Late Friday afternoonAkane returned home from work and passed by Ranma on his way out of the dojo, a small overnight bag over his back. She stopped in her tracks; breath caught in her throat.
He's leaving.
He waved off to his mom and dad, smiling brightly. He turned to see her, her face was dropped, her eyes sad and squinting into the bright sun.
Is she sad or somethin'?
Nervous she rubbed her lips together, caught up in a strange feeling.
"You're leaving?" She asked, a smaller voice than she intended. He walked up to her, cheerful and bouncing the bag onto his shoulder. So nonchalant and happy, how could he act this way when he was leaving again. Did he feel like he resolved everything he needed to? Did she? We're they ending on the grounds she wanted to? It didn't feel that way, at least to her.
"Hey 'Kane, yeah, I'm leavin' for the night there's a tournament down in the city I'm competing in. Got a call from a buddy of mine from Korea that told me 'bout it."
Oh.
"Oh!" She squeaked out. "I didn't realize you were still competing like that."
"Yeah, hard to give it up ya know? So, when I heard there was one not too far from here, I couldn't say no." She felt blood pumping back in her body and it was all going up into her face. How embarrassing, why did it seem like he always made her feel stupid or nervous when she clearly wasn't. Her thoughts were interrupted.
"Didja want some tickets or somethin', I can see if I can get a couple?"
"Actually, I have plans to see Kasumi tonight. She wanted to talk about wedding stuff and I guess it's my turn." She smiled and he nodded, the blue in his eyes losing a little luster. "But I would love to see you compete, please let me know the next time!" He brightened up a bit at that.
"Yeah, maybe you'll learn a little thing or two, seein' a stud like me compete." He flexed his arm, pointing at himself with his thumb. She bulked and rolled her eyes.
"Whatever, forget I said anything." He laughed at her reply.
"Well, I gotta get goin' I should be home probably tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Her face dropped a little. He smiled.
"Yeah, some friends want to catch up afterwards, have a couple of drinks you know, just hang out for a little bit." He grinned wider. "Don't seem so down 'Kane, I'll be back for you to ogle all ya want when I get back tomorrow." Her face grew redder and she glared up at him.
"Ew, don't be gross." She turned her head up and purposefully shoulder checked him, walking back to the house without turning around. She heard him breaking out into a chuckle. She stopped at the door and turned around.
"Good luck." She gave a small smile. He returned it, cheerful and genuine.
"Don't need it."
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"Akane? Akane, are you listening?" Kasumi was talking to her but Akane was lost thinking about the last week or so. Her sister had been curious how it was at home, if she was doing alright, how Ranma was readjusting to life back in Nerima. Akane reassured her things were good, that the two of them had started talking and that she felt that they had made real strides in their friendship.
But there was something...stuck on her mind, something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Yes, the two of them were getting along, especially after their talk after her and Shingo's relationship came to an end.
They were getting along too well.
She recalled for nearly the entire first year he lived there their constant fighting, screaming and shouting over the smallest things, his cocksure nature had rubbed her so raw that she had even less of a filter on her emotions. But in their senior year they had resolved a lot of their daily fights to maybe one or two weekly, they even went a month without a real blow out because of studying for finals.
And now, minus their occasional teasing and the large fight, they were nothing but respectful and cordial around the other. Like he was just a family guest coming around for a visit, nothing special. Nothing monumental.
Not how she expected to feel to have him back in her life.
They were friendly, easygoing around one another, none of the heat of anger or pining that she had felt 4 or 5 years ago.
Maybe she was really over him.
She frowned and felt her stomach turn a little, this is what she wanted right? When she had let him go years ago and forgiven him, no longer letting his memory leech onto her heart and her love and be the comparison of every future partner she would ever have.
So why did it feel so empty and unfulfilled? So erroneous?
"Akane."
Her sister's stern coo finally shook her out.
"Ah...Kasumi I'm so sorry, I don't know where my mind is lately. This summer has been so over the place I guess."
"It certainly has. Is everything really okay at home? You said it was but you've had a stressful few weeks between Ranma and..."
"Shingo?"
"Yes. I didn't want to bring him up. It seemed cruel to go from talking about my own wedding to inquiring about your feelings about Shingo and all that happened." Her face sank a bit, remorseful. Akane smiled and shook her head.
"It's fine, I wasn't ready for that relationship, we both wanted different things and wanted them at different times. It just wasn't what we were looking for." Maybe that was true, maybe it wasn't but the subject of Shingo was getting old.
The silence hung for a moment, Kasumi feeling like she should try to comfort her sister more since she was obviously holding some of feelings back but she had learned long ago that like bringing a horse to water, you can't make it drink, and like that you can ask Akane to talk about her feelings, but doesn't mean she will.
"Besides, I want to know more about what you've got left, it's only what? A month left 'til the wedding?"
"Mmm, just 32 days. I can't tell you how excited I am Akane. I can't believe I'm finally marrying Tofu, after all this time." She beamed and covered her face with her hand, a small pink glow starting behind it. Kasumi was the ideal bride to be, gracious, calm, excited but not overbearing. She had been planning the wedding from the week they got engaged and had settled on a traditional Shinto wedding, followed by a reception and dinner for a larger group of guests and finally settling on an afterparty after Nabiki's insistence that the two newlyweds take full advantage of their special day.
Akane laughed at her sister's embarrassment, always trying to push the attention off of herself. She deserved all the love and recognition however, more than anyone else she could think of. Kasumi was like a big sister to everyone she met and didn't have a single enemy. Her and Tofu's love story had been fairy tale-esque, both so dearly in love and devoted to the other. Her happiness was contagious and you couldn't help but gravitate towards it, not unlike so much about her older sister.
"Well, c'mon these gifts aren't going to wrap themselves! Your guests are going to be expecting a lot from you, you know!" Akane teased. "You marrying a doctor and all."
"Akane! Don't be that way, we'll have nice things for the guests!" Kasumi chided lightly but smiled. "Also, I asked Nabiki if it'd be alright...but I'd like to spend the night before I marry with the two of you. Nabiki offered her apartment." She smiled softly as Akane's teasing dropped. "I'd like to spend a last night together, as sisters, just the three of us one more time."
The thought brought a pang to her heart, even though they were all in their 20's now it hadn't fully dawned on Akane that her and her sisters would likely never live all together again. Kasumi was already moved out and with someone new in her old bedroom, Nabiki had moved out with no intention of moving back into the dojo unless she went broke and Akane...well she was moving out, but would be likely back living in the dojo at some point.
Perhaps alone.
The thought caused a slight wave of sadness to roll through her, the idea that one day she may be in the dojo, running the school and alone like her father. Would she have friends willing to stay with her?
She shook the thought away; tonight, was about Kasumi and her happiness. Not a growing acceptance to the idea of potential loneliness.
"I think it's a great idea Kasumi, we'll have a great time! Now let me help you put these gifts together!"
"Akane! Please watch how you make the bows!"
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Akane laid up in her bed back home from Kasumi's after a night of putting gifts together and going over her last steps that she needed help with. Her sister was so well organized, knew exactly each step and procession of her upcoming wedding. Akane had asked to see some of her dresses for the reception and after party but Kasumi wanted to keep it secret. She realized in the time that she'd been laying up, that tonight had been one of the nights in recent memory she got to spend a good amount of time with her oldest sister. She rolled on her side and let some memories roll into her own mind, the times she spent with her in high school, desperately trying to teach her to cook, showing her how to properly dress wounds, mend her skirts after fights and give unsolicited advice about boys.
She remembered her sister's reaction to the idea of a fiancée, the dread washing over while her face portrayed a serene calm upon his arrival. Akane knew she already had some planted seeds of feelings for Tofu even back then but would never admit it, always using the guise of wanting to learn more about massage or chi or whatever excuse she could come up with to see him and borrow a book.
She thought about how many times she had gone to her sister angry over the engagement, how unfair it felt, how this didn't feel right to her and every time Kasumi pressed her for patience. And overtime she stopped complaining about everything and those conversations turned into more complicated feelings and asking Kasumi to keep secrets, embarrassing and deadly to her singledom. But Kasumi would listen and listen and sometimes she'd advise and sometimes she'd just offer Akane a hand to hold, a hug, a reassuring brush of her hair. And Kasumi never told anyone, never pushed her in a direction to him when Akane told her things and it was obvious that was the way she should go. Afterall, Ranma also treated Kasumi like an older sister and he would occasionally say something to her, ask something.
Kasumi, lovingly devoted to neutrality if ever there was someone who was.
Akane thought back to her own wedding plans, how slap dash and hap hazard they had been put together, just home long enough from China to put together a ceremony.
A ceremony she had wanted, had agreed to.
It was very different than Kasumi's long-term planning and ideas. To be honest, Akane hadn't even really wanted a wedding like she got, she had always thought she'd get a more traditional marriage, like her parents had had, like her sister was having. At least at 17 that more Western style was what she thought would work better.
Now, the idea of marriage just gave her chills, what an awful day that had been.
And like a memory kicking in, she could again smell the burnt lace, the scorched taffeta. She looked over to her closet, she knew it was in there, it had never moved since the day she threw it back into the bag and into the closet and out of her mind.
She rolled back over on her back, yawning at the time and the prospect of sleeping in tomorrow because she didn't have to work. She got ready to get under the sheets when she looked at her window, curtains shut and window closed. Taking a moment, she lifted herself up and opened the curtains slightly, opened the window letting the night air in. He was gone for the night anyways, right?
But maybe also, just in case.
You know, in case he locked himself out.
xXXxXxxXXxXxxXXXxXxXXxxX
The next day was a lovely summer day. Akane spent most of it outside, doing katas in the morning, bathing, then returning to read in her bathing suit for a bit. It was a nice guilty pleasure of hers, spending the afternoons being lazy, reading manga or whatever magazine she had picked up that week, picking up a book from her room for a world to return to. She had recently tried reading some English classics in the native language from her time studying in school, she was only a few months graduated but didn't want to lose what she had learned. She managed to fall asleep for a bit in the afternoon sun, the comfort of a temperate sun on her face and back as she dozed off in the middle of Jane Eyre, giving into the indulgence of sleeping outdoors in the middle of the day.
Waking up to a late afternoon, Akane saw her father and Genma playing shogi from the deck as she stretched and walked back inside. Throwing a halter over her bikini, she went down to find Nodoka had started cooking dinner. Akane checked the time it was a bit past 5 and she realized she hadn't seen or heard anything from Ranma in a day. Quietly making her way upstairs she wondered if she had missed him. On her tippiest of toes she moved to his room, stilling her breath as not to give herself away. Gripping the knob, she turned slowly and looked in to find...
Nothing.
She hadn't been in Kasumi's now Ranma's room since he moved in, most of her sister's things were still there. Though the small TV she owned had been pulled closer to the bed along with her night table to accommodate someone watching it while in bed. But otherwise, it showed very little of his personal touch, his pack still in the corner, empty and unpacked now, his clothes and small trinkets put away for weeks now. Akane prepared to walk in to look at things further when she nearly jumped out of her skin as Nodoka called her down for help.
xXXXxxXxxXXxxxXxxx
Saotomes and Tendous ate together cheerfully as the sun was still up and the shoji doors open, the cherry to top a pleasant day. Akane smiled and spoke to the parents as they asked her about Tofu's office, Kasumi's wedding. Nodoka particularly gushed whenever she got some insight into Kasumi's wedding plans, she had been very careful with her boundaries with the eldest Tendou's plans. She considered herself close with Kasumi, who would no doubt agree, but couldn't bring herself to step in as a mother figure, happy to accept her position as a close aunt to the bride to be.
The pork tonight was tender and flavorful and the seasonal vegetables expertly grilled. Akane's rice was nearly perfect, slightly mushy but was lost when the meat and veggies went together with it. She felt great!
Until the sun was going down and she felt her heartbeat start to pick up.
Where is he? It's dinner and he said he'd be gone for the night. Now it's the night AFTER and he's still not home.
She stared sternly down into her food.
She was worried. She was worried about him.
The conversations went over her head as she moved her food around her bowl absentmindedly trying not to portray the feelings in her head on her face.
What if he's hurt? Or lost? Or worse? What if he needs us and we can't find him?
In the middle of her deep thought, she was just circling her chopstick ends around the bottom of the bowl until she heard it.
"Ranma! You're home!"
Her eyes grew wide at the sound from Nodoka. He walked in, duffle bag over his shoulder and laughed as he placed it down. Akane stopped circling and looked up to see him as his mother got up to look at him. She looked on quietly as his mother tsked and fussed over him, it was then she noticed. The bruises developing on his arms, the small, healed cut on his neck, his bandaged hands, the small split in the side of his bottom lip, the small sickly pond of blue below his left eye, the scrape on the bridge of his nose and forehead.
She was willing to bet there was more. She was used to finding and treating these things at Tofu's after all.
This.
Macho.
IDIOT.
She seethed quietly at her seat while his mother ran her hands over his face, looking for assurance he was alright. She had him sit in his usual spot.
Next to Akane.
She prepared him a bowl as the two adult children took a look at one another.
"You got some color today." Ranma mused, pointing out her slightly less white skin and her more prominent freckles. She huffed out and raised an eyebrow to him.
"And you got beat to hell."
He laughed and shook his head. "You should see the other guys."
"Guys?!"
"Here's your food Ranma, I'm so happy you're home to enjoy it!" He gave his mom a large grin and gladly took the bowl.
"Thanks Ma, I'm starving!" He began to scarf the food down as Akane looked on questioningly. After a few bites he peered over and saw her red, annoyed face.
"You okay, 'Kane?" Her face scrunched up at his question. She pushed her feelings down.
"You need to be patched up; you need some medical attention." He laughed again.
"I promise, I'm alright, okay? Nothin' serious."
"Finish your bowl, Ranma. Then I'm patching you up." She started shoveling food into her mouth, angry, annoyed. He looked on her, bright eyed and beaming in his smile. He ate a bit slower but took great indulgence in the fact that she worried about him, while trying to hide it of course. Maybe if he was lucky, she'd slap him around a little bit for old times' sake.
"Whatever ya say, nurse." She flicked a piece of scallion onto his face that he smiled and licked off his face as she brutely attacked her food.
xXxxxXXxxXXXxxxxXXXXxxxxxx
Finishing their bowls, Akane stood up and walked to the stairs turning to face him.
"Well? My bag is upstairs, I'll patch you up there." Their parents turned to him and he turned lightly pink, embarrassed with the sudden attention.
"Why can'tcha just do that down here?" He grumbled back. She rolled her eyes.
"Because they're still eating and taking up most of the room down here. Now get up and follow me." She pursed her lips and made her way upstairs not waiting on him anymore. He sighed and grabbed his bag and followed.
Nodoka smiled behind her bowl.
Akane was rustling through her work bag, pulling out a first aid kit, along with some additional antiseptics, antibiotic ointments, gauze and bandages. He made his way by her room, dropping off his bag and returning, knocking on her door frame. Without turning around, she answered.
"Come in and take a seat."
"In here? You don't care if I come in?" He felt slightly uncomfortable, he hadn't been in her room in years and she certainly hadn't been interested in letting him in since he got here. She turned around annoyed.
"Yes Ranma, come in. I've had boys in my room before you know." She said matter of fact-ly. "Take a seat wherever you want."
He eyed her bed but quickly dismissed it, taking a seat on the ground. She grabbed her things and took a seat in front of him. She immediately went to work cleaning up his face and wounds, quiet and concentrated. Her eyes ran over his scrapes and her hands would follow, a light touch so as not to make things worse.
If he was completely honest, Ranma had always enjoyed when she would tend to his wounds, even when they were in midst of fighting through it, her calling him an idiot while he made some remark that would make her irritate an already tender spot on him. But then things would go quiet and she would focus on somewhere on his body and she'd care for it. He liked the closeness, her smaller, softer hands as they would touch his face, his chest, his back. It was both strangely sensual but deeply tender at the same time. In most instances she'd never get this close to him but treating him, she did it without question or complaint, only just to dismiss his previous actions as foolish.
As she treated his wounds on his face, he felt those similar feelings bubble up but pressed them down. Her face only inches from his made his heart beat a bit quicker, the way her pupils would widen and focus on parts of his face, with a curious look to one of certainty as her next move. He liked to see the cogs in her mind work behind her large amber eyes.
"Do you have any cuts on your chest or back?" She had turned to her bag, grabbing more items. He coughed, uncomfortable again.
"I uh,...dunno I didn't look." She sighed.
"Could you take your shirt off?" She heard the words as they fell out of her mouth and blushed. "So, I can take a look please." She kept her head turned away to allow him modesty. She saw out of the corner of her eye as he removed his tank top and turned back to see him.
Unlike the time when they had been in the dark and he was shirtless, this time he was quite visible under her ceiling and desk light. His chest was broad, hard with some light scars from over the years. There was a couple that she even recognized from years ago, faded but still visible. His body was tan from time spent in the sun, slightly darker than when he had been living with her, he'd still managed to grow very little chest hair, perhaps this was a side effect of the curse even years later? She watched his firm chest rise slightly as she looked him over for more wounds.
Yes, wounds.
Her eyes trailed down to his trim stomach, his abs were pronounced and tight, the lean muscles of his stomach as they rose along with his chest. She had never seen someone with a body like this, even in his good shape, Shingo had never had the definition of muscles like she saw in front of her. She took her eyes off of him, terrified to keep thinking of his body in front of her, not wanting to think about how it would feel to touch his abs, would they feel flat?
She coughed lightly, embarrassed of herself.
"You look fine on your chest minus a nasty bruise. Does it bother you?" She finally looked up at him, he was quietly looking at her, eyes focused and front. The bright joyful blue had deepened, something caused a darkening. He shook his head.
"Could you turn around, I'd like to check your back if you don't mind."
Without issue he turned on his butt and faced away from her as she looked him over. His large, rounded shoulders showed no sign of damage, his muscular back had a minor cut or two, slightly irritated looking. She took antiseptic and placed a bit on his cut as she heard him suck air through his teeth.
"Sorry, just wanted to make sure it was clean." She grabbed his ponytail and moved it over his shoulder, away from the drying liquid. She took a moment and watched the way his muscles expanded and contracted under his skin as he breathed.
She knew it wasn't wrong to admire a handsome man, especially one built so well but she felt a wave of shame over this.
"You can turn back to me and put your shirt back on."
He returned back her way, pulling the tank back over himself. She continued to work on smaller patches, little nicks and cuts. She pulled a cotton ball with a nasty smelling liquid on and she grabbed his jaw.
"This is for that lip cut, I wanna make sure it doesn't scar or get worse." She poked at it and he immediately went to pursing his lips so he wouldn't get the liquid in his mouth or anywhere else on his lips. She smiled and laughed lightly.
"I know you're just trying to not get this all over, but you look pretty ridiculous all puckered up like that." He glared at her for a moment before breaking into a wide grin, he could really be so handsome sometimes. She finished on his lip and went to grab out of her bag one last thing. She held the little band aid up to his face. Running it over the bridge of his nose, she settled back and smiled, pleased with her work.
"There. You're all fixed up, feel better?"
Ranma, looking cross-eyed stared down at the bandage and groaning replied.
"Yeah, perfect. Thanks, Akane." He looked back up at her and she nodded. "Even if I didn't really need it, you know being built like this." He gave her a wide toothy grin.
God he could really be handsome.
"You needed patching up, you were all cut up and bruised from those fights. What happened anyways?"
"I won." He answered very matter of fact.
"I mean, what happened with those other guys, you said you fought more than one."
"Well, it's a tournament, 'Kane. You gotta fight more than one dude."
"Right, yeah the tournament." It was so obvious, so why was she so concerned about him? His grin grew even larger.
"Don't tell me ya were worried about me. Akane caring about lil' ol' me and my wellbein'"
"Don't be stupid, of course I'm not worried about you. You obviously can take care of yourself, you survived on your own after all."
"Yeah, nothin' can take this guy down." He leaned back, patting himself on the chest as he grinned. She quickly poked him in the side and he curled up slightly in pain. She smirked back.
"Yeah, 'nothin'. Some man among men here." She teased as he glared at her slightly. "You almost wouldn't know that you spent time as a girl." He rolled his eyes at her as she suddenly got a bit more serious. "Do...do you ever…miss it?"
"The curse?"
She nodded
"Not really, I mean occasionally I do, it got me out of some jams and I definitely miss the freebies I'd get as a chick but I don't know. I missed being a guy all the time. I never felt 100% comfortable as a girl."
"You took to it pretty good." She could see the anger building in his face. "I mean, when you needed to be you know, girly. All dressed up and all. Or like with cooking or learning to be a lady, you were good at that. I guess you just pick up on things kinda quick huh?"
"Yeah, guess I do a little."
In that moment, thinking about the times Ranma would take on "feminine" traits and challenges it caused a bit of stir of old feelings.
Of jealousy.
Of resentment.
Of sadness.
For so long in her life Akane compared her skills to Kasumi, her inability to cook, trying to be more feminine, less violent. She looked to Kasumi as the ideal female role, proficient in the arts of the home, of a womanly softness that could be obtained by wearing overly girlish dresses that crossed over into the garish, that by growing your hair out it would show just how much of a girl you were. And then she'd made it into high school and those same traits she thought would save her from the moniker of "tomboy" that word she had hated so much, now brought her unwanted attention from boys, her feminism suddenly weaponized against her. How she had struggled with her identity; yes, she wanted to be considered lovely and soft and feminine but she didn't want to be some guy's prize, some guy's conquest, some guy's wife.
And then, this red-haired girl came into her life and suddenly, suddenly maybe there was another girl like her! She loved the arts too, she got confused as a boy in the past, but she was undeniably female and delicate and curvy, they had similarities. Surely, they could help each other with finding themselves!
But when it turned out this girl was not so much tomboyish as much as she was half male, it had been like daggers in her chest. Nightmarish that Akane would find that the girl she finally felt could understand her was male. Not only male but resentful about his female side, like it was weaker or worse. Was that what he thought of her? Of girls like her?
And in time she saw how much better he was at feminine things than her, from his busty, envied after body to his uncanny ability to pick up flower arrangement, tea ceremony, flirting with boys for whatever he wanted, cooking, gymnastics, ice shaking. The list went on and on and to see this girl, this girl easily conquer and excel in every single thing Akane couldn't, it tore her up inside. No longer was she constantly comparing herself to Kasumi, she was comparing herself to her fiancée, to Ranma's girl side.
And those times had been confusing and painful, viciously angry over the skills of someone you were falling in love with. Personal feelings swung back and forth from jealously to admiration, from resentment to adoration. And before she realized it, that girl she had grew to hold with such disdain, was the girl she had fallen in love with, fully and completely in love.
Because boy or girl, it was Ranma. And she loved Ranma.
At one point she had loved Ranma.
He noticed her slight faraway look in her face and felt himself get sad, what wasn't Akane saying to him? He coughed and she met his eyes, big brown orbs shining lightly.
"W-would you like to see her?" Akane's eyes grew large and confused. "I have some instant Nyannichuan powder. Bought some in China you know just in case." He didn't wait for her to answer and got up heading to the door. "Just be a sec." he left.
Akane sat on the floor of her bedroom, quiet, unsure. There was an undeniable tension for what she couldn't put her finger on. Her thoughts about his body, the nearness and familiarity of tending to his wounds, his offer to go back to a girl, even if temporarily, for her. It made her nervous.
What the hell is going on
We are friends.
I missed him, I missed having him around. To rely on. But I won't go back to that place.
Love.
I won't go back there.
He came back inside with a kettle and packet, taking a seat he opened the lid and ripped the packet open dropping the powder inside. Akane watched every action like she was studying and learning him. When he saw it had all dissolved, he closed the kettle back up and poured the water over himself.
And like it had for so long, the water changed him. He shrunk in size, his height dropping, his chest growing as his body changed form, red hair bleeding over the sea of black.
And there she was, sitting in her room only a foot or so from her. Like a dream from a past life.
Like a ghost.
"Hey 'Kane." The redhead smiled and spoke as though she hadn't literally just been speaking with Akane as a man moments ago. Akane's eyes felt warm and she couldn't help but feel a flush of emotions. Here she was, this girl who for all intents and purposes wouldn't exist after this moment, that unless Ranma willed it, would never be here.
"Hi Ranma." She smiled, she could feel the tears growing, threatening to fall.
"Feels kinda weird to be back in this body, it's been a while." She looked down at herself, much less broad and firm, she was supple and soft. Delicate. "God, did my boobs get even bigger than before?" She joked, Akane broke out in a small laugh.
"Shut up, of course you'd complain about something like that."
The two women smiled at each other, taking the moment to admire how far they both had come with one another. Yes, there was a strange tension in the air, yes Akane was hung up on their lack of fighting and how everything felt wrong because of that, yes, Ranma felt she was hiding things from him and he was missing the physical part of their relationship and both could agree there were unsaid words and thoughts hanging between them. But for a moment, just a few minutes here Akane felt she could forgive herself and let go of the resentment she held with his girl side.
"Would...would it be okay if I?" Akane held her hand out to place on Ranma's face. She nodded and Akane brushed her thumb over the smooth, plush skin of her cheek. Her smile turned up on the side Akane had touched and that's what finally let her drop a few tears. The redhead immediately perked up, worried about the woman in front of her.
"You okay? I... uh... if this is too much." Akane interrupted, a large smile on her face as she wiped her tears away.
"I'm fine, it's just a lot. I haven't seen you in a long time, it feels surreal." She sniffled lightly and Ranma relaxed. "Thank you for doing this. I know it's probably not something you want to do, now that you're cured." Ranma shook her hand out, like this was a simple request.
"Eh, it's not a big deal. It's been a while for me to so just takes gettin' used to again. Least now I can control when I want it, just haven't felt the need to change in a while." She blushed a little and turned away, feeling like she was 16 meeting Akane again for the first time. "Plus, if ya know...needed to say goodbye n' all, I mean I know I'm back but y'know what I'm tryin' to say."
This feels so embarrassin', why can't I just talk to her?
Akane blushed and nodded as well, this had to be a lot for Ranma, trying to give her a chance for a closure she didn't know she needed.
"I hope this isn't the last goodbye. Just...until the next mix up." She smiled and laughed, Ranma returned the action.
Like a couple of long-lost girlfriends finding each other. What do you say? What do you do?
Akane, moved herself up and knelt in front of the redhead, a weak smile on her face. Ranma in his girl side still seemed to be slightly shorter than her somehow, looked up into her face. She stared up at the taller girl, her full lips parted, her breath uneasy. Akane's face didn't show anything, only a small smile of what? Happiness? Sadness?
Attraction?
Ranma thought back to those rumors. The things that made him feel uneasy as a man, that his fiancée didn't like boys. Hated boys in fact.
How could the most sought-after girl in school be uninterested in every single guy in school? Be borderline disgusted in them all?
Maybe she'd never like boys at all.
Even his other fiancées had said something along those lines, how tomboy-ish she was, how violent and unfeminine. Her short hair. Her athleticism. Her lack of interest in dating or shopping or anything deemed "girly". They'd mention it in jabs, whisper to him when she was failing in something feminine or when they wanted to shoot for a low blow. And she'd get flustered and mad or get defensive and deflated or quiet and sad.
The truth was he didn't really know how Akane felt about guys or girls. He knew Nabiki had a girlfriend now but that she had dated guys too. Was Akane like that too? Akane had had a boyfriend but Ranma had been gone a while.
It certainly felt like now was not a good time to ask about Akane's sexuality, not when they were getting on so well.
Or when she was inches from her own face.
The smaller girl caught her breath in her throat as Akane put her arms around her, hugging her softly. She laid her head on her shoulder, squeezing her eyes and smiled, a feeling of relief washing over her. Akane thought of how proud her anger management therapist would be of her now, to tackle the swimming emotions in her head and find the healthy one.
Ranma was unable to move her arms for a moment, shocked at the intimacy that they were sharing. Raising her lean arms, she lightly hugged Akane back. As she shifted herself, their chests pressed against each other, Ranma found the feeling intensely erotic and immediately felt guilty. She'd been growing more and more pressed for physical contact with Akane but not when she was vulnerable like this. And she wasn't even sure she wanted it in this body, she was supposed to be a man, right? To be the one that led?
But to feel one's self as soft and the softness of Akane, more sensitive in areas than as a guy, to imagine what would it would be like to progress while they were both girls, the taboo of it now that he was cured, it felt exciting.
What if she'd always preferred you as a woman?
The thought caused her to swallow nervously, pulling her arms back to herself. Akane released as well, meeting her face she smiled wider.
"Thanks for that. I... feel a lot better now."
Ranma nodded and smiled awkwardly, unsure of where to go with this. Panic ran through her head, would Akane always want his female side, cold and timid around his male side?
"Say, you wanna get an ice cream? I bet they won't be able to say no to a cute girl looking for a full sundae." Akane sat back and laughed, tipping her head to the side. Ranma smiled and shook her head.
"I'm pretty full from dinner and a little tired from the trip, I think I'll probably head off to bed." Akane's face dropped a little, surprised at her turn down of ice cream.
"Ah right, yeah you're probably exhausted. I should let you get some sleep." Akane stood up first, putting the supplies in the first aid kit back in and into its spot. Ranma followed suit, confirming she was still slightly shorter than Akane when a woman. They both shared a strained smile, for reasons the other couldn't figure out but did not want to ask. They were getting on well, but not that well.
Akane took a seat on her bed, watching as the redhead walked to her door.
"Night Ranma." She offered up softly, trying to be kind. She smiled back, a moment of sadness over her face.
"Night 'Kane. I'll see ya in the morning for trainin'." Akane nodded emphatically.
Ranma considered going to the bathroom to change back to her male self but instead turned around and went to her room, staying in her current form. It had been years since she'd gone to sleep still female.
She slept a tremendously comfortable but dreamless sleep that night.
AN: I really enjoyed writing this chapter, it felt a lot like I was writing a full-on character analysis of Akane exploring those faults, thoughts and traits. I think similarly to Ranma, you can read her as a complicated and complex character. I hope in future chapters to be able to do the same with our title character, even if I know this is really just a comedy manga but come on it's still kinda fun.
Also, I know I said I wouldn't but this chapter is officially your last heads up on upcoming sexually explicit material. If that's really not your thing that's okay, we'll see ya in a couple chapters down the line! But if you've also been waiting patiently, well I hope to be able to reward your patience! Thank you so much again for the reviews, it's been wonderful to receive and keeps pushing me to continue to write and put more thought into my words.