Ranma 1/2- Burning with Jealousy- semi long story- rated T (for violent thoughts and actions on Ranma's thoughts)

summary: Ranma has slowly been burning up with jealousy ever since he's met Akane and other people have been after her- a fact that he was unaware of until it boils over. How can you control your own jealousy? and what if Akane finds out? a RanmaxAkane story, obviously

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Before I start the chapter, I just wanted to thank Kei for the review and information (and the reason I'm doing it here is because I don't have an e-mail or something else to contact him by). Where'd you learn all that, anyway? And thank you, 162eRI, Kaywi, and leuralia, for the reviews. I had no way to contact you guys either. Also, thank you, everyone else, for reviewing as well. You don't know how happy it made me to get so many reviews so quickly.

and now, on with the story...

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Chapter Two: Slowly Simmering- enter Mikado Sanzenin

The classes were boring, as usual, and Ranma occupied his time by plotting ways to get back at Ryoga later on that day. He was no longer even contemplating the fact that he was having such harsh thoughts towards the pig boy, and he hadn't even given a second thought about how he had dealt with his reaction to Kuno earlier on in the day.

Akane, meanwhile, was watching Ranma with a careful eye as she took notes, trying to be as unobvious as possible. He sat in easy view during class, so it wasn't hard. But by lunch, she still didn't even have a guess why Ranma was acting so differently lately. She was almost ready to dismiss it as a case of getting up on the wrong side of bed. And considering that he had a father like he did sleeping next to him, he was more than entitled to a few of them.

As Akane was packing up to go home, she happened to look up and see Ranma leaning on the doorway, waiting to walk her home, as always. But his mind seemed to be elsewhere. He looked like he was staring at something far away. Ranma, deep in thought? Akane shook her head. It was practically unheard of. And when he did use his brain, nothing good ever came of it. But then again, today seemed to be an odd day in general where Ranma was concerned. So far, he hadn't even teased her. Akane sent a short prayer up to kami, hoping that the world wasn't coming to an end.

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Their walk home was silent, with only the sounds of their footsteps, or rather, Akane's footsteps, on the pavement (since Ranma was on the fence per usual) keeping it from being completely quiet. As they traveled, Akane's mind ran with all sorts of questions and things that she wanted to say to Ranma, all having to do with his behavior with Kuno. Of course, it wouldn't be surprising to find out that he had just gotten fed up with the idiot. Even Ranma had his limits. But still... it had almost felt as if there was more to it than simply being tired of fighting a pointless battle. Could there possibly be another reason why he had treated the kendoist so coldly? It probably had nothing to do with the fact that Kuno was in love (supposedly) with Ranma's girl half, only because it had been going on for too long for it to really bother Ranma anymore, though she was sure that it annoyed him. It annoyed her too, but that wasn't relevant to the matter at hand.

Akane was so deeply in thought that she didn't recognize danger approaching until it was almost upon her. Literally.

"Akane Tendo! I shall steal your lips!"

The danger's name was Mikado Sanzenin.

Immediately, Ranma landed in front of her, effectively shielding her from the boy just as he got within two feet of her- just in the nick of time. Akane breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Back off, Sanzenin."Ranma said, and Akane could almost swear that he growled. She looked up at his face then (or, more so, around his shoulder from behind him, up to his face). At the moment, she didn't care that Ranma was acting all macho around her, which she normally hit him for it. She was too busy mentally chastising herself for not noticing that Mikado had been near. Almost close enough to kiss. She shuddered at the thought of what could of happened if Ranma hadn't jumped in when he did.

"Ah, Saotome." Mikado said, his voice cold as his eyes met his rivals. "As rude as ever, I see."

Ranma just glared at him, and Akane noticed that his right hand was hung loosely at his side, deliberately innocent. She knew only too well how he could spring into action in an instant, and Mikado wouldn't have a prayer if that happened. Defeating Saffron had proved how good Ranma was- strong enough to kill a god (excluding, of course, the fact that said god had been reborn). All Mikado had to do was hit the wrong button, and Ranma, for all his laid-back ease, now wound up tighter than she'd ever seen him before, would most definitely attack and turn him black and blue. She didn't like Mikado- a far cry from it- but she didn't want to see him beat up until he was half dead in front of her either.

She put her hand on Ranma's right arm, knowing for certain that he'd never punch with it if she touched it, trusting that he wouldn't all the same, and held it firmly in her grasp.

"What are you doing here, Mikado?" Ranma finally said, his voice deceivingly even- the only thing that let her know that he was aware of what she had done. Akane hadn't even known that he could pull that tone off, but he did. She felt the muscles in his arm ripple, as if testing his strength, or warning her to let go og him. She tightened her grip instead. Akane knew that no matter how angry Ranma got, he'd never physically harm her. But she wasn't stupid. Ranma was angry, for some reason. Really angry. And you'd have to be really stupid to interfere with him when he was like that. She wouldn't bluntly interfere. But she could let him know without words that she didn't want him to fight. And hopefully, that would be enough.

"I am here for Akane." Mikado replied, flipping his bangs with a flip of his wrist and turning his head to the side in amotion that he probably practiced in front of the mirror on a daily basis. "My matters do not concern you."

"I told you once already, Sanzenin. Lay a lip on her, and I'd kill you." Ranma growled out, shocking Akane. She remembered the day that he did that, how he had stood in front of her that day too, protecting her from Mikado's kiss then as well, his eyes just a fierce. She remembered her heart skipping a beat then, as it did now. But movement under her hands brought her back to the present, and Akane looked back up at Ranma.

She saw him, clenched jaw and hard eyes, the muscles under her hand no longer relaxed, but tense, ready, and knew he'd do it, that he'd kill Sanzenin. And she had no idea why. She was startled, stunned- unable to believe the transformation that had just happened before her eyes, seeing a side of Ranma that she hadn't even thought existed.

"Akane is my fiancee." Ranma growled, staring at Mikado, as if he could burn a hole right through him. "Don't touch her." Akane felt his arm muscles spasm under her hand as he clenched his fist doubly tight, and gripped the cloth even tighter, desperate that she not let go for fear of what he may do.

Mikado sized up Ranma, taking in his stance and expression. Akane saw his brain working, the gears in his mind going into overtime as he thought about this. Saying that was saying a lot about Mikado, and Akane hoped that he wasn't really as stupid as he appeared. She was almost afraid of what he'd do or say next. And with good reason. At times, the guy'signorance could rival Kuno's.Mikado had just opened his mouth when, in the way that only things in Nermia could work, another shout was heard, stopping whatever he was going to say before he could say it.

"Oh, Ranma-honey!"

It was Ukyo.

Akane felt her teeth clench, and saw Ranma's head turn in the direct of his "cute fiancee". Great. Just great. More trouble. But at least Ranma's arm relaxed. Knowing that almost had Akane's knees go weak with relief. There would be no bloodshed today. For once, she couldsincerely thank Ukyo for interrupting during one of the few times Ranma admitted that he was engaged to her.

As Ukyo neared, Akane released Ranma's sleeve, sure that since the brown haired girl had arrived he'd forget all about Mikado. The last thing she needed after all she'd just been through was Ukyo accusing her of clinging to Ranma when she had been trying to hold him back.

"Hi, Ukyo." Ranma said, and Akane noticed that his voice was back to normal, almost as if she had dreamed up him growling out that she was "his fiancee". Wouldn't Ukyo of loved to hear that from her "Ranma-honey". The thought almost made Akane smile with evil satisfaction. But at the moment, she was too mad with Ranma, and amazed that he could bring her from fearful to angry so quickly. What was wrong with him? One minute, he looked like he wanted to tear a guy's head off, and the next, he was completely normal. Deciding that he wasn't worried anymore about Mikado kissing her, Akane turned away to continue walking home by herself, not worried in the least aboutSanzenin now that she knew he was there. It was just the unexpected surprises that she hated the most, and that had almost allowed him to kiss her.

Mikado turned to her then, as she had taken a few ateps away towards home, with his arms outstretched as if to embrace her.

"Come, Akane Tendo! Come and sample my lips!"

Too mad to realize that Ranma had turned back around at Mikado's proposal and had begun to stride over to him with a deadly look on his face, leaving Ukyo without even a word, (and the fact that her back was now to Ranma alsocontributing toAkane's ignorance ofRanma's reaction), Akane lashed out at the figure skater and sent him sailing across town with a good kick up into the air and a loud cry of

"Pervert!"

She then proceeded to stomp her way home, steam practically coming out of her ears, with Ranma walking fast to try to keep up while being careful not to pass her, knowing that she was seeing red at the moment and afraid to set her off again and end up with a kick of his own. For once, he was playing it smart. And, as things in Nermia had a way of happening, the tables had thus been turned in less than a few minutes time. Irony was ever present as Ranma watched in fear at the rage on Akane's face, the same type of fear that she had not moments ago when his face had been filled with rage,as he remained at her side (or almost her side) the rest of the walk home.

They left Ukyo behind, forgotten. She stood, alone, on the sidewalk, stunned that Ranma had left her without a second glance- the first time in history for her- and wondering what important thing had just happened that she had obviously missed.

end chapter.