to escape...
...their place to think...
...their place to talk...
...their place to vent...
..._their_ place...
There, she found him. Crying. His knees drawn up to
his chest, face hidden. But the shaking of his
shoulders, his quivering pig-tail. The heart
wrenching cries...
...the heart-wrenching cries were hers.
He sobbed quietly, she sobbed loudly. Different, yet
the same all together.
She collasped to her knees behind him and wrapped him
in her warmth, her cries now muffled by the back of
his shoulder.
"Stop!" she cried, pressing into his back. "Please,
Ranma, stop!"
His crying slowed into hiccups and sniffles. He could
feel her arms surroung him, her hands splayed across
his chest. His shirt was being soaked by her tears
and he felt her shaking.
"I'm sorry!" He heard her sob. "I'm so sorry!" His
heard broke even more. He untangled himself from her
arms and stood.
"Sorry?"
She buried her face into her hands, still kneeling in
front of him. He was angry...
...he hated her...
...her life had no meaning...
...she had had hope...
...but it was gone now...
...because he hated her...
@---
He was angry. At himself. For causing her this pain.
She shouldn't be the one suffering. Why...why
couldn't he let her live her life happily with
whomever she chose...?
Because...
...Because...
...he...
...loved...
...her...
...and she didn't know it...
He had to tell her. Then maybe...maybe they could be
friends. That much he could accept. So long as she
was in his life, it didn't matter if she loved
another.
But she had to know first. He had to tell her.
He knelt down on one knee in front of her. He reached
up and pulled her hands away from her face, so he
could see her beautiful eyes.
She watched him as he cupped her face in his hands,
his fingers running over the silky skin that had
haunted him for the past five years.
"There is nothing to be sorry for Akane," he said
softly. "It's...it's okay..."
"Ranma..."
The name was like silk coming from her mouth. She was
the only one who could say his name that way. Her
hands came up to cover his.
"It..." His voice began to crack. "It's alright if
you love...love Ryouga..."
She started. 'Love...Ryouga...?' "No..!" she
started, but he stopped her, his hand covering her
mouth.
"Akane please...don't deny it..." She shook her head
wildly at him, but he paid it no heed. "It's...it's
alright, really. But Akane..." He took a deep breath
and looked deeper into her eyes. "Akane...you...you
have to know that..." His voice lowered into a
whisper. "...that I love you Akane..."
Her eyes widened and he felt her breath become erratic
against his hand. Her heart swelled...
...with hope...
...hope that he meant it...
...she had to know...
He slowly took his hand from her mouth and sighed
quietly, adverting his eyes. He didn't want to know
what her reaction was. He had finally told her...
...but it was too late...
...he told her too late...
...for she loved another...
"Ranma..." she whispered. "You dummy." It was her
turn to cup his face and look into his eyes. She saw
the fear and defeat. He thought that she could love
another.
"You misunderstand. I don't love Ryouga..." She
smiled softly as his eyes brightened with hope.
"I meant that I'm sorry I hurt you...
...I love you too, Ranma...
...with all of my heart."
And once again he was wrapped in her warmth. It had
been so long. So long. He had never forgotten, never
would forget, but this...this was so much better than
memories.
She had waited for this. She had waited for what
seemed like her entire life. Now it was here, and she
was in his arms...
...he was in her arms...
...where they belonged...
From now...
...until...
...forever...
@---
Der...did I just write that...? Oh, geez...that
was...sad...intense...aw man...this sucks. Who knew I
had so much angst in me?! Isn't that just a
depressing thought?
Hrm...probably the snow. It has been snowing for two
days straight now, which isn't unusual, but I was in a
t-shirt the other day!! I mean, c'mon...t-shirt and
then snow?? And I hate DRIVING in this stuff! Do you
have ANY idea how slippery snow covered Colorado roads
are?! It...it makes me want to cry when it snows coz
I have to drive in this stuff!!
But hey! It's suppose to get warm again.
Hanyaaaaaaaan!!!
Hugz n Kissez,
Mana~Chan
P.S. *sigh* Ranma and characters DO NOT belong to
me. Though I wish they did. Hehehehe. Who
wouldn't?!
she could hear were the snoring of a sleeping
panda...and the quieter breathing of the best martial
artist she knew...
...of a pig-headed jerk...
...of a sex-changing pervert...
The most annoying...
...kind...
...honorable...
...wonderful...
..._man_ she knew.
And she was leaving him. She wouldn't be able to see
his face. Hear the sounds of his fighting. The
beautiful sound of his laugh. The look in his eyes
when she caught him looking at her, before they were
once again hidden inside.
She was leaving him...
...his warmth...
...his love...
...the man she loved...
...more than anything...
@---
A fic written on a cold, cold Sunday
by
Mana~Chan
@---
Akane checked her ticket one more time. Glancing at
the clock in her room, she decided that she would have
to leave in ten minutes if she wanted to get to her
plane on time.
It was the middle of the night and everyone was
sleeping. No one knew what she was planning, and for
that she was thankful. No tears or yells or people
trying to convince her not to leave.
She snorted to herself as she checked her bags and
purse for everything she would need to start over.
*Eight teen years old and I still can't make my own
decisions. It's time to take my life back.*
She sighed quietly, fingering the envelope of money
and a note to Nabiki. *You'd figure everything would
settle down by now, but noooooooo.* Three fiancees,
two psychos, a grip load of vengeful people, princes,
monsters, perverts and meddlesome parents. The
insults and thoughtless words. Hidden feelings and
hidden pain. *Oh Ranma, did you really mean
everything you said...?*
Silently, she opened her sister's door and tip-toed to
the desk, setting the package down, knowing that it'd
be read first thing in the morning.
At the door, she glanced over to the bed and smiled
softly at her sister. "Goodbye Nabiki-oneechan," she
whispered.
Making her way to the next room, she snuck a light
kiss on her oldest sister's cheek. She sent out a
prayer for Kasumi to find the happiness she deserved.
Again, at the door, she took one last look while
saying softly, "Kasumi-oneechan...thank you..."
Two more stops and she would be gone. Visiting her
father first, she tucked his blanket around him
tighter and also left a kiss on his cheek. She
quietly apologized to him and quickly left.
She paused at the last door, debating whether or not
to go in. She took a deep breath and straightened up,
steeling herself. The door slipped silently open, the
sound of snoring getting louder without the barrier in
the way.
Taking a good look around the dark room, her eyes
finally settled on the figure sleeping next to a big
furry mass.
His face was peaceful, no arrogant smile or taunting
words. The blankets were kicked down by his knees,
his arms akimbo.
He was beautiful.
As if in a trance, Akane made her way to kneel next to
him. Her eyes never left his sleeping face. She
wanted to memorize everything. His thick black hair,
pigtail peeking out from under him. The slope of his
nose, the shape of his lips. His hidden eyes...his
mezmerising steel-blue eyes...
Tears began to gather in her eyes as she reached out
and brushed away the bangs on his brow, her hand
trailing down to settle on his cheek.
Slowly she leaned down and pressed her lips lightly to
his, the liquid finally spilling over and running down
both their faces. She tasted the salty tears and knew
that Ranma was tasting them too, though he was unaware
of it. She pulled back reluctantly, not wanting to
leave him.
She pulled up his blanket and tucked him in. Tears
still running, she gave him another soft kiss and
whispered her goodbye.
He never saw or heard her leave...
...never saw her tears...
...her heart-broken face...
...her goodbye...
...her "I love you"...
@---
She was gone.
He remembered waking up to crying three weeks ago. He
ignored it, it happened so often and for the most
trivial things.
But the words that had drifted up to his ears-Akane,
left, doesn't, found-had frozen him. He sprang from
his futon, his blankets falling off him, breifly
wondering how he had retained them the night before,
and was downstairs in a flash.
She left, they had told him. She didn't want to be
found and had paid Nabiki to make sure it stayed that
way. And Nabiki was actually going to follow her
sister's wish, despite all the pleading and money
being thrown at her.
She was gone. He couldn't find any trace of where she
went. He couldn't find her. He couldn't see her...
...her big, beautiful brown eyes...
...her tinkling laugh...
...her smile...
...her warm personality...
...her fire...
He was broken.
@---
Ranma stared blankly at the oknomiyaki in front of
him. He absently picked at it with his chopsticks,
ignoring the busy chatter of people around him.
It had been nearly three months with no sign of his
fiancee. And he was beginning to lose hope that she
would come back.
Why had she left? He had asked this question many,
many times since she was found missing. So many
answers, so many possibilities.
The fiancees...
...the fights...
...the chaos...
...the engagement...
...himself...
Kami forbid if she left because of him. Because of
the thoughtless words he didn't mean. He tortured
himself with guilt and self-hatred. His words coming
back to haunt him...
"Uncute tomboy!"
"At least Ukyou and Shampoo can cook!"
"They'll beat you in a fight anyday!"
"They're cuter than you! Nicer too!"
"No one needs you! You can't cook or sew. You have
the feminity of an ox, and your martial arts skills
suck!"
"I wouldn't marry you if my life depended on it!"
All said the night she left. Was that it? Did she
really believe what he told her? She had ran out of
the dojo in tears and was gone for hours.
Hours that he didn't spend looking for her. Hours he
had spent with two girls hanging on him, feeding him
delicious food.
She had came back and went straight to her room, not
looking at anyone. His heart broke at the sight of
her. He had caused this...
...her drooping shoulders...
...her dragging feet...
...her hanging head...
...her sniffles...
He checked on her before heading to bed himself, and
she was sleeping peacefully. No signs of her earlier
depression. His heart lightened. That meant she had
decided to be angry instead of sad.
He would probably recieve a good beating in the
morning, but he would glady take the pain if it meant
she understood that he didn't mean it.
But there was no beating. She wasn't there to give
him one.
The other girls were quiet. They saw the broken look
in his eyes and finally admitted to themselves what
they had been denying for so long. He wasn't
theirs...
...he didn't love them...
...he loved Akane...
...and now that she was gone...
...he was becoming a shadow...
They all felt a sense of sadness. Akane, though she
was competition, was a good friend if they needed one.
She was always willing to help.
If it weren't for Ranma, they all could have been good
friends. Now she was gone. They had all driven her
off. A cloud of guilt hung over the Nermia crowd, and
it wasn't leaving until amends were made.
So they did the best they could. They watched Ranma
slowly slip deeper and deeper into depression and knew
that Akane wouldn't have wanted that.
They talked civily and coaxed him bit by bit out of
the stupor he had put himself in. They treated him as
a friend, not as a lover.
And it began to work. He started to come back. He
had lost most of his openess and was more meek. His
feelings were under a tighter control and sometimes he
would get a haunted look in his eyes, but at least he
was moving on.
He threw himself into his school work, wanting to get
his teaching degree. The dojo had more students that
he was dedicated to in teaching kempo.
He made friends with Ryouga, Mousse and Kuno. They no
longer fought as they did. The boys were too happy
that Ranma was inching his way back into his life.
It was not natural seeing him so down and in the
dumps. He was the brash one. The arrogant person
that was bursting full of life.
So they began to move on. They remembered the bright
and firey girl and smiled at her memory. They played
and learned and laughed and cried together, feeling a
sense of something...or someone...missing. But they
knew-they knew that in the end, that the hole would be
filled once more.
@---
The young woman was beautiful. She glowed and
radiated life. Men lusted for her, women envied her.
But she was haunted. She was cold and no one got
close.
She was alone and she liked it that way.
She smiled only for her children, but that was enough
for the people around her to see that behind the walls
she put up was a happy and loving woman waiting to
break free. But no one could break the walls...
...no one but him...
...the one she had loved...
...and loved still...
How she missed him. She missed everything. So many
times, she had wanted to go back. Had wanted to go
home and see the faces she loved so dearly.
Her fathers, her sisters. Aunty and Uncle. Ukyou and
Shampoo. Mousse and Ryouga. Kuno even. But
mostly...mostly, she wanted to see him.
Five years. She had been gone for five years. Where
was he now? What was he doing? Did he still remember
her? Did he still think of her every day, as she did
him? But most importantly...
...Did
He
Love
Her...
Her heart added the word 'still' to her final
question. 'Did he still lover her' it corrected.
She had no choice but to agree. He had loved her
then, she realized. As much as she had loved him.
But it was too late by then. Three years had passed
and she was too scared to return.
What would he think if she did? He might hate
her...but then again, he might take her in his arms
and hold her close...
...never
to
let
go...
How she longed to be with him. To see him. It didn't
matter to her, how it was, as long as he was in her
life. But one thing held her back. Kept her from
returning to him. Fear. Fear of rejection, fear of
hatred, fear of anger.
If only she knew that he too, felt the same things she
did. If only she knew that for the past five years,
he had spent many many nights awake, wondering of what
could have happened if only...if only...
If only she knew that his heart was crying for her,
his mind torturing him with memories. Memories of
her...
...of her smell...
...of her eyes...
...of her smile...
...of her warmth...
...of her love...
Fate spun her wheel. Round and round it went,
spinning in a rainbow of colors. Then it
stopped...and the decision was made.
@---
She stood at the front of the building, waving warm
goodbyes to the young children leaving her classroom.
They all ran to their parents, pausing to turn around
and wave short arms back at their beloved teacher.
She smiled...
...and the world was that much brighter.
A frozen figure caught her eye, and her mouth opened
in surprise.
The dirty dark brown hair...
...the hazel-brown eyes...
...yellow tunic...
...hunter-green pants...
...worn traveling pack...
...spotted bandanna...
The name escaped her mouth in a silent whisper. And
suddenly she was running, her eyes shinning in a way
that no one in this town had ever seen, her smile
brighter than ever.
The two laughed happily at the gate, their chatter
going at a rate that no one else could understand.
He spun her around in circles, her feet lifted off of
the ground. He was so happy...
...happy for her...
...happy for himself...
...happy for her family...
...happy for his friends...
...happy for Ranma...
Now, she could come home with him. Their circle would
be complete once again.
@---
She was reluctant to return. Her doubts and fears
thrummed in her heart, making her self-doubt return
double-fold.
But...she was going home. Home to her family...
...her friends...
...home to her heart...
...her love...
Ryouga had stayed with her for the three months it
took to get things in order. Her resignation from the
Kindergarten, finding a new job in Nermia and keeping
it hush-hush.
Only Nabiki knew she was coming home and had promised
to keep her lips zipped. She was glad her imouto was
returning, was what Akane had heard.
So many things had changed while she was gone. Ryouga
had told her everything...well...almost everything.
The look of pain in her eyes when Ranma was mentioned
was enough for Ryouga to shy away from that subject.
It wouldn't matter anyway...she was coming home.
He kept to happier news. They all got along now. No
fights amongst the friends. Kuno and Nabiki. Kasumi
and Toufu.
Aunty had moved into the Tendo dojo. Ranma got the
extra spare room while Aunty and Uncle stayed in one.
Her room was left the way it was, waiting for it's
owner to come home.
@---
There it was. Her house. Never had anything look so
warm and inviting. She nervously took Ryouga's hand
as he began to enter the gate. He squeezed her hand
reassuringly and smiled at her.
She could only manage a sick grin back.
The two paused and stepped out of the way as people
began to come out of the dojo. Akane watched silently
as the strangers greeted Ryouga warmly, smiling to an
occasional person who gave her a greeting.
The last person came out of the smaller building, and
stepped out of the shadows and into the bright yard.
Her breath caught in her throat...
...broad shoulders...
......strong arms...
...red Chinese shirt...
...long black pig-tail...
...steel-blue eyes...
He was handsome.
@---
Ranma froze as he stepped into the warm sunlight. His
heart sped up to an almost painful rate and it was
hard to breath.
His dreams...
...lithe, slender body...
...short, silky blue-black hair...
...pouty red lips...
...the familiar curves of her figure...
...beautiful brown eyes...
She was gorgeous.
@---
How long the two had stood looking at one another,
neither knows. They studied each other with such
intensity. In such detail. Neither wanted to forget
this moment...it was just the two of them.
Then his eyes fell to her hand...
...which was still clutching to Ryouga's.
And his broken heart. Those small broken pieces...
...they broke again.
Pain filled his entire being. Years of pent up
emotion came flooding back, sweeping him away. With a
strangled sob, he turned and fled from the scene...
...of the woman he loved...
...and his best friend...
...in love...
@---
Akane choked back a sob. His eyes. They were always
so expressive. The pain they showed...it was just as
bad as hers. He hurt as much as she did.
And she loved him too much to have him in such pain.
So she ran after him, her tears blurring her vision.
But that didn't matter. Her heart knew where he was
going. To the bridge.
It was their bridge...
...their place to escape...
...their place to think...
...their place to talk...
...their place to vent...
..._their_ place...
There, she found him. Crying. His knees drawn up to
his chest, face hidden. But the shaking of his
shoulders, his quivering pig-tail. The heart
wrenching cries...
...the heart-wrenching cries were hers.
He sobbed quietly, she sobbed loudly. Different, yet
the same all together.
She collasped to her knees behind him and wrapped him
in her warmth, her cries now muffled by the back of
his shoulder.
"Stop!" she cried, pressing into his back. "Please,
Ranma, stop!"
His crying slowed into hiccups and sniffles. He could
feel her arms surroung him, her hands splayed across
his chest. His shirt was being soaked by her tears
and he felt her shaking.
"I'm sorry!" He heard her sob. "I'm so sorry!" His
heard broke even more. He untangled himself from her
arms and stood.
"Sorry?"
She buried her face into her hands, still kneeling in
front of him. He was angry...
...he hated her...
...her life had no meaning...
...she had had hope...
...but it was gone now...
...because he hated her...
@---
He was angry. At himself. For causing her this pain.
She shouldn't be the one suffering. Why...why
couldn't he let her live her life happily with
whomever she chose...?
Because...
...Because...
...he...
...loved...
...her...
...and she didn't know it...
He had to tell her. Then maybe...maybe they could be
friends. That much he could accept. So long as she
was in his life, it didn't matter if she loved
another.
But she had to know first. He had to tell her.
He knelt down on one knee in front of her. He reached
up and pulled her hands away from her face, so he
could see her beautiful eyes.
She watched him as he cupped her face in his hands,
his fingers running over the silky skin that had
haunted him for the past five years.
"There is nothing to be sorry for Akane," he said
softly. "It's...it's okay..."
"Ranma..."
The name was like silk coming from her mouth. She was
the only one who could say his name that way. Her
hands came up to cover his.
"It..." His voice began to crack. "It's alright if
you love...love Ryouga..."
She started. 'Love...Ryouga...?' "No..!" she
started, but he stopped her, his hand covering her
mouth.
"Akane please...don't deny it..." She shook her head
wildly at him, but he paid it no heed. "It's...it's
alright, really. But Akane..." He took a deep breath
and looked deeper into her eyes. "Akane...you...you
have to know that..." His voice lowered into a
whisper. "...that I love you Akane..."
Her eyes widened and he felt her breath become erratic
against his hand. Her heart swelled...
...with hope...
...hope that he meant it...
...she had to know...
He slowly took his hand from her mouth and sighed
quietly, adverting his eyes. He didn't want to know
what her reaction was. He had finally told her...
...but it was too late...
...he told her too late...
...for she loved another...
"Ranma..." she whispered. "You dummy." It was her
turn to cup his face and look into his eyes. She saw
the fear and defeat. He thought that she could love
another.
"You misunderstand. I don't love Ryouga..." She
smiled softly as his eyes brightened with hope.
"I meant that I'm sorry I hurt you...
...I love you too, Ranma...
...with all of my heart."
And once again he was wrapped in her warmth. It had
been so long. So long. He had never forgotten, never
would forget, but this...this was so much better than
memories.
She had waited for this. She had waited for what
seemed like her entire life. Now it was here, and she
was in his arms...
...he was in her arms...
...where they belonged...
From now...
...until...
...forever...
@---
Der...did I just write that...? Oh, geez...that
was...sad...intense...aw man...this sucks. Who knew I
had so much angst in me?! Isn't that just a
depressing thought?
Hrm...probably the snow. It has been snowing for two
days straight now, which isn't unusual, but I was in a
t-shirt the other day!! I mean, c'mon...t-shirt and
then snow?? And I hate DRIVING in this stuff! Do you
have ANY idea how slippery snow covered Colorado roads
are?! It...it makes me want to cry when it snows coz
I have to drive in this stuff!!
But hey! It's suppose to get warm again.
Hanyaaaaaaaan!!!
Hugz n Kissez,
Mana~Chan
P.S. *sigh* Ranma and characters DO NOT belong to
me. Though I wish they did. Hehehehe. Who
wouldn't?!