Avatar Alchemist
Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 or it's characters do not belong to me but to the great Rumiko Takahashi. Please don't sue.
Akane looked out her window and sighed. She was tired of everything. Ranma was always so mean to her and she was sure he didn't love her the only reason he agreed to marry her was because he wanted a roof over his head and not because he loved her or could ever love her. He was always calling her a names and fighting with her...and...It always hurt so much.
::I suppose I could tell him about it. If I were ever to really need him he would be there for me, so if I ask him to hear me out and be a little more...:: She smiled bitterly. She wasn't even sure of what she wanted from him.
"Akane! Hurry up will ya? Do you want us to be late?" Ranma yelled. He burst in her room but before he could say anything she strode by him, her face saddened, "What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing," she answered plainly and walked on, "C'mon, we're going to be late."
Ranma sat in class doodling in his notebook. He looked over at Akane. There had to be something wrong with her. She'd been really quite this morning on the way to school. She hadn't even said anything when he started picking on her not to mention she'd been absent minded all day. She kept answering questions wrong and all she did was stare out the window as if...
The bell rang for their lunch break and Ranma watched as Akane took out her lunch and began to stand but then she sat back down and put her lunch away again.
"Akane, won't you join us outside today?" one of the other girls asked.
"No, I don't feel like going outside today but don't mind me you guys can go right ahead," she said with a faint smile.
The girls smiled and waved 'bye' as they walked out of the classroom.
"Hey, Ranma, you stayin' in, too?" one of the guys asked.
"Nah, just gimme a sec," he said and stood as soon as the room was empty. He walked over to Akane and sat on the desk in front of her, "Hey,,,"
"What do you want Ranma?" Akane asked but refused to look over at him.
"I was just wonderin...Um...Are you ok?"
"Oh, Ranma, c'mon. Since when do you care if I'm ok or not?"
Ranma gave Akane a weird look. He was used to her being mad at him and answering like that but this time she wasn't mad. It was something completely different. He wasn't used to this reaction. He didn't like to see her like this. She seemed so...so sad.
"All right. Fine. I get it. I'll see you later," Ranma said and walked out of the classroom.
Akane turned to the classroom door and saw Ranma head outside. She grabbed her bag and ran out to the roof. She sat down in a corner and hugged her knees. She put her head down in between her knees and began to cry. ::Why do you act like you care? Why can't you make it easy for me to hate you?::
"Akane Tendo?"
Akane looked up to look at Tatewaki Kuno. She wiped at her tears quickly and stood, "What do you want Kuno?"
"Actually I was up here training with my katana when you just rushed out. I came to see if you were all right. I don't believe such a beautiful face should be stained by tears...Ever," he said and tried to touch Akane's cheek but she moved away.
"I'm sorry I bothered your training. I'll leave now," Akane grabbed her bag again and began to turn away when Kuno grabbed her arm.
"Akane Tendo, you should know by now that having you around is never a bother. If you wish to free your tears then allow me to leave you here in peace," he said and this time he began to leave.
"Kuno, why do you like me? Don't you think I'm ugly and a tomboy and...and..."
"I've heard Ranma utter those words but believe me...his words are empty...Akane Tendo I have come to a realization. You are not for me and if I am a man of honor then I shall accept my loss," he looked down at Akane and smiled genuinely.
"What do you mean?" Akane asked but Kuno said nothing as he walked back inside the building.
Akane walked along the sidewalk as Ranma walked on a fence. The whole day seemed like a dream. It was all so hazy...And that conversation with Kuno. It was almost too crazy to believe that Kuno would really give her up. Or maybe he didn't want her because he really did think she was an ugly tomboy. It was just that when he said it all he seemed so...so...Honest.
"Akane..."
Akane looked up at Ranma and realized she'd been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she had obviously missed their turn.
"Geez, what's up with you today?" Ranma asked as he jumped down from the fence and landed beside her.
"Nothing, is wrong with me could you stop asking?" Akane answered.
Ranma said nothing. He stopped walking and let her go on by herself. Maybe she really did hate him that much. He just didn't understand. Soun and Genma both knew that the relationship was bound to end up in a lot of pain and disaster. Though, he had to admit that sometimes even he thought, they were going somewhere. She could be really lovable sometimes and even though she wasn't much of a house wife when it came down to martial arts he never doubted her. Did he love her? Maybe. He'd never really gotten the chance to find out if what he felt for her was love or just some sort of...::Man, what am I thinking? Me in love with Akane? Anything is possible I guess but the question is: Does she love me?::
He started to walk again when Ryoga intercepted him.
"Ranma! Prepare to meet your doom!" he lashed at Ranma with his parasol but he missed and the next moment Ranma had counter-attacked and knocked Ryoga unconscious.
Ranma held Ryoga in his arms, "This day keeps getting better and better."
As if on cue thunder rumbled and a heavy rain started up. (Note: Ranma is now a girl and will be referred to as such.)
Ranma looked at Ryoga who was now P-chan and grunted, "Spoke too soon but since you're here I might as well take you home. Akane hasn't seen you in weeks maybe you can chear her up."
Ranma gathered up Ryoga's wet clothes and bag and continued home.
"Ranma,you're going to catch a cold. You should've walked home with Akane she made it home just before the rain began to fall," Kasumi said and handed Ranma a towel.
"Yeah, well, I got caught up. I'll go change," Ranma said and walked into her room. She dropped Ryoga's stuff in a corner tied P-chan up so he wouldn't sneak away.
She decided to take a warm bath instead of just changing and walked to the bathroom but she heard noises from inside. She was about to knock when the noise got louder and she realized it was sobbing. She backed away from the door. Ranma knew from past experiences that it was deadly to listen to others cry. If they wanted you to know they were crying then they'd do it openly in front of you but if they don't want you to see them crying then you better run and hide.
Nabiki, came around the corner and looked at Ranma as she stood before the bathroom, "Akane is in there."
Ranma nodded absently, "I'll just get some hot water from the kitchen."
"You do that," Nabiki said and gave Ranma a weird look as she walked past her.
Ranma went to the kitchen and took a kettle of boiling water from the stove. She dumped it on herself and refilled it so it could boil again...just in case. He went back to his room and found an angry P-chan pulling at the rope that had him tied to the wall.
P-chan began to squeal angrily. He tried to go at Ranma despite the fact that he was tied up.
Ranma sighed. He couldn't believe he had almost forgotten about him. He walked over to him and kneeled in front of him, "All right. I'm going to untie you and I'll even take you up to Akane just shut up."
P-chan glared at Ranma but became silent.
Ranma picked him up. He couldn't believe he was offering to take him up to her. When he new well that he would be taking pleasure in sharing a bed with her, his fianceé, "You're lucky I'm taking you. I could've just put you on a bus and let you get lost for another month or two."
P-chan snorted and wiggled a little to set himself free but Ranma held him tight as he approached Akane's room.
Ranma got to Akane's door and knocked. He waited for Akane to come and open the door but when she didn't he opened the door and peaked in, "Akane are you in here?"
He saw her on the bed and sighed.
"I wanted to find her awake," he whispered to P-chan, "You might as well go on in. She'll be happy to see you when she wakes up."
Ranma let the pig down and watched as it made it's way onto Akane's bed and into her arms. If he hated anyone at this moment it was that damned pig. He could just tell Akane the truth but then she would hate them both so what was the point.
He finally tore himself away from the sight and turned to leave. He closed the door and saw Nabiki coming out of her room. She gave him the same look she had given him earlier, "I was only returning P-chan. I found him earlier."
Nabiki shrugged, "Akane's asleep...Does you no good if praise was what you were looking for."
Ranma smiled, that had been what he had been hoping for. He wanted to be on Akane's good side again. He didn't want her to be mad at him. He looked at Nabiki, "I never get praise from her for anything I do so why should I get any for returning that stupid pig to her."
Nabiki smiled, "For the right price I could..."
"Forget it..." Ranma said and left her standing there.
Nabiki blinked a couple of times then shrugged, ::I had no idea of how to get her to praise him anyways.::
Akane hugged P-chan to her chest and began to sob quietly, "Ranma..."
P-chan opened his eyes and looked at Akane's face. She hadn't been asleep. She was only pretending because she hadn't wanted to let Ranma see her tears...Tears she cried for him.
Akane stood and turned on a small light on her desk. She went back to the bed and sat with her back against the wall. She hugged her knees and looked down at P-chan through soggy eye-lashes. She reached out and scratched him behind his ears.
P-chan, whimpered and moved to nudge Akane's leg.
"Oh, P-chan. I've tried to hide its for too long. I love him but how I wish I didn't. I wish I could love Ryoga or Kuno or anyone that wasn't Ranma. It hurts so much but I just can't love anyone that isn't Ranma. I can't love Kuno or Ryoga because I'd be fooling myself and how could I do that to them? If only..." she put her head down and began to sob some more, "If only he cared...just a little."
P-chan waited for Akane to fall asleep before he left the room. No easy task when he had no hands to open the door. He nudged it open with his nose and stumbled out then nudged it back closed. He raced down to Ranma's room and repeated the same sequence with the door to get inside the room. He jumped on Ranma's stomach and bite him a couple of times.
"What the...," Ranma sat up and grabbed P-chan.
P-chan squealed and wriggled to get free but failed.
Ranma woke up fully and opened his eyes, "Oh, it's just you."
He rolled over on his side and went back to sleep.
P-chan squealed with anger and looked around for something to try and throw at Ranma. He spotted a pitcher of water and ran to it. Little by little he edged it towards Ranma and then gave it a final push.
"Ack! Cold!" Ranma yelled and stood in a hurry, squishing P-chan under her foot, "You damned pig! What the hell do you want?"
She picked him up and threw him across the room, "I hope that water is still in the fire. You stay here. I'll bring you some don't worry."
P-chan watched her leave. The words Akane had uttered were in his brain whirling around like a cyclone. Never before had she said them. He didn't even remember seeing her cry.
Ranma walked back in the room with a kettle of hot water. He poured it over P-chan and laid back down, "Go away now."
"Ranma...We need to have one last battle," Ryoga said from the dark corner where his clothes had been.
"It's 1am. I'm tired. I have to go to school tomorrow. Why don't we pretend we did fight and I won that way you don't actually have to lose to me like you always do," Ranma said and yawned.
"Ranma, if I lose I will accept it. I've never denied my losses but in order for me to leave and let it all go I have to lose in an honorable fight."
Ranma sat up and looked over at Ryoga, "What the hell are talking about?"
Ryoga looked down at his hands, "Don't question me!"
He stood walked outside.
Ranma stood and followed him, "All right one last battle but if..."
"Silence. When the battle is over if you indeed are victorious I will leave and vow to never again bother your fianceé," Ryoga said and took battle stance.
Ranma snickered, "I have no clue what you're talking about. I never asked you to stay away from her. Don't let me get in the way of what you two have going."
They fought it out and within a couple of minutes the whole thing was finished.
Ranma watched as Ryoga sat up. That fight had hardly been fair. Ryoga hadn't put any effort in trying to win. His mind had been miles away from the Tendo home, "What gives Ryoga? You ask for a fight that you don't bother to win and where did all this staying away from my fianceé come from? Have you finally lost your mind?"
Ryoga began to cry out of rage and he hit the floor, "I swear if you ever make Akane miserable I will come back and kill you."
Ranma sighed, "Ryoga I still have no idea what the hell you're talking about. I gotta get some sleep. Go get lost or something."
"She loves you y'know..." Ryoga called after Ranma.
Ranma turned slowly and stood watching Ryoga, "What did you just-"
"She told me...Well, she told P-chan. She said she can't love anyone that isn't you. She loves you so much it hurts her. So much she could never love me. I've never even had a chance at obtaining her love. I suppose I could kill you but I couldn't stand causing her more pain. I love her and so I'll leave to let her be with you but I swear if you ever make her miserable..." he let his voice die away and he went to pick up his bag.
Ranma looked up to Akane's window, "Akane..."
"I'll be leaving now. Another day I will return. Perhaps I'll forget that she loves you and we will fight again," Ryoga said and he dashed off into the darkness.
Ranma smiled. This was all so insane. Ryoga had given up Akane because she had said she could only love...him.::What happens now?::
Akane woke up and looked around for P-chan. When she didn't find him she decided to hurry and get ready for school so she could go on without Ranma. She really didn't feel like talking to him. She felt weird being around him. She had been so off yesterday. She wondered what he thought.
Ranma was about to leave the house when Akane showed up on the porch, "Oh...um...Hi."
"Hi, were you leaving without me?" Akane asked but then regreted it. Why should she care?
"Well, yeah, but only 'cause you seemed so mad at me yesterday. I didn't want to bother you or nothin'," Ranma said and smiled nervously.
"Oh, well..."
"No matter, since we're both ready to go we might as well walk together," Ranma said.
"Sure."
They walked in silence for a long while until Ranma gathered his guts and stopped. He grabbed her arm and turned her to face him.
"Ranma, what the..." Akane stopped and stared at Ranma's big dark eyes. They were so serious and full of something Akane did not recognize.
"Akane, I'm sorry," Ranma said. He had no idea how to say what he was thinking in his mind. How do you put in words what you feel when you discover the one person you've been looking for all your life has been at your side? How do you tell them you love them without making it seem fake?
"Ranma, what are you talking about. I wasn't mad at you so you can just-"
"No, Akane, not for yesterday but for everyday. I'm sorry for the way I've treated you. I'm sorry for not noticing...you," Ranma said, hoping it didn't sound as corny to her as it did to him.
"Ranma..."
"Akane, this isn't the time or the place but I had to get it off my chest. I had to tell you before I suffocate on what I feel. I know you suck at cooking and cleaning and, well, anything else that has to do with a house but I would still be very honored if someday you would become my wife," Ranma said. He felt like he was about to fall over and die. Had he just said all that crap? Why couldn't he just say something like, well, something that didn't come out of a corny love movie.
"Ranma, why are you saying all this? Are you sick?" Akane said and stepped back. She placed her hand on Ranma's cheek to feel his temperature but although he was getting quite red he didn't feel hot.
Ranma almost fell over, ::She thinks I'm crazy. Great.::
Ranma placed his hand over Akane's and closed his eyes, "I love you."
Akane's eyes widened and she looked around. Was anyone else around? Camaras, maybe from some jokester TV show? Had she heard right? ::First he apologizes, then he says he wants me to be his wife, then he tells me he loves me...I've got to dreaming.::
Akane punched Ranma in the gut. She watched as he fell over in pain, "Did it hurt?"
Ranma twitched a little and stood up straight,"What was that for?"
"Did it hurt?" Akane repeated.
"Well, yeah," Ranma answered. What the hell was going on?
"So I'm not dreaming?" Akane said silently.
Ranma almost fell over again, "You're supposed to hit yourself not others!"
Akane's eyes began to water.
"Oh, no, don't cry. I'm sorry," Ranma said and took Akane in his arms.
"Ranma...you really love me?"
"I guess I do, either that or I'm having a nightmare," he said and laughed lightly.
Akane pulled away, "You little..."
"Ha ha joking but I've been wondering...What happens now, Akane? What to we do from here? I still don't understand a lot of this."
Akane took Ranma's hand and she began to walk towards school, "I don't know what happens later but for now we've got to make it to school on time."
Ranma smiled at Akane. He liked this feeling. It was like everything was ok. Nothing and no one else mattered as he walked down the street hand in hand with his fianceé. Not his curse, not his training, not Ryoga or Shampoo...Nothing. Everything was fine in the world and this feeling was something he could definitely get used to...Akane's cooking on the other hand. =o= Yay! throws confetti
Ok this might have sucked a little...ok a lot but hey it's mine and I like it so bleh! . [ Update ] Some of you want me to keep this going but I don't think I can. I honestly don't know how. .; Anyways, just so you know it's not going to be updated unless people keep telling me to do so.