Just so you know, yes it ends here. I have a reason of why though, on the very bottom of this chapter. - Azalia

As always, I'll accept any criticism you have stored for me or any advice.

"Here we are..." - It wasn't easy, or maybe it was too easy. It's hard to tell the difference when there's two different motives. One, it's pouring like if there's no tomorrow. Two, you just realized you allowed a lecher on your head but at least he's bringing warm to the hair. Still, the soon he got off the quicker. Before he got the wrong idea.

They were home.

"Ranma!" - Was Ryoga's words from inside the house, he then quickly opened his umbrella and walked towards Ranma who was just on the main gates of the residence. He was moving with care though, just in case the water tried to play a nasty trick on him, like transforming his body into a piglet.

She was surprised he was on their place again, he was always on trips and didn't said a word about it to anyone else but to himself. Embarrassed that she had Happosai on her head, she quickly put him down. - "Gramps, go ahead. I'll catch up with you later"

"Hm? You plan to go out again, it's still raining?" - Happosai was naive in his own way, and took him a moment before realizing who was approaching with such a happy face.

"It's not like that, I just need to think about..." - She wasn't even looking at him any longer, only forward. Happosai understood it then and remained quiet as it seemed he had turned into a ghost for both of them. - "...Ryoga"

Ryoga approached at long last after avoiding a few ponds on the ground, quickly putting himself in front if not almost at Ranma's side to protect her from the rain.

"... About?" - Said Happosai, but as he expected, he was ignored by those two.

"What are you doing here?" - It was kind of obvious what was going on with Ranma, her eyes were completely focused on his and her cheeks seemed to have gone red of the embarrassment and of the sudden excitement.

Ryoga was surprised of the question, but also of Ranma's state. Her entire clothes were wet and seemed like if she hadn't taken cover since the rain began. He wanted to do something about it but knew this wasn't the place for it. So with a shy smile and with his hand constantly scratching his hair, he replied. - "I... I don't know, I was going home today but I couldn't just leave like that, could I? Hahah...Ahah"

"Then, now that I'm here you'll leave... me?" - It's hard to explain why she added that last word, but the thought of him leaving so soon ached her heart painfully.

"What?! No, of course not. I'll stay with you today too!" - Ryoga panicked, that odd look that Ranma had made him feel completely guilty about what he had said before, but what just came out from his mouth could be very misunderstanding, so next thing he did was to cover his mouth with his free hand.

He was expecting Ranma to do something to him for talking like that, but when he looked at her again after the surprise, she was only looking back with widened eyes.

They were both blushing now, and silence remained as the rain poured down with no stop. They both looked on their feet for some time, as if trying to find the words to break the silence. But there was nothing. All there was, was their eyes meeting again. They hadn't realized just yet but they were getting closer to each other.

A thunder fell not far from them, shocking them enough to ruin their moment. Soon they both took a step back from each other when they realized they were repeating the same thing from last night.

Not that it bothered them, but they didn't knew how the other one felt about it, or if that moment were of any importance to him or her.

"D-Dinner will be ready soon, we shouldn't make Kasumi wait" - Ranma tried her best to distract them from that comfortable yet awkward moment.

The rain was still strong and she was already wet so it didn't mattered. Ranma was about to walk away from Ryoga when he grabbed him by the arm, not letting her leave the umbrella's reach. - "W-What are you doing... let go of me you..." - She didn't seemed in a hurry to go away from him. But if she didn't, she didn't knew what she would do next time.

Ryoga was on a small trance, as if he had reacted by instinct, even he didn't realized what he was doing until a few moments later. - "Don't leave..." - He thought as he looked at her with a gentle smile, understanding at long last these feelings of his.

"Let's go together, Ranma!" - Ryoga said it with such confidence you could say he was a completely different person. With Akane who was once his only love, he could barely say a thing to her. With Akari, it was never really coming from the soul. But with Ranma it felt different, maybe because she's someone he knows for a long time now, even if they were rivals at first.

That hatred quickly became friendship in it's own twisted way, that had now developed into this very moment.

Ranma was then held by the hand, by Ryoga. She was blushing and her heart felt like it was about to come out from her throat but she didn't complained about it, she could only smile back at him. - "... Right"

It was a single word but it meant the world for both of them, especially to Ranma. Maybe having him at her side, right now, wasn't so bad. Having him to protect her like nobody else has, against Akane's misunderstood rage, or against the rain which she had always thought as meaningless, it had somehow touched her, she could say that much. Or think of it.

So she would let it unfold just for tonight. Maybe this feeling wasn't a good thing and she would soon regret it all...

Happosai remained behind them, looking at the scene while keeping his own thoughts to himself. He never thought such thing could happen yet it was proving itself right in front of him. He seemed satisfied with the result, he now knew why she asked about such thing as love to him, who anyone barely ever listens.

"Dear Cologne, are you watching this now?"

At a corner of the residence, hidden deep within the shadow of the wall Cologne looked at Ranma and Ryoga's development.

She was about to interfere more than once, but she stopped herself every single time. As much as she wanted Shampoo to marry with Ranma, this scene could not be destroyed by simple interference. So she would leave them be for now.

Hoping that their own differences, and the interferences of all those who are linked to their lives, will severe their growing relationship for good.

To be continued...

OCC:

Just so you're wondering, yes, it will end right here. At least this part of the story.

The reason why I've taken so long to make an update was because I didn't knew how far I wanted this story to go. At the end, thanks to the advice of a reviewer, I decided I would end the story here, and continue it on another.

My objective now is to use this as an introduction of the relationship that is yet to develop between F:Ranma and Ryoga. I plan to continue it but this time by my own hands. Without any sort of translation or guidance as I did on this story. (Until Chapter 9, that is)

I hope you're patient with me and wait for the continuation/sequel of this story that is yet to come to your screens. It'll be difficult for me to form the whole idea and keep it interesting for you guys, because only a couple of hours ago I decided what I would do.

Thank you for reading this story until the very end. I could promise you: I'll make an update soon enough (this month). But instead of wasting time to make a promise, I should go ahead and just do it.

PS: I gotta practice my English too so...

- Azalia