Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma ½; I don't own anything except this idea. Oh and a cup-o-noodles that I'm about to it, but I don't think you'd really want that.
Title: Drawn To You
Author: Silverflare07
Summary: While keeping a second Brocade Butterfly, the rainbow ink, hidden from Happosai Ranma stumbles upon Akane's little secret. Who knew they could be so drawn together... .RanmaAkane. .one shot.
Dedication: This one goes out to Chibi for her 17th birthday! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday dear Chibi! Happy Birthday to you! I hope you enjoy this.
Author's Notes: Okay, I'm not entirely sure how much I like this fic. It's the first Ranma thing I've written since I stopped becoming uber obsessed. Don't get me wrong I still like it, A LOT, but I used to eat, breath, and sleep R/A and that couple has now taken a back seat to my new obsessions. Hopefully though, this won't be as bad to you as it was to me.
Stuff You Need To Know:
"Speech"
Thoughts
Ranma whistled happily as he entered the Tendo household that afternoon. Nothing could spoil his mood today. Shampoo hadn't glomped him, so of course Mousse hadn't attacked him. Ukyo was too busy with studying for a big test to worry about him that day and Ryoga was nowhere to be found. Even P-chan had been absent from Akane's bed last night. And, to top it all off, he and Akane hadn't gotten into a fight at all today. Nope, nothing could ruin this good mood. Not even changing into a girl.
"RANMA! Come here!"
Okay, so maybe one thing could. Ranma cringed as he heard his father's voice from inside the dojo. He'd had to stay after school today for some extra help in Math so Akane had had to walk home alone. She'd been perfectly fine with this, happy in fact, that he was finally getting some help with studies, but his father didn't feel the same. He was probably going to get a lecture about how, as her fiancé, it was his duty to see to it that she was safe. Sighing he slid open the door to the dojo, prepared to defend himself.
"Look I'm sorry Pops but I had to stay after school for something. And besides, Akane was okay with-" He stopped abruptly as the door slid open fully, exposing the inside of dojo.
It was decorated with flowers and red and white paper streamers. Both his father and Akane's were standing in the center of the room beaming, each holding a bottle of sake in their hands. Akane stood off to the side glaring at the men with the same glare that made Ranma want to run for his life. The father's, still oblivious to Akane's glare, slid apart so that Ranma could see the priest standing behind them, looking absolutely confused. Akane's attention was drawn to the priest as well and her scowl deepened. Immediately Ranma knew what was going on.
"Pops?" His voice was threatening but Genma took no notice.
"Isn't it great Ranma? We got this priest to come out and he's willing to marry you and Akane right now!"
"WHAT!" Ranma was floored. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Our fathers," Akane hissed the word icily, "decided they were done waiting. They were even so thoughtful as to call the priest. Without asking us."
"No way Pops." Ranma shook his head. "No way." Ranma braced himself for Akane's anger but nothing came.
"Yeah Dad, no way."
Ranma looked at Akane in surprise, she was agreeing with him. "Hey!"
Akane looked at Ranma for a moment before turning back to her father. "I'm so sick of you two trying to force us into marriage! You listen and you listen good! YOU TOO MR. SAOTOME!" Akane snapped at Genma, who was trying to sneak away. "If, if, Ranma and I decide we want to get married it'll be when we want it to be. Not when you want it."
Beside her Ranma just nodded stupidly. Akane had never really tried to tell their parents off before but, then again, they'd never gone so far as to actually get a priest before.
"Do you understand now Daddy?"
Soun seemed to think it over. "Alright Akane, not today then."
Akane smiled. "Thank you Dad." She turned and walked out of the dojo.
Ranma stared after her in shock. She'd actually gotten their father's to listen to her. To understand what they agreed upon a while ago. If it was going to happen, it was going to happen. But on their terms, not on their fathers. Ranma shook his head to shake himself from his stupor and turned to see his dad dismissing the priest.
"Ah well we tried Tendo." Genma slung an around Soun's shoulder.
"Indeed we did Saotome."
"Back to the drawing board then?"
"Of course!"
Ranma just shook his head and left the dojo. His dad would never learn. He stepped up to the kio pond and began to run through some katana exercises. He was just getting into them when he heard Happosai's cackling laughter coming closer. Ranma sighed, knowing that this was going to be nothing but trouble.
"Ranma my boy!" Happosai called to him as he hopped over to him. "Look what I've got! Look what I've got!"
Ranma studied the case Happosai held out in his hands. "What is it?"
"Why don't you recognize it?" Ranma shook his head. "It's another Brocade Butterfly!"
Ranma thought for a minute. Brocade Butterfly? Why did that sound so familiar...his eyes widened as he remembered. "You mean that rainbow ink or whatever?"
Happosai nodded happily. "I've got another case of it! Now I just need to find a lovely lady to help me out. Hmmm, let's see." He seemed to be thinking it over. "I got your lovely breast prints last time so maybe this time I'll use Akane's!"
Ranma planted his fist into Happosai's face. "I don't think so Gramps." He plucked the case from his hands. "Let's see you try anything without this." He took off in a sprint.
"RANMA!" Happosai chased after him. "Give me back that ink!"
Ranma looked back and laughed, sticking his town out as he sprinted through the house. "Not on your life old man!"
"Give me that ink!" Happosai, too busy yelling at Ranma, failed to notice the opening door in front of him.
Ranma smirked as Happosai slammed into, sliding down to the floor, only half conscious. From the other side of the door Kasumi put her hand to her cheek.
"Oh my! I do hope grandfather Happosai will be alright."
"Don't worry." Ranma assured her. "The old man won't be out for long."
He took of down the hallway again, looking for a place to hide. Where's the last place the old man would expect me to be? He spotted a yellow duck hanging on a door and inspiration hit. Happosai would never look for him in Akane's room, especially since he wanted Akane's breast print.
"Hey Akane!" He called as he began sprinting towards her door. "You're ain't gettin' changed or nothin' are ya?"
He heard a muffled 'no' and threw open her door, throwing himself in her room and slamming the door closed behind him. Akane looked up at him from her bed, closing her notebook, and stared at him quizzically.
"What's going on Ranma?"
Ranma held up the case of ink. "Look familiar?"
Akane sighed. "Not another Brocade Butterfly."
Ranma nodded, sitting down on her floor. "Yeah, Happosai got his hands on more rainbow ink."
Akane shook her head and slid off the bed, leaving the notebook she'd been working on earlier resting on the sheets. She walked over to Ranma. "Let me see it." He handed her the case. She walked over to the closet and pulled out a brown cardboard box. Opening it she began to rustle through its contents.
Ranma looked over at her curiously. "What are you doing?"
"Hiding the ink of course. This is my winter clothes, Happosai will never look in there." She placed the ink case in between two bulky sweaters and smiled. "That should keep it safely hidden."
Ranma chuckled. "Most girls hide stuff in their underwear drawers."
Akane smiled. "True. But most girls don't live with Happosai either."
Ranma nodded in agreement and walked over to her bed. He picked up what he thought had been a notebook and turned it over, surprised to see that it said sketchbook on the cover.
"Hey 'Kane? What's this?" He held up the book.
To his surprise Akane blushed. "It's nothing Ranma, just a sketchbook that's all."
Ranma blinked. "Really? I didn't know you could draw."
Akane blushed harder. "Well I'm really not that good..." She trailed off as Ranma flipped open the cover and looked at the first picture inside.
"Whoa...Akane this is really good. It look's just like Kasumi and Dr. Tofu."
Akane nodded, that particular sketchbook had been strictly for portraits of people. The first one was of Kasumi, smiling brightly, her hands clasped together in front of her. Beside her Dr. Tofu stood with his right hand giving a thumbs up. His glasses, for once, not fogged up.
"Would you mind if I looked at the rest of them?" Ranma asked gesturing to the book.
Akane slowly shook her head and stood up, moving to join him on the bed. "No, go ahead."
Ranma flipped the page over to see a sketch of Nabiki holding a camera in one hand and some yen in the other. The next was a picture of Mr. Tendo smiling brightly his arm around a pretty lady Ranma didn't know.
"Who's this girl in the picture with your dad?"
Akane leaned over to see what he was talking about. "Oh, that's my mom. At least that's what she looked like before she died."
Ranma nodded, not entirely sure what he should say to that. "Oh. You have her smile." Akane blushed at his words but said nothing. Instead she just watched him flip the page over.
Ranma studied the pictures Akane had drawn. They were all really good. There was one of Ukyo and Ryoga and even the Golden Pair they'd fought on the ice rink a while back. He flipped to the next picture and was surprised. It was a picture of him and his girl half, back to back, holding hands. He smiled and showed the picture to Akane.
"You drew me?"
Akane blushed and nodded. "I did it with everyone that has a curse."
Ranma nodded and flipped the page. Next was a picture of his father fighting his panda form for a bowl of ramen. Ranma laughed, it was something his father would do. There was also a picture of Shampoo cradling her cat form in her arms and stroking it. Both girl and feline had a sly smile on their faces. The next picture was of Mousse standing in a shallow pool of water. His duck form, glasses and all, was swimming in circles by his feet. He turned to the next page and smiled.
Akane had obviously taken more time and care when drawing this picture because it wasn't quite as rough as the other sketches. It was herself and Ranma, back to back, sitting on the ground and looking forward. Their left hands were resting gently on the ground at their sides and they were smiling. Behind them stood Mr. Tendo and Mr. Saotome, their arms wrapped around each other's shoulders and grinning broadly. To the left of them Kasumi stood, her hands clasped together again. And to their right Nabiki was squatting down sticking out her tongue and holding up her right hand in a peace sign. Over everyone were the words 'My Family'.
Ranma studied the picture more carefully, something was off about it but he couldn't place what it was. He was about to ask when he heard Happosai calling from down the hallway, obviously out for revenge.
He shut the book and stood up. "I'd better leave before Happosai finds me."
Akane nodded. "Okay."
Ranma looked back at the book and then at Akane. "Would you mind if I took this with me? I wanna keep looking at it."
Akane seemed to think it over before finally smiling. "Sure Ranma, just give it back when you're done."
Ranma scooped it up and nodded. He climbed onto her desk, sliding her window open as he did so. He grabbed the edge of the roof and swung himself up and out of sight. He swung back down, hanging upside down, and smiled.
"Oh and keep that rainbow ink. Draw something amazing with it, okay?"
Then he was up and out of sight.
It wasn't until after dinner that Ranma finally got a chance to be alone and look over Akane's pictures at his own leisure. He'd spent most of the afternoon running from Happosai and refusing to tell where he'd hidden his precious rainbow ink. Just before dinner though he'd told Akane that, with the last of the ink, she should draw Happosai a picture and leave it for him in his room, unsigned. Akane had giggled and agreed.
But now, finally, it was just him. His father was still downstairs with Mr. Tendo, and Happosai had given up bothering him, for now, and was admiring his lovely 'collection'. He pulled out the sketchbook and flipped it to the page he'd left off at. The one that Akane had entitled 'My Family'. There was still something that seemed off about the picture but he decided to finish looking at the rest of her pictures before he tried to figure out what was bothering him.
The next few pictures were just more portraits of people, Akane's friends from school, and the various people they had met on their many journeys. There was even on picture of Akane giving a peace sign, the vengeful doll that had overshadowed her body sitting on her shoulder, grinning almost evilly. The last picture in the book made him laugh.
It was an unfinished drawing; obviously the one Akane had been working on when he'd barged in earlier. It was the priest from this afternoon fleeing the dojo in terror while both himself and Akane chased him away. Her father was standing at the door crying and what looked like the lower half of his father was standing next to him.
Smiling, he flipped back to the family picture and let his eyes roam over it, looking for something that seemed out of place. Kasumi looked as normal as ever, her grin happy and carefree. Their father's weren't doing anything out of the ordinary either. Nothing on Nabiki seemed out of place, although he still wasn't entirely used to her smirk-free smile. Nothing usual about it. There was him and Akane, back to back, hands out stretched and...
That was it!
His eyes bugged at the realization of just what had been so off about the picture. It was the last thing he'd expected but he couldn't shake off the warm feeling that was spreading through his body. Or the reddening of his cheeks. Someday, he realized, it would happen. But for now he'd just be content to look at the picture. He grinned as he looked down at the Ranma and Akane in the drawing.
They were wearing wedding bands.
There ya go! A, hopefully, cute one shot! Please R&R and tell me what you think!