Warning: Yaoi ahead. Uncorrected. Angst, fluff. Gruesome details. Adult themes ahead.

SEVERITY

CHAPTER TWO

Bittersweet

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Youki's POV

"Saotome Ranma," The coach called, I saw Ranma flinch "you go next."

The entire classroom fastened on Ranma as soon as his name was called, they were silent, expecting. Ranma sighed quietly and feigned some blamelessness that at this knowing point, I wasn't sure I believed. I couldn't help but smile uncertainly as he spoke, "Sorry coach, I didn't bring my swim suit today…"

Ugh, Ranma he won't believe you this time-

"Again?"

"Yeah I kind of forgot it, kinda…" He mumbled with a wayward smile, his left hand scratched the back of his neck, I sighed.

"No problem," The coach shrugged it off, "use the gym's shorts as one," I witnessed Ranma's lips pressing together in a taut line of reluctance, all trace of amusement disappearing like emaciated dust as the oldest continued; "anyways you have your standard uniform in your locker, don't you?"

"Yeah bu-"

"You guys had to bring it today, right?" Without letting Ranma speak any other word, the man turned to my classmates.

Almost maliciously; the majority of my classmates that were viciously interested, twisted their lips like the Cheshire cat and nodded crossly, soon enough a flabby plate haired guy added spitefully, "Yeah we had to bring it today coach." his friends nodded yet again.

"He was in it earlier." Another of them accused for a second time.

I wondered if they even had a life to live in, for I felt all they did was barge in Ranma's already thorny one. I sent glares at the ones who dared to speak, I had to blame entirely at my lack of coercion, since they didn't mind me and as if they didn't take notice of me, one of them sustained, "I saw Saotome in it today."

"One of you said so already…. Plus," I defended immediately, my eyes becoming belligerent slits as more people seemed to personally aggravate themselves at the astringent panorama, "that's not the point-" I saw some of my classmates recoiling back as the coach turned to me and moved his head in disapproval.

"It is," As static and simple as he sounded, he made sure no more bickers came from my surrounding classmates, not to say me, he then directed his words at Ranma as he relented, "I suggest you Saotome to use your gym shorts as a-today-swim suit and then change to the standard one, anyways you have to change uniforms-"

Ranma's intermission came as a tense chant, "I can't-"

"Saotome is lying, he brought it coach" a girl peeped in.

"This is the fourth time you say so; he hasn't even said otherwise, why are you accusing him of being a liar!?" I exasperated and as always, my voice seemed unheard by the earsplitting voices backbiting at the forefront.

The girls from our classroom started to bend their lips in mortification and their eyes rolled up their heads as if they felt weary of Ranma's frolics.

"…ain't lying, I brought my uniform… but I can't use my shorts as swim suit…like-"

"Saotome Ranma," The coach determined energetically, gravely enough for Ranma to stiffen. His tone of voice elevated potentially, almost angry that this whole discussion took half of his class already, "you never participate in swim sport class, you always have excu-"

"I'm sick."

…

I bit my lip.

The coach respired deeply, "Wasn't it that you didn't have an available swim suit?" The coach's eyes became suspicious slots and it was obvious that this natter wasn't funny anymore. Ranma felt indeed desperate, I could sense it.

The coach breathed, almost indignant, his hands came up to clean off the sweat glistening on his chubby face, "Saotome-"

Ranma looked down at the ground, I knew he contemplated he vanished from pretexts as the whole class fixed firmly on him, the stern asceticism was becoming painful for me to witness and ultimately permit, he looked liked a kicked off puppy. "Saotome" the coach heaved again, "Why are you making it so difficult? And please…" The coach made a soundless faction with his hands, signalizing Ranma to take his sweater off immediately.

My heart started beating faster as my classmates started to buzz and snicker to each other. My eyes followed Ranma's and I noticed he discerned the whole surplus attention he was receiving, Ranma's face was becoming paler and his distress was getting negligible for the rest, but for me.

"He loves attention." I heard a girl chirping, my eyes became dangerous gawks again, "And he always refuses to take off that ridiculous jersey, that's so girly…"

They started cheeping.

I heard them natter, I heard them cackle, I saw their fingers pointing and I was not sure if it was even real, if it was my same loathing towards my classmates giving me more reliable justifications as to why hate them, I didn't know if it was my same paranoia that made me see things almost as double as bad as they actually were or perhaps not, perhaps doubting the way I did was a subtle way to believe in human's kindness…

Because one does not simply see a rather angry person and make his life unattainable, without any apparent reason, one does not simply judge other people that way, one is simply not that aggressively abusive in school…. Like they were.

People aren't that appalling… or perchance they are.

Then again, why…

Why

And then I wondered, why would the coach allow such reckless behavior coming from my classmates? Ranma was part of the class. Why was he making a great fuss out of this? If Ranma refused to swim, then his grade should be his only reprimand right? No mistreating, no public degradation, conceivably a detention but this?

"Ranma I won't repeat myself, the sweater please."

Why was the coach obliging him to strip out of his sweater? It was not his business if Ranma was roasting inside it anyways, why when he refused with such thunderously determination, to be off without it?

Why would he take Ranma to the center of the attention and bark about his lack of cooperation? He never did to those who didn't swim, why Ranma?

…

"I'm fine in it."

"Do I really need to repeat myself?"

"But coach-"

"It's ridiculous, take it off and go change."

Ranma gulped some air and after nodding to the coach he seemed to have noticed my classmates' arrogant squabbles about him, only I was able to see how nervous and uncomfortable he was getting, only I cared enough to notice he was getting upset, worse, he was gettingdangerously angry. After all, I knew why was he refusing to show them some of his skin.

Minutes marked off as their whispers and some scorns about Ranma didn't quiet up around us. Ranma was still at the center and he was still being barred by my coach's intent stare.

"Go on we don't have the entire day."

I despised the situation with every part of my heart.

"Come on Saotome we all want to swim, now take off those tatters and put on the gym shorts!" A guy yelled, probably annoyed, "Don't be a lady!" another unremitted and there it was, Ranma's ferocious eyes steeling in absolute anger, he was waiting… one more word to be thrown at him.

One more and he would have enough justification to annihilate the entire classroom.

Enough to skip swimming sport class.

Enough to be sent to detention.

Enough to be suspe-

"Ah! Coach I think-" I ran in between the coach and Ranma's befuddled form, my movements were clumsy and in an alteration of short seconds, I was completely panicky as all the unwanted attention suddenly plunged on me.

Shit.

"I think I want to throw up really badly, I will…" my feet's ungainly and clumsy movements messed with my coach's patience as I almost–intentionally- tripped, being stopped from falling, I felt Ranma's hands on my waist and then I leaned on his chest to feign some debility.

"Ugh- I"

My hands went up my mouth and feigned some loud gags, the coach's expression twisted in disgust, "I will throw up here… I need a bathroom…"

I knew it was ridiculous.

I heard my classmates making noises as if they could not believe I even dared.

I saw the judging gazes.

They didn't believe me…

I was a bad actor.

But it didn't matter…

It wasall worth it, once I heard him.

I heard him whisper, Thank you.

"Youki? Go to the nursery son, or the bathroom; let Saotome help you," The coach's now upset eyes landed on Ranma. "Or you don't want to cooperate in that either?"

"ah's okay… I can help him."

"Alright, leave" He ushered as I feigned even louder gags, I almost laughed. "Quick son!" The coach yelled and Ranma snorted quietly, he nodded anyways.

I felt his strong arms lifting me up until I was being carried bridal style, my arms wrapped around his neck as we stormed out of the pool section.

We entered the alleyways from the lonely school's segment and after a second of hushed straight walking from him, I permitted myself to relax in his hold, well, I thought the entire incident was almost comedic.

What made it fun was that I knew my petty show was not believed among my classmates except for my naïve coach, but at the end, that was all that mattered, for the plan that is.

"Do we really go to the nursery?"

I leered, "Hey! Who said I was feigning?"

My head rested on his chest and I breathed his always soothing scent, thankfully, he was not indebted to take off his sweater, at the end we outwardly succeeded.

"You are nuts…" was all he could say and though the smile was beautifully painted on his lips, I could swear his beating heart was not hammering that loudonly because he was nervous to be alone with me. No, I knew there was something else; perhaps his frustrations didn't have the opportunity to burst out or worse, detonate, or he was at a halt but acutely exasperated for what happened at the pool.-

"Maybe…" I replied after several minutes from the original utterance. He didn't seem to notice it negatively.

His arms brought me closer to his chest as he walked, "Where shall we go then?"

My arms wrapped around him again and more than a hold, it seemed like a very close hug, the heat eradiated from his face after I kissed his jaw, "We can go to the roof…"

It was done as said and before I knew it, I was side by side with him, looking down on a tacit vacant school, the entire school was still receiving classes and it was no time for being outside, except for the two of us, I was witnessing how solitary and big the school seemed.

I turned to see him, and I contemplated that in all the months sharing my time with him, I was sure of one thing; for him, it was becoming more and more impossible to hide from me, for I knew him maybe too well for him to pretend; I could easily tell if Ranma was distressed. And at that exact second, he was.

Not only that, but Ranma's eyes grieved in a deep ignominy and mortification; this time a very intense sentiment that threatened to encumber over his own welfare was ever so present. I could sense his torment towards everything that was around him, an ordeal so shady; his beryl passionate eyes were easily disregarded as dark grey.

The perturbing part was that his lips were upended in an ostensibly calm smile, this evidently, only and solely when I turned to see him, if he got distracted I could easily see how expressionless his mouth could become, and how dappled his eyes could be.

…

Every swim sport class that scarcely happened once a month; was incredibly one of the classes he struggled more with. He would constantly or- dare I say- always give an unmitigated pretext or excuse not to bare his skin.

Ranma was more timid than any other person that I knew, the heartbreaking part was that this condition was inhumanly inflictedrather than an opinion he had for himself.

His hostility towards his skin would be easier to fix, if it had anything to do with whatever he thought unconstructively about himself, as a solution, I could have educated him otherwise. But I knew he was very aware about the perfect hard planes and muscular complexion he possessed, and still he wasn't very fond of showing anything at all and again, I knew why.

Since I met him and after we started to hold hands, way before I even found about them, I remember I dwelled on why a man such as himself could hide beneath that kind of heavy clothing, why, when he inflicted on me, such passionate thoughts, such unholy desires about touching every inch of his skin.

It was always a wonder until my eyes got to see those cuts and marks along his back, those lacerations I better referred as them, those colored marks that tainted such mild and silken skinin a very cruel way and yet after I saw them, the heated thoughts never disappeared, and that never made him less perfect. For me he was flawless, for me he was unattainable, ethereal, almost an airy spirit amongst the insufferable.

And that made me want him more…. that made him seem stronger in my eyes, courageous because he never protested about them, not even if I accidentally touched them over his clothes.

He never let me know, he never complained about how they could itch and about how intense the ardor could be.

That made him look even manlier, particularly gorgeous, strikingly attractive and that made my dreams become especially humid, for I wanted to touch spots of intense pleasure and calm his stunning pain. To feel he chose me to heal him made me shudder, it made me feel needed, desired and necessary and then everything made him closer to me. In fact that only made him even more of my other broken half, the half I was so desperately missing.

That had two astringent points of view, for the fact he was strong enough not to grieve about them with me, and the part I preferred not to touch; he didn't feel ready to share that with me yet. He still didn't know I knew. Being any of the two correct, I still wanted him and I still believed he chose me, and let me found him.

….In the blues of thinking so adamantly about the lacks of virginal purity of my own thoughts, I sensed they were also contradicting and at the same time challenging with every elegiac and profound thought about him, about his mental health and private subjects, every fiber of concern and unease sparkling again to empower purity and wholesomeness affection that everything just evolved into something I knew only by the name of unrestricted adoration, unconditional love and the undeniably fact that I was more than worried, more than lustful or attracted to him.

I was intensively in love with him.

All that was Ranma, all that contemplated his existence, from his misunderstood anger to his most tender caresses and I found myself adoring every second of my resolution. Resolution that came from admitting that this was not only a childish mania, or a mere fixation, or just the simple term "Head over hills" but the full ambrosia of emotions, the entire opus, the real thing, the great conclusion; I am so in love with him.

I was suddenly very aware of the palm touching my front and by the sudden movement I flinched overtly, "You don't have a fever," He explained naively as he checked my temperature against his, "You are flushed red, why?"

"Ah," I heaved, "never mind." My blood started roaring in my ears as the blush increased potency.

"Y-you sure? You look…" Ranma placed his palm again on my temple and candidly pursed his lips as he finished, "Red."

"Yeah," My heart rhythm became normal after I exhaled noisily at least twice, settling distance he recoiled to watch me intently. Once certain enough, my shoulders shook dismissively, "Sunburn maybe?"

"Oh" I melted as he looked thoughtfully and innocently endorsed the idea, "Yeah probably."

I nodded and then my eyes went up the skies, "For what happened there," I mused, he immediately seemed to tense in anxiety, the joking seriousness in my face was evident as I proceeded "I just think that by this point of the year, I won't stop you if you want to knock out a couple of heads." I smirked and his fretful look changed to a more tranquil one.

"Promise?" he joked along.

"I am dead serious," I spoke with a teasing smirk, "some girls need to shut their maws."

"Yeah, as if, I will only attract more attention if any."

Yes, against popular belief; Ranma hated attention. After some minutes of contented stillness, I saw him shift and crawl closer to me. I allowed him with an affectionate beam layered on my face. "Here," I patted a spot even closer to me and he complied.

My head rested on his shoulders and I closed my eyes.

"Then I will kill them for you…. Lend me your strength and we are even."

"My strength won't help at all…."

"Who says that?" I lifted my head to meet his eyes, "the chubby dudes? Seriously?"

…"Guess you are right."

…

"Ranma…"

"hm?"

"I don't want them to have the upper hand all the time; they can't prevail your moral over, that's envy they have, I told you this already…"

"It's not that… I don't want more troubles…"

"But they will pester you until you gain your place-"

"Beating will? I don't want my place to be gained by fear, if I ever did something atrocious, I am very sorry, I was out of my mind..." I couldn't stop the enamored smile that crept upon my lips; his intensified cerulean eyes were once again filled with that honorific determination, that same principle of willpower over fortitude that led me to know he was noble by heart.

I was convinced I was not going to talk him out of it, at rest and for me, he wasn't right, he continued "I just don't have the time and patience to deal with them so I prefer to ignore, yes, I do get angry but that's if they keep on pushing, or if they did enough for the day, I try my best to control myself."

"But honestly, if you didn't control yourself, you would be in your entire reason not to. For they have bothered you enough already."

"I am sorry if I seem much trouble, I hate it because I don't want it, and somehow I don't know how to avoid it without using violence."

"…"

"Sorry…" He whispered.

"Hey…" I muttered, "Don't be sorry…"

"I hate attention." His eyes were capricious, "I hate violence, I have strength but that's for different usages, I am a Martial Artist not a walking pistol. I mean to harm no one"

"I didn't mean you were, I just hate it how they keep on harassing you without any doable reason apart from envy, its bothering me so much, you don't do anything, and you said so," My hands grasped his, "you are a Martial Artist, a strong one at that, why are you not defending yourself?"

"Martial Artists won't ever use their techniques if the opponent is not showing life threats."

"Ranma! That's ridiculous, how long will you endure it?!"

"Those are the precepts; first, second, I will endure it as long as they don't touch you or harm me bodily speaking, as long as they mean no life threats. I don't even care about it Youki." Apart from my involuntary blush, I flinched at his obstinate way of seeing their bullying, I inhaled deeply, as I leaned on him, "I was just saying, I hate their attention, not their bullying, they don't scare me. Their words can't hit me; I have worse things to think about y'know?"

"Yes but I…"

"You think is affecting me? No, it concerns me as to why, I don't understand it, but as long as you don't believe a word of what they say and you stay by my side, I will be more than complete."

"Ranma-I"

"Will you be there?"

I couldn't believe his boldness, his seriousness was also regarding, "Yes…"

"Then I promise I will be fine with it."

I was more than unyielding, obstinate and obdurate in my denial to think they could bother him without a proper response.

"But they get to a point where they upset you, and you are right, I just wished you could shut a couple of them already. They are sickening. I don't like what they speak about you"

"They haven't touched you and the one that did regret it big time, for that I am sure."

"I… I thank you a lot…" I searched for his eyes, "But I wished you could do that for yourself as well, they won't stop messing with you unless you show them-"

"That I can kill them? I know I can, I don't even regard gender when it comes to Martial Arts. But then what? Shall I give them importance? They don't have it in me, they won't."

…My eyes fastened on the ground and I sighed, "You know what I feel for you… if I had your guts or strength then I would shut them up myself… thing is that I can't, I would only give you more troubles if I try and… it's so hurtful to see you doing nothing, while they try to-"

"You said that if I learned to ignore I would find inner peace right?"

"Yeah but, now they reached my patience as well and-"

"I found it, I learned to ignore, learned to see things that worth it."

I found myself silenced by his words; I sighed "I am sorry…"

"For what? That I learned from you, certainly I am better."

"For infuriate further your anger."

"Heh, nah I am gleeful you felt angered by sheer solidarity, thank you."

"Don't mention it; I like you maybe too much…"

My head rested on his shoulder again, I heard him mutter quietly "Y'know? I can make it all disappear, if you are with me…" I lifted my head and once again my eyes met his "You should do the same…" His left hand caressed my cheek and I tried my best not to falter.

"I will… from now on." I whispered as his face came close to mine, his fingers lifted my chin as his face tilted slightly to the left. Our eyes leisurely closed, my whole body trembled with anticipated bonfire. His breath ghosted over my mouth and gently my lips parted as I waited for his lips to press against mines. My arms sneaked around his neck and his arms hugged me intimately close. I breathed in keenness and before I could feel the tenderness his lips guaranteed, we both jumped at the school's bell ring.

Settling immediate distance, Ranma blushed from head to toe, "Ah's time to go home, right?"

"Y-yeah…"

…

He stood up and helped me up, "Will we work in the project today?"

"…" after I heard no response from him, I persisted timidly, "Ranma?"

"Yeah sure" He mumbled as we climbed off the roof, I breathed again as we touched grounds, the school's bell only signalized the school's closing in about ten minutes. The sky becoming murky, as usual it was going to rain.

"We don't need to go to your house for it…" I continued as I saw Ranma pause, "When I pushed you to it, I didn't know much about it all, I still don't, but…."

"…"

"I can tell you are not very fond of the idea and it's not for me, is it?"

He was about to open his mouth but I interrupted, "See, I will be honest with you, I am not as hasty as I seem, I tend to watch carefully each of your reactions to certain circumstances, I worry a lot for you, you have been my first true friend and my very first crush."

He seemed surprised by my words, "I won't push you to do things you dislike, and I know you far too well to pretend."

I continued as the words seem to down on him, "You may think I don't get to notice you are utterly sad and It's fine if you can't still tell me, I will give you time, an eternity if you need it, I will last forever."

"Youki-"

"You think its shame to feel depressed but its fine, such situations shouldn't be embarrassing to speak, see I am certain I have some serious mental illness as I tend to overthink whatever comes across me, I tend to cry all Saturdays because I miss you too much, I feel alone on Sundays and I won't come off my bed because I am sure I am too afraid of god knows what, even with the lights on."

I laughed, "I take four pills each twelve hours. I have nightmares, I like to say I eat a lot when I barely feel hungry, I don't do it on purpose, I'm a bit careless with my own health… sometimes I am not okay."

"I didn't know that…" he mumbled sadly.

"I know you don't pity me and that's what I wanted; I hope I am still the same for you, the same reckless guy you like because whatever that is making you sad won't change the concept I have for you. Am I different? Am I weaker? Am I less? Am I worth pity?"

"No… honestly no."

"Exactly Ranma, Reciprocity, if I'm honestly not changing for you, there is nothing in this world that could change what you are for me, if anything, you will become better. Hence, I am not convincing you to tell me anything, it's you I care about, the one I care about to be fine."

".."

"All that is true is that if I haven't changed your perception about myself then you shouldn't be afraid of changing mine. Not even if you are not afraid of it. That what happens to you might be very personal but I wondered if you knew I worried."

"I…"

"Even if you don't know what's wrong, just say so… and if you do know, then try to liberate it, somehow…. Not today necessarily, not with me if you don't want, but someday, somehow… do it."

"…"

My hand reached at the back of his head, softly playing with his braided hair, "Somehow… what you are going through is taking off that glint in your eyes, that same glint that I love so much."

"…"

"What I mean Ranma, is that you are strange, true, but I am strange as hell, there is nothing you can't tell me, for we are strange for a reason. There is nothing I would not understand even if you just don't know it and if you do, there is no notion I would not comprehend, even the gravest shadows…. I can carry them with you, if you allow me"

I continued, "No matter what, you are still what you are; just don't let the harms make you think otherwise."

I stepped closer, "Youki I…"

My fingers pressed against his mouth, "If you don't want to think about it it's fine, but I wanted to let you know something very simple; you can count on me."

He nodded as tranquility settled inside of him and we proceeded to walk, we could guess we would work in my dorms. The rest of the school started to run out.

I heard him breathe and with a smirk, he chanted "Did you know you just confessed you love me?"

… I blushed. I did?!

"Is that all you think about after all that I said?"

Ranma laughed.

OOOOO

OOOO

OOO

AN/ We still have a way to go, I got the final chapter but it was TOO LONG to be even enjoyable. I had to cut it into three parts. So I'm dividing it :) ya I know this chapter was boring, well it was just mere conversation. Meh, this is uncorrected, I don't have beta so deal with me. Nonsense everywhere!

So I guess I can update the rest in the same week.

PS The shenanigans of blue fire and dust are still an ongoing project, I just corrected some serious grammar mistakes I did in One-shot Oreo War, if you re-read it you will not feel as awkward as u felt the first time u read it.