Ranma held her. He did it. He finally did it. His developed feelings for Akane have been revealed to her. He was happy.. But the stress has yet to be released.
He buried his face into her shoulder, and tears began to well into his eyes. His thoughts caused him to go insane at times with himself. Why was he so scared? He had nothing to worry about now. Well, maybe he did...
"Akane... I'm.. I'm sorry, I.. was afraid you-.." Ranma couldn't believe what he was saying. Could he really trust Akane? What if she didn't feel the same way? The tears began to get bigger and bigger, and soon they ran loose, running down his face, and landing on Akane's shoulder. Why would he say such a thing? How could he do this to himself? He sacrificed his secrets for her love. He hoped that his dad and Soun weren't listening in as they usually tried to. "Oh, Ranma.." Akane could only believe him at this point, as the warm tears builded up on her shoulder. She thought of what she usually called him. You big dummy. With that in mind, she held him tighter into her, wishing he had told her earlier. She also let out tears of her own into his neck and chest. They cried together silently, as the rain beated at her window softly.
Even though the cries were silent, Nabiki heard them from the other room. I wonder what's going on now. Can't be too good, she thought.
After they had stopped, they only held each other. Akane broke the silence, by slightly pulling him away. "Where were you?" She asked. Ranma sighed, and looked up at her. "I was thinking about everything. Everything between us and everyone. I mean, you may be violent, stubborn, built like a mule, and your cooking isn't always the greatest-" "Yeah? So what Ranma? Is this all some kind of joke to you?" Ranma shook his head, nervously. "No, I-I didn't mean it like that. I mean, you're... you can be cute at times. Okay? And so what, maybe I'm a bit jealous here and there. But.."
Akane's eyes beamed at what Ranma had said. The truth was all coming out. She hoped she wasn't dreaming, or that some kind of truth serum wasn't hooked onto him, like all the other times.
Ranma held one of her hands with both of his, and looked up at her. "You can't tell anyone about this... Please, Akane." Ranma could feel how much pain he went through to admit his feelings. So many questions about it ran through his head. Why did he do it? How? Should he have? Sooner or later it would've happened, he concluded. "U-Uh.. Okay, Ranma.. " Akane quickly stopped, blinked, and looked back at him. She was yet too scared to tell him how she felt. A long silence was brought to an end when Kasumi called everyone for dinner.
Ranma and Akane sat near each other on the table, whilst Genma, and Happosai on the other side. Kasumi on one end of the table, and Soun on the the other. Rice in bowls with tea, and some bean buns decorated the plates on the table. Ranma ate way slower than normal, and Genma was starting to notice. Though, he didn't mention it. Akane, barely ate anything. She felt so embarrassed, and there was way less bickering than normal, without them arguing.
The dining room was dimly lit, with only the stirring and tapping of chopsticks heard from the family. A strong wind blew from outside, tearing out flowers from the ground as it rolled past. The sky grew darker, and the clouds began to coat it. A thunderstorm began to ensue.
"So, Mr. Saotome, when do you bet the weather will cease?" Genma replied to Soun's question. "Probably by morning. It's pretty strong, is it not, Tendo?" "Quite so, Genma." Then, Happosai looked up at the two, and began to turn away from the table. "Excuse me, but I must go on my daily run. Can't forget to exercise!" They both sighed, and let the small older man be on his way, dashing to his room to get supplies.
Akane then, backed away from the table. "I'm.. I'm not hungry." Nabiki smirked at Akane as she said that, lifting her chopsticks from her rice, before taking a bean bun. "More for us." Akane left and headed upstairs in a rush. Ranma took a bean bun willingly from the middle plate on the table and ate it slowly as well. 'Why does it have to be so awkward? What do I do now?' Ranma needed more time to think, as he nibbled on his bean bun. "Listen boy, you'll malnourish if you eat like that." Ranma looked over at his father angrily. "You're the only one who doesn't need to worry about malnourishing, Pop!" Ranma ate quickly, until his bowl was clean. "Hmph." He left the table, standing up from his cushion to walk down the even darker hall. The moon could barely be seen through the clouds. Ranma began to stride out of the house, and move into the dojo next door. He slipped back onto his shoes, trying to avoid the rain as he ran through it all. He opened the door and went inside. Maybe he needed to train, to take off his mind, just for a little bit..
Ranma began to swing, and kick at the air, with grace and dance in his rhythm of fighting. Then, he charged his power into his hands. "Aghhh! Kachu Tenshi Amiguriken!" Ranma's hands blended into a cloud, a fury of bone and flesh, enhanced by his power. His nimbleness enabled him to improve his Kachu Tenshi Amiguriken, for a long period of time. His power depleted, and soon, Ranma held onto his knees, bent over, taking a breath. Suddenly, he heard a voice.
"Wore out already?"
"Ryoga!?"
"Here, let me help you train."
Ryoga slipped through the door, and walked into the dojo, closing it behind him. Ryoga had a small scar on the side of his cheek, but otherwise, he was still the same love-bound adventurer. Something told Ranma that he's improved through training. Ryoga walked slowly to the middle of the dojo, across from Ranma. "How long did it take you to get here, Ryoga?" Ranma smirked at him, as he took fighting position, one fist in front, the other being his left hand curled in a fist near his chest. "None of your business, Ranma. But I wanna see how you like some new skills I've achieved." "Oh really? You'll still never be able to take me, Ryoga." Ranma chuckled softly and deviously while Ryoga ran him with a fist clenched. "We'll see about that! Hiyaah!" Ryoga continued to throw punches at Ranma, while he dodged the incoming blows.
"What's the matter, Ranma? Fight like a man!" Ranma then proceeded to make a sweepkick at Ryoga's ankles, breaking Ryoga's focus on his hands, to bend backward and catch himself before he fell. Ryoga then sprung off his hand, to land his feet on Ranma's chest. "Toh!" Ranma felt Ryoga's feet knock him in his chest, and it slammed him back on the ground. Soon, he sat back up slowly, his face twitching from ignorance. So he has learned something new.. But there's no way after 14 years of training that I can lose to him! He jumped to his feet and sent an elbow going towards Ryoga, that was dodged, following a series of palms to another effort at a Kachu Tenshi Amiguriken. Ryoga was pummeled from the front, but his ability to take pain had increased.
"Aghh.. You'll pay for that, Ranma!" Ryoga came back to his toes and quickly span back near his opponent's range. "Haah!" He jumped, spun around and sent a kick to Ranma's chest, which was blocked by Ranma's right arm. "It's not like you to take risks." Ranma grabbed Ryoga's ankle with both hands, and circled Ryoga around him, around and around. "Waaaaaaah!" Ryoga's ankle was free from Ranma's grasp, but he flew like a bird, and crashed into the wooden wall of the dojo, making a large and thick crack in it.
"At least learn to use your techniques before you use them, Ryoga. That way it'll be a little harder to beat you." Ranma smiled, and Ryoga stood up, growling. "Oh yeah?" Ryoga began to think of Akane and his hardships. "Shi-Shi Hokodan!" A big ball of ki ; the light so blinding, emitting from Ryoga's hands. Ranma almost instanly shouts out a counter. "Moko Takabisha!" The two identical balls of energy collided, and in seconds, a large explosion with black smoke coming from the destruction. Ranma
searched for the bandana wearer through the blinding smog. The young men both sent punches and kicks to each other, with constant blocks and misses. Without Ryoga quite knowing, Ranma punched him the jaw, his arm covered in thick pinkish battle aura.
The opposing man left the smoke, and spiraled downward to the ground once more, on the far side of the dojo. As far as Ranma could see when the burnt air cleared, he was knocked unconscious. "Training's over. Closing up the dojo."
