Hey everyone!
Here's the second chapter. Thanks again to pursemonger for beta reading this and all your help!
Warning: Swearing, sexual tension and naughty dreams.
And thanks to all my reviewers:
Flameraven1: Thank you for your review. I would love to address your comment but it might spoil this chapters, so I'll refrain. Let me know what you think!
BlooTaco: Thank you for your review! Please let me know what you thought of this one. I am afraid, I did not, apparently have a terribly original idea and would greatly recommend MZephyr (which was recommended to me in turn) for a similar take on mind reading :) Let me know what you think of this chapter.
The Keeper of the Worlds: Thank you for your review. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter too! And no, no Ryoga linkage. Let me know what you think!
KaikiH: Thank you for your review and for the criticism. I do have trouble contracting but I now have a beta so where I've missed it, there's now double the chance of it having been picked up by pursemonger. Please do let me know what you thought of this chapter!
Richard Ryley: Thank you for your review and for recommending MZephyr to me. I was reading for two days straight but loved it! Well, this chapter will be dealing with a little bit of everything. Please let me know what you thought after it, but Ukyo, Shampoo and Ryoga will all turn up.
: Thank you for your review. Let me know what you thought of this chapter!
caia-chan: Yay, thank you for your review. Hopefully you'll enjoy the next chapter – please let me know what you think!
BobV: Thank you for your review. Here's another chapter, let me know what you think. Akane and Ranma will be learning a bit more about how this works *grin*.
YouROCKharder: Thank you for your review. Ironically enough, I was unaware that this was not a new idea but have now read a couple of stories along a similar pattern, admittedly. Hope you enjoy this coming chapter, let me know what you thought!
kana: Thank you for your review and apologies for the delay. I was busy reading stories myself. Hope you'll enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think.
Jdcocoagirl: Thank you for your review. I'm glad you're enjoying it. Please leave me a review and let me know what you think of this chapter!
serenityselena: Thank you for your review. I hope you enjoy this latest chapter as much as the first one – please let me know what you think.
jabber185: Thank you very much for your review. I am glad you're enjoying it. Hopefully the next chapter will be a bit more in depth – please continue letting me know what you think!
linkgold64: Thank you for both your reviews. I'm glad to see you're enjoying the story. I have not got an outline, so I can't confirm how many chapters there will be all in all, I'm afraid, but hope you enjoy this nonetheless. Here's the next chapter, please let me know what you think.
WalkersCrown: Thank you for your review and I'm glad you like it so far. Hopefully this next chapter will live up to your expectations. Let me know what you think!
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'Ah- Akane!'
Heart pounding, Akane shot up out of her bed. What had that been? Tired and sleepy, she rubbed her eyes and tried to get her brain working again.
'God, I need a cold shower!'
There was that voice again. Unable to think, Akane repeated the thought.
'Cold shower?'
The footsteps she'd vaguely heard in the hall suddenly paused.
'Akane... err, are you awake?'
Ranma? Suddenly yesterday's memories flooded back.
'Oh, sorry Ranma. Yes, I am still quite sleepy and hadn't quite woken up yet. Did you have another nightmare?'
A pause.
'Yes, nightmare, exactly. Right- so... I'll be going to the bath to get ready now. See ya later, Akane!'
Well, that was odd. Even odder than normal and that was saying something. Besides, why would he want to have a cold shower anyway? He hated turning into a girl unless it suited his own purposes so why a col-oh... OH!
Blushing heavily, Akane crawled back into bed. This was not something she should be thinking about especially when Ranma could pick up on her thoughts.
It was remarkably hard to reign her thoughts back in but once she finally remembered the maths test they were having on Friday she found something else to occupy her mind.
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Dousing himself with cold water, Ranma shuddered as he turned female. God, this was screwed up. To stop his arousal he had to use cold water –well, the other option was not really a possibility with Akane awake and sharing his thoughts; he had embarrassed himself sufficiently already. And with the cold water he turned into a shapely, female body – similar to the one that had brought about his feelings in the first place. He didn't need a degree in psychology to know that was screwed up.
Shaking off the errant thoughts he quickly jumped into the hot water, trying to think of how to face Akane at breakfast now that she had realised what he had been dreaming about – or rather, who.
Sighing, Ranma ducked his head under water, trying to clear his thoughts.
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The extent of their predicament finally realised, Akane groaned. Neither Ranma nor herself would be able to have any thoughts to themselves. One of his half-naked fiancées would eventually drape herself over him or kiss him. And if he had even an errant thought about liking it, Akane could admit to herself that she would probably turn violent rather quickly.
They would be unable to look or interact with one another, for fear of having stray thoughts about kisses – or more! It had been kind of nice to talk openly but at the same time she didn't want to share her every thought and impulse with him. God, she'd scare him off. This was so messed up - once again. When had life taken such a turn for them? Who else had to deal with what they had to on a daily basis?
Ranma and herself had been in mortal peril more often than not, had close shaves and barely managed to escape with their lives intact only to tumble headfirst into the next disaster. When had their lives turned into this mess?
'Why can't life ever be normal?'
'Cause that'd be boring, 'kane. 'Sides, I don't think you've got much to complain about. I was the only one of us to embarrass myself this morning.'
'True.'
'Yea- HEY!'
Akane chuckled as she started to change into her school uniform, absentmindedly turning off her alarm.
'So... what was your dream about?'
The thought had been intended to shut Ranma up and make him grumble in embarrassment; instead however she found an unusually intense emotion well up inside her and suddenly saw a short flicker of an image in his mind even though he violently tried to suppress it.
She realised it was herself, naked, lying beneath Ranma as his hand slowly caressed her body and hers arched up to meet his touch, breathlessly moaning his name with a fine sheet of sweat covered her body.
Flushing, Akane stumbled, surprised not only at the intensity of the emotion she'd felt from Ranma but also at the image itself. If... god, she had expected his dreams to be about the... act itself but, proving her wrong again, his image had been almost sweet in his desire for her, desire for her pleasure and to see her writhing beneath him.
'Aye, Akane! I didn't mean for you- I mean- You weren't meant to- Argh! I'm sorry, alright? I never meant for you to see that. You can hit me all you want. I didn't mean to ... you know. ... I really am sorry.'
Akane ignored her fiancé, hoping to get her own thoughts on the matter straightened out before she had to join her family for breakfast.
'Akane? C'mmon, talk to me. Please...'
'Why can't he ever...!'
Fuming, Akane opened the door and stepped right in front of Ranma, her finger pushing against his chest.
"You! Argh! You are infuriating, you know that! Give me a moment, will you! I am not here to entertain-"
Something was off. Ranma was furiously blushing and only occasionally stealing glances her way before looking the other way.
'Don't look, don't look, don't look! Huh, I think they have become bigger in the last two years... Fuck! I'm not looking! Don't look!'
Frowning, Akane looked at herself before realising she had only managed to put on her bra and panties before storming out of her room in a rage.
Squeaking she crossed her arms in front of her chest and ran back into her room.
'Well, that could've gone better...'
Red-faced Akane sank down onto the floor, hiding her face in her hands.
'Y'know, Akane, I didn't really see anything...'
'Liar! I heard your thoughts about them being bigger now!'
'Well, I couldn't help it. You were angry, everyone knows you don't take your eyes off you when you're angry. I have been buried beneath the table too often to repeat that mistake!'
'You should have told me the moment you noticed!'
'What, along the lines of hey Akane, you forgot to put your shirt on and I can see your boobs? Yeah, you would have hit me into the ground. Nah, thanks.'
Akane groaned. She would have, too.
'Can't we call it quits? We both managed to thoroughly embarrass ourselves this morning; can't we just call it quits?'
Sighing, Akane looked down at herself, hesitant to voice her next question but similarly unable to stop the thought before it reached him.
'You said... they were bigger. Do you prefer them bigger?'
Akane blushed heavily at her question, staring at her empty room whilst awaiting Ranma's reply.
'That's not what I meant... I just was saying that you, you know... were getting a more womanly figure. Curves, b-... boobs, everything, you know? I mean, compared to two years ago... And that's not a bad thing, I think.'
She could almost hear him clearing his throat nervously and smiled despite herself. So she was becoming curvier, huh? She hadn't noticed... Carefully looking at the mirror she studied herself and tried to recall what she had looked like two years ago.
'Could you... y'know, not think that hard about yourself naked while I am in the middle of having breakfast with your DAD!'
She blushed, before bursting out into laughter. Ranma was right. They had both managed to make fools of themselves; it was time to call it quits.
Shaking her head at her own behaviour, she quickly pulled on her school uniform and followed her fiancé downstairs to the breakfast table.
Both managed to exchange weak grins and not blush before focussing on breakfast.
On their way to school, both teenagers nonchalantly walked beside each other. Ranma broke the silence first.
"I am sorry about... this morning, you know?"
"So am I. Especially the breakfast-thing. Sorry again."
"'S okay. I figured you hadn't realised yet that if you think really hard about something you end up projecting it to me. So... are we still good for after school?"
Akane blushed prettily, shyly looking up at him and nodding.
"AIYA! AIREN!"
'Ah, fuck! Typical. How does she even know when we leave? I mean, we're really early this time so how does she...!'
Akane sighed, realisation settling in at the same time as Ranma came to the conclusion she'd reached. Nabiki.
'Akane, your sister is a menace!'
The next moment Ranma had his arms full of Shampoo – she'd abandoned her bicycle and jumped straight into his arms. Out of reflex he caught her safely before quickly removing his hands. As always, Shampoo ignored all his signals and snuggled into him. He could feel her breasts and for a moment he felt the usual, male impulse to blush before his anger took over again.
"Shampoo. Good morning to you too."
Akane giggled behind him at his ironic tone and he flashed her a quick smile – which Shampoo unfortunately picked up on.
"Why Airen smiling at tomboy when he have real woman?"
Akane's smile froze and Ranma felt his heart speed up. This was not going to end well.
"Shampoo", carefully unwinding her arms from his neck so as to not injure her, he pushed the Amazon away from him, cautiously avoiding any areas that would get him beat up by Akane.
"I'm still not happy with you. You came to what you thought was a wedding, destroyed the house, gave us what I can only assume where bombs as wedding gifts and then had the gall to not even apologise to the Tendos, a family that has housed me over the last two years and has always paid all the damages you have done to their property out of their own pocket. You think this sort of behaviour endears you to me? Think again!"
Ranma tried to look stern.
'Soul of ice, soul of ice, soul of ice.'
Predictably, Shampoo advanced on him, pushing her chest out and her eyes widening that fraction to make her seem innocent and helpless as she looked up at him.
"Wo ai ni, Airen."
Akane, finally able to move again after having heard Ranma's tirade against Shampoo, angrily pushed the Amazon away, knowing Ranma was having difficulty resisting being nice to girls – well, her being the notable exception.
"Leave Ranma alone, Shampoo. And remember that it will be a long time before you are welcome back at the Tendo Dojo."
Blue eyes turned to her, glaring.
"Kitchen wrecker no has say where Shampoo go!"
"We'll see about that."
Akane was fuming by now and pulled Ranma along. "Come now or we will be late for school."
'God, I hate Shampoo!'
A pause from her fiancé.
'Do you really?'
Akane sighed, rolling her eyes as she sped up further, hoping to make it in time for her first class.
'Sort of. Ask me once I have cooled down and I will probably confess to not really hating her. I am not sure I actually hate anyone. I just – I guess, I simply don't understand her. She's got everything I have ever wanted – she is a fantastic cook, beautiful, charming, honest about her feelings and a superb martial artist. I mean, she lived in a clan full of strong woman, focussed on being the best at the martial arts. How can someone so sure of themselves suddenly let everything drop because she was defeated? Why is she not trying to be stronger and beat you? Instead she decided she loves you because that's what her clan wants from her. I ... I just don't understand. I don't understand why she would bow down and take it instead of fighting it. She is everything I ever wanted to be and then she just stops fighting. It makes no sense!'
Akane grumbled as they quickly moved forward through the streets of Nerima, making it to the gates just as the warning bell rung.
"Huh. And here I thought you were just jealous..."
Akane's glare made him shut up quickly as they ran towards their classroom and found their seats with seconds to spare still.
'I am glad that Kuno is finally at University and not bothering us that much anymore. He would have made us late.'
Ranma chuckled and both gave each other tentative smiles, glad that their first encounter with one of his fiancées had gone relatively smoothly.
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Over the course of the day, Akane found herself helping Ranma when he encountered problems in maths and physics, same as he helped her in geography and history, showing her pictures of places he'd seen on his extensive travels to bring the class a bit more to life.
By the time lunch time came around, both had stayed not only awake but also been attentive students. A rare occurrence as everyone who knew Ranma could attest to.
"Akane?"
Her head shot up and she looked at Ukyo. The okonomiyaki chef stood in front of her, looking her firmly in the eyes.
'A challenge?' Akane paused.
Ranma's head shot up from across the courtyard and she didn't need to read his thoughts to know that he was about to come over and defend her. A minute shake of her head had him pausing.
'You sure?'
'I'll call you if I can't handle it.'
Turning back to Ukyo, she showed her to an empty classroom and sat down on one of the tables, staring at Ranma's other fiancée – and the only one [rival] she'd ever had something approaching to friendship with.
"So, Ukyo... what's this about?"
The other girl stared at her, before bowing slightly to Akane's surprise.
"I am sorry, you know. For disrupting your wedding. I... thought that you were both just part of another plot..."
Akane half-smiled at Ukyo. It had stung that she had been part of the people destroying what was intended as her perfect day. They had a lot of disagreements – always over Ranma – but they had also become good friends, chatting about martial arts, clothes and boys (though both were careful to never allude directly to Ranma himself for fear of starting a fight between them). It was a fragile relationship at the best of times, especially so when moments such as the engagement ring came up, but Ukyo was still one of only a small number of girls that Akane could actually talk to.
"Thank you. I know why you did it; it's the one thing that we've always fought about and the one time where we haven't been friends. Ranma. I just... I thought..." Akane laughed, feeling the sob building at the back of her throat and the pressure of tears behind her eyes. "For some stupid reason I thought that if you did come, it would be as my friend. I never thought..."
Akane wiped away the tears before they could fall. Ukyo had apologised and she was not someone to bear a grudge once someone had genuinely uttered their regret. Being quite impulsive herself it would be rather hypocritical of her otherwise.
"I accept your apology and I apologise for not informing you in person. Everything just happened so fast."
The girl nodded, before pausing, hesitating to ask the next question.
"I – Did you agree to the wedding?"
Akane sighed, looking at the floor before meeting Ukyo's eyes, deciding she needed honesty above all else.
"My dad said there was Nannichuan water for Ranma to cure his curse if we both decided to go ahead with the marriage."
Grey eyes sharpened on the girl in front of her as Ukyo quietly asserted.
"That's not an answer."
Akane's head tilted sideways as she looked at the other girl.
"No. No, you're right. It's not. But it's all you are going to get."
"So... Where does that leave us?"
"I... have few female friends, and none that like martial arts. You are one of the few girls I can talk to that understands me. I would like to keep that. I like you and you are a fantastic friend as long as we avoid anything Ranma-related."
Ukyo seemed to pause but finally nodded and with a smile Akane hopped off her table to hug the other girl.
"Thanks, I've missed you."
Smiling, both girls exited the room to find themselves confronted with an anxious Ranma. Akane noticed immediately him scanning her for injuries before his eyes locked on hers, asking a silent question.
'I'm okay. Just girl talk.'
He nodded, relieved, and walked back to Daisuke and Hiroshi, hoping to enjoy what was left of his lunch now that he didn't need to worry about her getting hurt.
"WHAT was THAT?", Ukyo stared after Ranma. She had watched him as he looked at Akane, she'd nodded and then he'd left – neither having said a word.
Akane winced.
"He was just checking if we were okay, I think."
Ukyo's eye brow lifted of her own volition.
"Nah-uh. He was checking if YOU were okay. But that's not it – you – he knew what you were saying without you having to say a word! Damn girl! When did that happen?"
Akane stuttered, looking at Ukyo's upset face as she stared at Ranma's quickly retreating figure.
"What do you mean?"
Turning back to her, Ukyo frowned.
"What do you mean what do I mean? I mean, everyone knew that if you were in danger, Ranma would come running. Everyone knew that Ranma would kill anyone who wanted to date you or hurt you. We sort of always figured it's because you were weaker than us; I mean, you were always at each other's throats and shouting or insulting each other. And yet you risked your life for one another when it came down to it, but all of us sort of thought that Ranma thought of you as a sister or at least wasn't attracted to you... and yet, here you are. Not fighting and communicating without even needing to say words. You read about that sort of stuff in Shojo mangas. I... damnit, I thought I still had a chance with Ran-chan."
Akane blushed. Oh dear, what a way to misunderstand.
"It's not like that, Ukyo. I mean, I don't know how he feels about you – you'll have to talk to him about that. But Ranma and I haven't... I... we'regoingonadatetonight", Akane finally confessed.
Ukyo stared, stunned. A date?
"Date? But... he has never invited anyone on a date... Has he... I- Do you...?"
Akane's hand landed on Ukyo's shoulder, sympathetic. She would hate to lose a good friend over this.
"I think you deserve some honesty from me... I don't know what Ranma and I are, I'm not sure he knows either. What I do know is that I am willing to find out. We all keep being pushed into people and roles that we didn't decide for ourselves. I want to find out if... there can be an us. I don't know anything beyond that."
Ukyo nodded after a moment.
"You know that I won't let go of him without a fight?"
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
Both nodded at each other in perfect understanding before each going their way.
Ranma's concerned eyes met hers over the school yard.
'Your thoughts were all jumbled, I couldn't understand anything. What did she say? Are you okay?'
She noticed his secondary thought about her red eyes when she'd come out of the room with Ukyo; obviously he wasn't quite willing to push their tentative truce that far yet.
'I told her about our date.'
'WHAT? Are you insane? We'll never get rid of them now! She'll tell Nabiki and Shampoo and everyone will know!'
'I don't think so.'
'Oh, you don't think so! It would've been nice if you could have talked to me about it so at least I was not preparing a nice date away from other people when you are inviting all the idiots in Nerima along!'
'You are?'
'Huh?'
'I... didn't realise you'd actually plan it that much.'
Ranma blushed slightly.
'I told you, it's nothing special.'
Once more, his breath caught in his chest as she sent him one of her brilliant smiles, the ones that seemed to light up her entire face and made his heart race. Time stood still.
'Thank you, Ranma.'
He grumbled slightly.
''S okay. I'll figure out a way to ditch them...'
Her smile widened and Ranma didn't refocus on his actual surroundings until Daisuke hit him on the shoulder.
"What'cha smiling for like a fool?"
"Ah", Hiroshi smirked, elbowing his friend. "I know why. Look over there."
Three pairs of eyes were directly on Akane, who was laughing with her friends, face lit up and eyes sparkling. Unwillingly, Ranma found his eyes once again intent on his fiancée, heart drumming in his chest, unable to tear his eyes away as his eyes softened, forgetting his best friends.
'She really is beautiful...'
He realised his mistake the moment her head snapped around, eyes wide and meeting his. Only an instant later her cheeks reddened and she ducked her head, hair obscuring her face slightly as she shyly looked across to him.
'Thank you...'
Daisuke and Hiroshiwatched as Ranma nodded at his fiancée before turning back to them.
"So, Saotome, what's up with you and Akane?"
"Ah... Nothing, nothing at all."
"Pfff, you can tell that to your grandmother. So... how far have you gotten with Akane. You were gone for quite some time – did you, y'know...?"
Ranma blushed, half in embarrassment, half in anger.
"It's not that way! I told you guys before, lay off that topic!"
"But, mate, you can't leave us hanging like that! Akane is like the hottest girl at school! Tell me you've at least seen her naked!"
Before he could help it, he remembered Akane involuntarily sending him a look at herself in the mirror this morning. He blushed furiously and wouldn't make eye contact with his friends.
"You have! You dog, you! So... what's she like?"
Ranma smiled wryly. Caught.
"Find your own girlfriends to fawn over."
He realised the moment he said it what a mistake he'd made. Not only had he indirectly admitted to seeing her naked but he'd also made one much more fatalistic mistake. Calling her his fiancée would've been fine, calling her a girl would've been acceptable – but girlfriend? He'd never used that term for her – or anyone else – and he was sooo dead.
Both Hiroshi and Daisuke's mouths were wide open as they stared at him.
"Would you believe me if I said I didn't mean anything by it?"
Almost in unison, they shook their heads, still staring.
"It's nothing, alright! I just meant that she's a girl and a friend despite being a tomboy."
"Nah-uh. You said you saw her naked – how did you see her naked? I mean, did you- did she...?"
"Get your mind out of the gutter, Hiroshi, NOW."
Ranma could feel the anger, protectiveness and jealousy rising within him as he glared at his best friend.
'Akane is MY fiancée!'
Both backed down quickly and changed the topic instead to the latest gossip about Kuno's misadventures at University.
'You're very sweet when you don't open your mouth, you know?'
'Ha-ha. Laugh it up, tomboy.'
'No, seriously. I was kidding, kind of, but I... it makes me very happy to know that's the way you think about me.'
'... you're welcome...'
From across the courtyard Akane sent him another smile just as the bell rang and they were back inside for more classes.
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Ranma was uncharacteristically nervous. The end of school was fast approaching and that meant his date with Akane was nearing. He really, really didn't want to mess this one up.
He gulped, sending another cautious glance at his fiancée who returned his gaze with a reassuring smile – which only made him feel more nervous. If anything went wrong, then...
'Relax, Ranma. Did you really think I'd freak if something went awry?'
He paused – he really shouldn't think this would only dig him in deeper but he couldn't control his thoughts.
'Yes.'
'You're putting everything on one date. Simply going by our track record so far, something is bound to go wrong. It doesn't mean we can't go on a second or third date, until we get it right. I don't expect perfection.'
'It doesn't and you don't? I thought... y'know... that this had to be perfect or that was it. No second chances. You sure?'
'Of course I'm sure. Now relax for goodness sake. You're making ME nervous!'
Ranma grinned and focused back on what the teacher was saying. This whole mind reading thing definitely had its perks.
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"Right, 'kane, it's this way."
Having waved goodbye to their friends, Ranma and Akane were trying to casually walk down the street together, pretending they weren't on their way to a date.
"Soo..."
'What do you talk about when you have been engaged to a girl for two years but are only just going on your first date?'
Akane smiled softly.
'Dunno. Nice weather?'
Ranma chuckled.
'So, dinner and a movie sound good?'
Akane grinned at the nervous tone in his voice and the nonchalant expression on his face she knew was faked.
"Sounds fabulous."
"So... have you ever had a boyfriend before?", genuinely curious, Ranma stared at her only to see Akane roll her eyes.
'You do know that on the first date you really, really shouldn't be talking about ex-boyfriends or girlfriends.'
'Wow, ex-girlfriends, huh?'
Slapping his arm, Akane gave him a short glare before laughing slightly.
'Pervert. YOUR ex-girlfriends. And unless the boyfriend I had when I was six counts, then no – no boyfriends.'
Ranma looked confused.
'When you were SIX?'
'Well, he was cute and he did know how to perform this really complicated kata. Don't worry, I dumped him as soon as he'd finished teaching me.'
'Huh, maybe I shouldn't start teaching you. It looks as though you're likely to dump me once you've learned all my techniques.'
'Honestly. That should just encourage you to keep improving yourself so that I will be with you for-'
Akane abruptly cut of her thoughts, blushing furiously as she realised what she'd been about to share. To her surprise, Ranma's voice in his head was remarkably soft as he finished the sentence for her.
'for the rest of our lives...? Have you ever, y'know... thought about it? What it'd be like?'
Akane smiled slightly. They were breaking so many first-date rules yet she couldn't bring herself to care. Ranma was blushing and sending her casual glances.
'Yes, I have. I... after the match with the 'Golden Pair', I ... started thinking what it would be like if this wasn't just something our parents forced on us.'
'And, err, what did you think?'
'I thought that I would probably enjoy a couple of dates before any proposals. Though admittedly with the amount of adventures we've been on, we at least already know how far we are willing to go for one another.'
Ranma laughed and Akane couldn't help but join.
'We have been through a lot together. Can't help but wonder though how to make you a less attractive kidnappee.'
'Is that even a word? Besides, I don't get kidnapped that often!'
'Often enough.'
Akane paused, remembering yesterday morning – his need to check on her, her safety, worrying over her. Her anger dissipated as quickly as it had come.
'I don't mean to make you worry, y'know.'
'... I know.'
'And I think you just said I was attractive.'
Ranma chuckled at the mischievous expression on her face, before quieting down again, remembering what he'd been meaning to tell her.
'Sorry we can't dress up for our first date... it's just, if Shampoo or Kodachi, my parents, your dad, Nabiki or whoever else usually deigns to interrupt us, sees us, I want to have plausible deniability.'
'... Just so you know, it's okay. I don't really mind. Don't get me wrong, I like dressing up as much as the next girl, but in this case it would also mean losing out on my date with you – I much prefer the date over dressing up.'
'I'll take that as a compliment.'
'You should.'
"I think this must be a new record for not insulting one another."
Ranma lips quirked into a smile at Akane's words, unable to help himself.
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"So... this is it..."
Nervously, Ranma wiped his hands on his trousers, gesturing to the restaurant in front of them. Akane chanced a glance at him and it took her a moment to realise he was holding his hand out to her, blushing.
Just like the last time, Akane grasped his hand, smiling happily as he led her into the restaurant.
"Private Room for two, please. It's for Saotome."
'Ranma! Can we... can you affo-'
'Now, now, 'kane. That's not very nice of you. I am inviting you to dinner. You are not meant to look at prices – just enjoy. At least that much I do know.'
Akane blushed slightly at her faux-pas, though Ranma's grin said he didn't care – it was just an opportunity to tease her back.
They followed the waitress through a hallway until they arrived in one of the rooms. Both stepped through, blushing slightly at the sudden proximity and lack of interference they had half-expected.
'... Saotome...'
'Woah, what did I do wrong?'
At her confused look, Ranma started feeling puzzled himself. He could have sworn she was angry. Why else the last name...?
'You always call me Ranma, Akane. Now, I think if you start calling me by my last name it's safe to assume that I have done something horribly wrong...'
Akane blushed, sitting down opposite of him, fiddling with the hem of her dress and avoiding eye contact.
"It's nothing..."
"Nah-uh. How am I meant to enjoy this da-date if I keep thinking you're mad?"
'... When you came into the restaurant, the reservation... it was for Saotome...'
Ranma's voice was dry when he replied out loud after noticing that she was not continuing her thoughts.
"Well, that is my name after all."
A pause. Akane sent him a shy glance before answering him in her thoughts.
'I know... it's just... I think they thought I was Akane Saotome.'
Akane wasn't sure how she felt about that. A part of her was still testing out which last name suited best, though the thought of marriage was still sort of far off. Even just thinking the name 'Akane Saotome' caused her heart to flutter and her face to flush. It would... imply a certain sense of mutual ownership that she wasn't sure she was comfortable with just yet.
Ranma's own eyes widened at the realisation of what she'd been going on about. Akane Saotome? His heart rate increased and he blushed as he realised he wouldn't exactly mind that. Akane was right – they had been through so many adventures together, there was a certain security in knowing she not only accepted his curse fully but she was willing to do the most stupid, insane things to rescue him (such as dying).
But he knew as well as she did that they hadn't even gone on one date yet. He needed to lighten the mood.
'Huh. Well, sounds better than Ranma Tendo any day though.'
Akane snorted before clapping a hand to her mouth, trying to stifle the giggles. Ranma felt his own lips twitch in response.
For a moment they looked at each other and then broke into laughter.
'Yeah, we'll be alright.', Ranma thought, trying desperately to stop laughing.
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The waitress returned looking puzzled and the chef leaned over the counter.
"Kimiko, what is it?"
"Well... I just brought this young couple to room 12... And I could've sworn they weren't getting along as it was deadly quiet – you know, one of those Omiai or arranged marriages... And then they suddenly started laughing out of the blue. It was... really eerie."
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They should have known something would go wrong. Inevitably, something always did. Still, Ranma and Akane had been enjoying a simple dinner when suddenly someone burst in, breaking down the door.
"Take your hands off Akane!"
It was Ryoga, enraged and umbrella at the ready. Both Akane and Ranma blinked in confusion, sitting at opposite ends of the table and certainly not touching.
"Why, Ryoga, how nice of you to join us."
Smirking slightly, Ranma gestured to the seat between them as if to invite Ryoga to sit with them – which made him pause momentarily before continuing his rant.
"You dishonourable pervert, abusing Akane's trust like this."
Akane frowned, feeling out of the loop.
'Any idea what he's on about?'
'Not a clue. Slightly ironic, though'
He didn't notice Akane's puzzled glance at his words, all his focus on his rival.
"Funny, you talking about lacking honour, being a pervert and abusing Akane's trust, eh, Pigboy?"
Ranma felt the same quiet rage he always felt when he saw Ryoga and remembered him cuddling into Akane's bosom only moments after he himself had sworn on his honour to keep quiet about the transformation.
He could still clearly remember when he tried to get P-chan back that first night and Akane thought him – him! – a pervert for it. Gritting his teeth, Ranma glared at his rival not noticing how Akane was staring at Ryoga in shock.
"How about we fight this out, man to man, here and now!"
'P-Chan...?'
Akane's voice echoed softly through Ranma's head but before he could reply to either her or Ryoga, both males found their focus switched entirely to Akane, as she stared at Ryoga in betrayal and shock.
"Oh god... Are you P-Chan?"
Akane watched, aghast when Ryoga paused before his denial – before she could stop herself she threw her glass of cold water at him. It took only an instant and a unbearably familiar, black pig appeared in front of her in the midst of clothes. Her reflexes weren't quick enough, shock holding her back but Ranma's hand flashed out faster than she could see and held the pig up to her for judgement – or as an apology, she wasn't sure.
'Ranma... I-He...'
She watched her fiancé's face twist into a grimace.
'I am so sorry, Akane. I never meant for you to find out like this.'
Akane gasped slightly, feeling tears in her eyes. She ignored the pig wildly looking between her and Ranma due to the nonverbal communication taking place between them.
'Would you... Would you ever have told me?'
The betrayal stung more than she liked to admit, heart aching, knowing Ranma had known about this the entire time, had known she was sleeping with a boy her age in bed – undressing with a boy watching her... Suddenly, her sadness turned into anger – unfathomably strong fury rose within her as she stared at the black pig who had betrayed her, dishonoured her.
"Ryoga, you are going to die."
The words shook her even as she said them and there was that horrible realisation that at this very moment, she would not be able to stop if she started beating him. Akane breathed in deeply, controlling herself, before grabbing the pig out of Ranma's unresisting hands.
"I suggest you leave right this second and don't ever dare to step into my sight again or I will not hesitate to kill you. YOU have dishonoured me. YOU have betrayed me. Was it fun, hm? Watching me undress at night? Sleeping in my bed? Watching me? Listening to me when I told you my innermost thoughts? Was it fun, I ask you!"
Her hands were squeezing the squealing pig before throwing it through the hole in the door he'd come in from, putting all her force behind it.
Hands clenching she stared at his backpack and his clothes. She gritted her teeth, sparing Ranma only a small glance.
Ryoga's betrayal hurt, it did, but Ranma's... She held back a sob.
"I believe our date is over."
And with that she left the restaurant, making her way home – alone. She could feel the tears running down her cheeks as she sought shelter beneath one of the bridges. Just some... peace and quiet. Away from everyone – away from Ranma reading her mind.
It hurt, god, did it hurt.
Ryoga... she'd thought he was so nice – lost boy and almost sweet in his concern for her. It was only now she realised he'd never paid her any particular attention until she'd adopted P-Chan the first time. To her surprise, Akane found herself bend over, vomiting.
He had... he'd violated her. He had seen her naked, had his face between her breasts, slept in her bed... hell, she'd come damned close to having baths with him! Oh god, dear god. Akane shivered, violently, feeling repulsed and stripped bare. She'd told P-chan her thoughts, her feelings and he'd... god, his arguments with Ranma made so much more sense suddenly.
The first, heaving sob made it past her throat as she cowered down into the shadow of the bridge, trying to not attract attention. She'd loved p-chan. He'd been her cute little pet... she'd never understood why Ranma was always beating him up, trying to get it away from her. Now it all made sense – he'd been trying to protect her in some ways.
The betrayal from Ranma still hurt, though. She knew how much he valued [his] honour – but what about her honour? The very thing Ryoga had taken from her with his actions. She'd... she'd slept with that thing. Her mind all to easily recalled instances where Ranma had gone out of his way to keep Ryoga's identity a secret from her even though it would've been easy for him to simply let him drop and turn into p-chan in front of her eyes...
God, how dumb could she be? The ice rink, the cold water – P-Chan's disappearance, Ryoga's reappearance with the 'Charlotte' collar on his neck... How had she not noticed?
The next moment her tears turned into anger once more and she punched the wall. She had been right the first time around – boys were dishonourable, foul creatures who cared for nothing beyond themselves. To them it didn't matter what they'd done to her – only their own stupid rivalry and words.
Well, Ranma could go out with one of the other fiancées – Hell, Ukyo could have him if she still wanted the dishonest bastard! She was so over him, Akane reaffirmed to herself, wiping away stray, traitorous tears that tried to suggest otherwise.
And P-Chan... P-Chan was going down, next time she saw him. Hopping back up onto the street she set a course for home before pausing. Her family... surely they wouldn't have known, right? The sick feeling in her stomach intensified. God, please, no.
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