*Farewell and Goodnight*
Ryouga was well acquainted with moonlight-it was his flashlight when he traveled at night, it was a good listener, and it had a curiously wonderful way of making everything it touched silver and beautiful. Ryouga was never truly alone when the moon was in the sky. He sat in a chair in the corner of Akane's room and looked out the window. The light from the late evening sky was brilliant that night. He imagined the way he looked then, a profile outlined in white.
Ryouga shook his fist to hear the bell once again. He opened his hand and let it roll to his fingertips. The light hit it, and the silver shone. Ryouga fingered the frayed red ribbon that was tied to the top of the bell. It held on by mere threads-the last threads of hope.
Leaning back against the wall, Ryouga went over for the hundredth time the memories that came with the bell. Two years ago. Christmas. Akane, a simple child compared to the young woman she was now, giggling and holding the ribbon out to Ryouga. Ryouga scampering around the family Christmas tree to delight her. Warm girl's hands on his neck, untying his signature bandanna and replacing it with his Christmas present of a red ribbon and bell collar. Shining eyes. Love. The sweet music of two tin balls colliding. The day Ryouga almost forgot how miserable he was.
He heard the laughter in the hall outside her door now, but did not move. He kept his face in the shadows, but the bell stayed in the light.
The door opened, and in stumbled Akane, trailed by her fiancée Ranma. The two were giggling, drunk on love. Neither of them noticed Ryouga watching from the corner. They kissed, pulled at each other, and broke up the heavy moments with whispers, which led to more giggling. Ryouga felt like his body was being squeezed into a very tight space, but without him shrinking a size. He lifted his eyebrows to make his eyes feel more closed. The happy couple's voices echoed like screams in his ears. There was no worse of a torture than this.
"Ryouga!" Akane's cry was half startled, half embarrassed. Ranma fell off the bed and onto the floor. Ryouga opened his eyes and managed to make the only sound his throbbing vocal cords would let him.
"Hi."
Akane sat up, re-zipping her dress up the back. Her face was the same color as Ranma's trademark Chinese red shirt, which Ryouga saw was busy running out the door. Akane smoothed her hair, which had grown out to shoulder length, and tried to think up something to say. All she could think of was:
"It's been a while since I saw you last, huh? We never gave up hope that you wouldn't find your way back here!"
Silence.
Ryouga certainly wasn't going to be the one for small talk.
"Well, I guess someone had to find out about us eventually. I just wish it had been a little longer. Given us some time to ourselves."
Ryouga looked out the window, silent as stone. Moonlight, hear my prayer. Give me strength.
Akane stood up and moved toward him. He already occupied her chair-she sat at his feet and looked up at him. Beautiful brown eyes she had. They were huge.
"Ryouga what are you doing here? I mean, my room of all places?"
"I have to tell you something."
"Tell me something?"
Ryouga nodded. He looked back out the window.
"What's that in your hand?" She asked him, her face back to it's normal lovely color. She almost didn't want to hear what Ryouga wanted to tell her. The night had been going too well.
Slowly, as if they were stiff and numb with frost, Ryouga peeled back his fingers to reveal the silver bell. It had been smashed from a full moon to a thick half moon, by the pressure of his clenched fist.
Ryouga was well acquainted with moonlight-it was his flashlight when he traveled at night, it was a good listener, and it had a curiously wonderful way of making everything it touched silver and beautiful. Ryouga was never truly alone when the moon was in the sky. He sat in a chair in the corner of Akane's room and looked out the window. The light from the late evening sky was brilliant that night. He imagined the way he looked then, a profile outlined in white.
Ryouga shook his fist to hear the bell once again. He opened his hand and let it roll to his fingertips. The light hit it, and the silver shone. Ryouga fingered the frayed red ribbon that was tied to the top of the bell. It held on by mere threads-the last threads of hope.
Leaning back against the wall, Ryouga went over for the hundredth time the memories that came with the bell. Two years ago. Christmas. Akane, a simple child compared to the young woman she was now, giggling and holding the ribbon out to Ryouga. Ryouga scampering around the family Christmas tree to delight her. Warm girl's hands on his neck, untying his signature bandanna and replacing it with his Christmas present of a red ribbon and bell collar. Shining eyes. Love. The sweet music of two tin balls colliding. The day Ryouga almost forgot how miserable he was.
He heard the laughter in the hall outside her door now, but did not move. He kept his face in the shadows, but the bell stayed in the light.
The door opened, and in stumbled Akane, trailed by her fiancée Ranma. The two were giggling, drunk on love. Neither of them noticed Ryouga watching from the corner. They kissed, pulled at each other, and broke up the heavy moments with whispers, which led to more giggling. Ryouga felt like his body was being squeezed into a very tight space, but without him shrinking a size. He lifted his eyebrows to make his eyes feel more closed. The happy couple's voices echoed like screams in his ears. There was no worse of a torture than this.
"Ryouga!" Akane's cry was half startled, half embarrassed. Ranma fell off the bed and onto the floor. Ryouga opened his eyes and managed to make the only sound his throbbing vocal cords would let him.
"Hi."
Akane sat up, re-zipping her dress up the back. Her face was the same color as Ranma's trademark Chinese red shirt, which Ryouga saw was busy running out the door. Akane smoothed her hair, which had grown out to shoulder length, and tried to think up something to say. All she could think of was:
"It's been a while since I saw you last, huh? We never gave up hope that you wouldn't find your way back here!"
Silence.
Ryouga certainly wasn't going to be the one for small talk.
"Well, I guess someone had to find out about us eventually. I just wish it had been a little longer. Given us some time to ourselves."
Ryouga looked out the window, silent as stone. Moonlight, hear my prayer. Give me strength.
Akane stood up and moved toward him. He already occupied her chair-she sat at his feet and looked up at him. Beautiful brown eyes she had. They were huge.
"Ryouga what are you doing here? I mean, my room of all places?"
"I have to tell you something."
"Tell me something?"
Ryouga nodded. He looked back out the window.
"What's that in your hand?" She asked him, her face back to it's normal lovely color. She almost didn't want to hear what Ryouga wanted to tell her. The night had been going too well.
Slowly, as if they were stiff and numb with frost, Ryouga peeled back his fingers to reveal the silver bell. It had been smashed from a full moon to a thick half moon, by the pressure of his clenched fist.
