Chapter 4.
After the baby shower, Ranma and Akane fell into a pattern of predictable daily behavior. The two would get up, have a nice breakfast together, then Akane would go off to teach her classes. Ranma was becoming more and more proficient at keeping the house clean, and she'd even been doing much of the cooking. Ranma's desire to cook might have been propelled by Akane's lack of skill in that particular area, but now at least, Ranma had an excuse. The weeks flew by in this manner, one after another, day after day of Ranma staying home, getting increasingly bigger and doing what housework she could, while Akane taught her classes. After that first surprise with Akane interrupting Ranma's nail painting experiment, there was always a nice call about lunch time, Akane's sweet voice was on the other end, inviting Ranma to lunch. Ranma had also been getting somewhat more feminine as the weeks progressed, wearing what cute clothes she could before her shape resigned her to baggy pants and oversized maternity shirts. Ranma decided that she rather liked how her nails looked when they were painted, and as such, kept doing it, sometimes Ranma even managed to get Akane to do it. It seemed like the next doctor's appointment crept up on the couple, and it was on a Saturday, the day of the appointment, that they got a call from the receptionist.
"Mrs. Saotome, I was just calling to remind you of your appointment today. It's at 4:00. We'll see you here, right?" The receptionist said, waiting to get the answer.
"Today, already? Wow.. Well, yeah, sure, I'll be there if it's today." Ranma answered, wiping her hands on the apron she was wearing. She walked back to the bedroom, and smiled a bit, seeing Akane taking a nap in their bed. "Aww," Ranma said, "She looks too cute to wake up... I know she'll want to be there, though." Ranma knelt down as best she could with her beginning-to-bulge belly, and kissed Akane straight on the lips, smiling sweetly as Akane opened her eyes.
"Ranma..." Akane looked over at the clock, noting the time of 3:00. "What'd you wake me up for?" Akane asked, kissing back. "Not that I disapprove of the method..." She sat up, as Ranma slowly got up, then went around and laid down next to her.
"I've got a doctor's appointment today, I figured you'd want to come." Ranma said, scooting over and hugging Akane. "This baby book I was reading says that you could ask for an ultrasound at the seventh week, and I'm pretty sure it's been that long." Akane let the covers fall away from around her, and Ranma blushed a brilliant pink. "At least I think it's been that long... and why a-are you wearing that, honey?" Ranma said, looking over at Akane dressed in the skimpy nightgown that Ukyou had given Ranma at the shower.
"What, you're the only one that gets to wear lingerie around here? I wanted to feel sexy." Akane giggled, hopping out of the bed to go wash her face off.
"N-No, that's not it. I mean... It's so... Well..." Ranma stuttered, slowly getting up from the bed and slipping into the bathroom, standing to where she could be seen in the mirror. "You look... Well... You're so beautiful, and it drives me crazy."
Akane blushed noticeably, before running the washcloth under some cold water, then across her face. "You're months pregnant, Ranma, and you're still hitting on me... We're already married, silly, you don't need to keep flirting."
"I may not need to," Ranma said, "That doesn't mean I'm going to stop, especially when you're looking like that, Akane." Ranma walked behind Akane, and wrapped a pair of delicate arms around her waist.
"Oh, stop..." Akane said, bringing up one of the hands around her waist, kissing it. "You're just a charmer, Ranma Saotome."
Ranma took off the apron, hanging it carefully on the shower rod, before she unwrapped her arms from Akane's waist, and picked up the brush laying on the counter. Ranma ran the brush through her hair several times, getting it into a presentable state, before she kissed Akane's cheek and left, saying, "I'll be in the living room when you're ready to go, hon."
"OK, Ranma." Akane said, as her husband left. "He's just too sweet sometimes..." She said, continuing with a laugh. "Now, what to wear, huh?" Moving to the closet, she pulled the delicate and rather flimsy piece of lingerie over her head, leaving her dressed in only the small, lacy, and very pink bra and panties. She pondered her decision for quite some time, before pulling out a mostly plain white blouse. She went to the drawers next, taking out a pair of jeans. "Good choice, Akane." she said, laughing to herself, slipping on the jeans, before putting on the shirt, buttoning it up, and tucking it in. She went back to the bathroom and brushed her hair, smiling into the mirror. Finally, she exited the bathroom and grabbed her house keys, putting them in the pocket of her jeans, as she went to the living room to tell Ranma that they could go now. "OK, let's go, girlie." Akane teased, smirking cutely.
"After you, tomboy." Ranma said, smirking right back at Akane. Ranma went to the pegs on the wall, and pulled off their jackets, putting on her own, after tossing Akane's to her. Akane opened the door and stood right outside, waiting as Ranma walked out to join her. Ranma took Akane's hand, and smiled, kissing her cheek. "Let's go then, hmm?" she said, pushing the door shut firmly.
"You know, Ranma..." Akane said, running her hand over Ranma's stomach, "You're starting to get a little bigger around here. Not too long before it'll be obvious to everyone." Akane put her arm back at her side, as they walked the short distance to Dr. Tofu's office.
"Yeah, I know." Ranma said, a hint of nervousness creeping into his tone. "Not too much longer now, I'll have to start wearing those maternity clothes we bought. Some of them were pretty cute though... Don't I have at least a few months left?"
Akane thought for a second, then answered, as they came upon the entrance to the small hospital. "Why don't you ask him? Sounds reasonable enough that when you want to know something, you ask, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, I suppose you're right, Akane. I'll just ask him." Ranma said, checking in with the receptionist before taking a seat in the waiting room.
Dr. Tofu came out, after a few minutes wait, and motioned the two to come back to the exam room. The appointment went very smoothly, Ranma wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as the first time, until Dr. Tofu got around to the part where he was going to perform the ultrasound. He spread this cold, slimy gel onto Ranma's stomach, then began to slide a square device with a handle around on the area which the gel had been applied. "Now, it might be too early to see anything definite, but we'll give it a try." He continued with the slow progression across her abdomen, before spotting something. "Ah! There!" He said, pointing to the monitor. "There's a heartbeat.... oh.. Wait.. There's two, See? Congratulations, Ranma. You're going to have twins."
Ranma looked over at the monitor, laughed faintly, and spoke. "Twins... I-I'm having twins." Thud. That was the sound she made, hitting the exam table as she passed out. The next thing that poor Ranma knew, she was being hovered over by a very concerned Akane, and Dr. Tofu, looking as professional as ever. "Akane... Doc.. What am I doing here?" Ranma said, casting her glance at her swollen stomach, her senses returning. "Twins...."
Akane smiled nervously, taking Ranma's hand into her own. "That's right, Ranma... We're... going to have twins. Doctor Tofu explained that it's not uncommon in artificial procedures to become pregnant with more than one child." Akane explained.
Doctor Tofu returned with a small amount of paper towels, wiping the gel from Ranma's stomach. He then washed his hands, and agreed, citing that the procedure entailed the introduction of several fertilized eggs into the uterus, and often more than one developed. "It's not uncommon at all, Ranma. Trust me. You're doing fine, everything looks normal." Dr. Tofu said.
"You're sure that everything's OK, huh..." Ranma said, noting the nodding response, "Well then, I suppose I have to trust you, hmm?"
Doctor Tofu smiled a bit, and raised up the exam table to a reclining position. "We're all done here, your next appointment should be in a month or so. Take care of yourself." He said, in a gentle tone.
Akane answered for her husband, "Oh, she will, I'll make sure of it, we're not going to let anything happen to our babies."
Ranma buttoned up her shirt again, blushing at the slightly cold residual feeling of the gel and ultrasound device. She then swung her feet off of the edge of the bed, and stood, taking Akane's hand. "I will, Doc." Ranma said, smiling somewhat, as best she could manage. The two of them then slowly walked out of the doctor's office.
Akane leaned closely to Ranma's side, a broad smile on her face, and said, "Ranma, isn't this wonderful? Twins." Akane sighed somewhat, visualizing two little versions of herself or her husband running around on a green lawn, "I can hardly wait."
"You can hardly wait, huh?" Ranma said, poking Akane's stomach with a slender finger, "You don't have two other people inside you. How much more do you think I'm feeling?"
As Akane drew back from the poking, she got a contemplative look over her face. "Ranma... I don't know what you're feeling..." Akane snuggled closer to her husband as they walked, and smiled up, "I'd love to listen to you tell me, though, if you want to."
"Akane...", Ranma sighed happily, feeling her wife's closeness and warmth. "Let's just wait until we get home, al right? I still have to sort through what I'm feeling... It's... confusing, all these emotions I'm getting."
"Sure, honey." Akane replied, squeezing softly on Ranma's hand.
The lovely pair walked through the slightly crowded streets, gathering the same type of curious stares as before, although perhaps more increased, being that Ranma's stomach was also increasing. It didn't seem that Ranma or Akane were in any hurry to get home, as they clung tightly to each other, wandering almost aimlessly on the way back to their residence. Along the path, Ranma spotted at least four eating establishments that she just had to get something from, and by the time they finally did get home, Ranma's movements had been slowed significantly, both from exhaustion, and due to the fact that her stomach was pleasantly stuffed.
"Mm... Man, when they get hungry, they get hungry." Ranma said, slipping into the front door, followed closely by Akane. "I'm exhausted, Akane... This thing is getting harder and harder to carry around." With a gentle shake of her swelling stomach, Ranma headed into the bedroom.
Akane just laughed, having stopped worrying about when they'd be home at the second restaurant. "I think that's the only time it's taken us..." She looked at her watch, and laughed louder yet, "Three and a half hours, to get home." Akane walked back into the bedroom as well, to the sight of a disrobing Ranma, busy with the activity of changing into some more suitable clothing to spend the rest of the evening in, a baggy red shirt, and stretchy black pants. Akane slipped up to Ranma and embraced her tightly about the front, just as she'd finished changing. "Ranma... I'm so excited about this." Akane ran her hands in a caress over Ranma's lower back, drawing out a comfortable moan from the target of the caressing.
"Ooh... Akane... That feels wonderful.. I'm going sit down on the bed, could you please massage my back for a while?" Ranma did just as she said she was going to do, and sat down on the edge of the bed. Akane came around to the other side and got up onto the bed, sitting behind Ranma quietly, moving her hands slowly over Ranma's back in a loving massage.
"About like this, honey?" Akane asked, moving her hands in small circles, up and down the length of Ranma's back. Akane didn't get any understandable response from Ranma, only a collection of very delighted moans, as the tension in her back worked itself out under the gentle coercion of Akane's hands. Hearing these pleasant sounds, Akane giggled, kissed Ranma's cheek, and said, "I guess so, from all the noise you're making. I wonder why I haven't ever thought of giving you a massage, Ranma... You've certainly given me enough." More contented noises came from Ranma, as Akane's firm pressure worked it's way across Ranma's especially tender lower back.
Several wonderful minutes later, Ranma turned back, smiling broadly. "Akane, I love you." Ranma turned halfway on the bed, and pulled Akane into a close embrace, pressing their lips together in a passionate kiss. "You know how... I said I had to sort out my emotions?" Akane nodded, then Ranma continued. "Well, that's the answer. These children that I'm carrying... I've realized that they're the ultimate expression of all the love I have, that I have no other way of expressing to you. That's what that swirl of emotions I felt walking home was. Akane, I love you."
Akane wiped away a few tears from her eyes, and hugged Ranma once more, briefly. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Ranma Saotome, and I love it... I love you." Akane smiled, rising from the bed, and pulling off her clothes, and putting on a long flannel nightgown. Ranma smiled, watching her bride change clothes with a look that telegraphed how much Ranma adored this woman in front of her.
"Akane... Lets go lay on the couch, hmm.." A bright red blush soon flooded Ranma's face, as she struggled to get out the last part of her suggestion. "I w-want to... I want.. you... to hold me..." Ranma cast her gaze downward, that pesky residual masculine element telling her that it was weak and pathetic for a man to express need for cuddling or close affection. Despite all the things that Ranma was doing that were decidedly not typically 'masculine', this expression of the same need as everyone else for a little time to be held was giving her fits. "Please..." Ranma squeaked out, flushing even brighter still as she raised her view to take in the beautiful sight of Akane once more. "How in the world... could I have missed you for so long... I really am an idiot..." A shy smile crossed Ranma's face, as she rose and put her arms around Akane, leading her into the living room.
"You're absolutely right, Ranma... But you're my idiot, and that's a different thing entirely, isn't it?" Akane said, giggling faintly, as she was led into the living room, presumably to spend some quantity of quality time with a very willing husband. "And... I suppose that still makes me your un-cute tomboy, hmm?" Akane fell onto the couch teasingly, winking, after finishing off her thought with that last comment.
"Of course you are, Akane. You always will be." Ranma said, settling down onto the couch in such a position to allow resting on top of her somewhat bulging form. Ranma's arms could still make the circuit around Akane's warm body, although in the back of Ranma's mind, she knew it wouldn't be too long before this wouldn't be possible. Ranma brought her hand up and gently stroked through Akane's hair, smiling with pure joy, even more so when Ranma noticed the soft blush brought out on Akane's cheeks with the gentle caress applied through her hair. The two of them lay there, completely contented in each other's embrace, until finally, the exhaustion of the day caught up, and one un-cute tomboy fell asleep, snuggling and snoring safely in the grasp of one similarly snoozing, idiotic, stubborn martial artist.
After the baby shower, Ranma and Akane fell into a pattern of predictable daily behavior. The two would get up, have a nice breakfast together, then Akane would go off to teach her classes. Ranma was becoming more and more proficient at keeping the house clean, and she'd even been doing much of the cooking. Ranma's desire to cook might have been propelled by Akane's lack of skill in that particular area, but now at least, Ranma had an excuse. The weeks flew by in this manner, one after another, day after day of Ranma staying home, getting increasingly bigger and doing what housework she could, while Akane taught her classes. After that first surprise with Akane interrupting Ranma's nail painting experiment, there was always a nice call about lunch time, Akane's sweet voice was on the other end, inviting Ranma to lunch. Ranma had also been getting somewhat more feminine as the weeks progressed, wearing what cute clothes she could before her shape resigned her to baggy pants and oversized maternity shirts. Ranma decided that she rather liked how her nails looked when they were painted, and as such, kept doing it, sometimes Ranma even managed to get Akane to do it. It seemed like the next doctor's appointment crept up on the couple, and it was on a Saturday, the day of the appointment, that they got a call from the receptionist.
"Mrs. Saotome, I was just calling to remind you of your appointment today. It's at 4:00. We'll see you here, right?" The receptionist said, waiting to get the answer.
"Today, already? Wow.. Well, yeah, sure, I'll be there if it's today." Ranma answered, wiping her hands on the apron she was wearing. She walked back to the bedroom, and smiled a bit, seeing Akane taking a nap in their bed. "Aww," Ranma said, "She looks too cute to wake up... I know she'll want to be there, though." Ranma knelt down as best she could with her beginning-to-bulge belly, and kissed Akane straight on the lips, smiling sweetly as Akane opened her eyes.
"Ranma..." Akane looked over at the clock, noting the time of 3:00. "What'd you wake me up for?" Akane asked, kissing back. "Not that I disapprove of the method..." She sat up, as Ranma slowly got up, then went around and laid down next to her.
"I've got a doctor's appointment today, I figured you'd want to come." Ranma said, scooting over and hugging Akane. "This baby book I was reading says that you could ask for an ultrasound at the seventh week, and I'm pretty sure it's been that long." Akane let the covers fall away from around her, and Ranma blushed a brilliant pink. "At least I think it's been that long... and why a-are you wearing that, honey?" Ranma said, looking over at Akane dressed in the skimpy nightgown that Ukyou had given Ranma at the shower.
"What, you're the only one that gets to wear lingerie around here? I wanted to feel sexy." Akane giggled, hopping out of the bed to go wash her face off.
"N-No, that's not it. I mean... It's so... Well..." Ranma stuttered, slowly getting up from the bed and slipping into the bathroom, standing to where she could be seen in the mirror. "You look... Well... You're so beautiful, and it drives me crazy."
Akane blushed noticeably, before running the washcloth under some cold water, then across her face. "You're months pregnant, Ranma, and you're still hitting on me... We're already married, silly, you don't need to keep flirting."
"I may not need to," Ranma said, "That doesn't mean I'm going to stop, especially when you're looking like that, Akane." Ranma walked behind Akane, and wrapped a pair of delicate arms around her waist.
"Oh, stop..." Akane said, bringing up one of the hands around her waist, kissing it. "You're just a charmer, Ranma Saotome."
Ranma took off the apron, hanging it carefully on the shower rod, before she unwrapped her arms from Akane's waist, and picked up the brush laying on the counter. Ranma ran the brush through her hair several times, getting it into a presentable state, before she kissed Akane's cheek and left, saying, "I'll be in the living room when you're ready to go, hon."
"OK, Ranma." Akane said, as her husband left. "He's just too sweet sometimes..." She said, continuing with a laugh. "Now, what to wear, huh?" Moving to the closet, she pulled the delicate and rather flimsy piece of lingerie over her head, leaving her dressed in only the small, lacy, and very pink bra and panties. She pondered her decision for quite some time, before pulling out a mostly plain white blouse. She went to the drawers next, taking out a pair of jeans. "Good choice, Akane." she said, laughing to herself, slipping on the jeans, before putting on the shirt, buttoning it up, and tucking it in. She went back to the bathroom and brushed her hair, smiling into the mirror. Finally, she exited the bathroom and grabbed her house keys, putting them in the pocket of her jeans, as she went to the living room to tell Ranma that they could go now. "OK, let's go, girlie." Akane teased, smirking cutely.
"After you, tomboy." Ranma said, smirking right back at Akane. Ranma went to the pegs on the wall, and pulled off their jackets, putting on her own, after tossing Akane's to her. Akane opened the door and stood right outside, waiting as Ranma walked out to join her. Ranma took Akane's hand, and smiled, kissing her cheek. "Let's go then, hmm?" she said, pushing the door shut firmly.
"You know, Ranma..." Akane said, running her hand over Ranma's stomach, "You're starting to get a little bigger around here. Not too long before it'll be obvious to everyone." Akane put her arm back at her side, as they walked the short distance to Dr. Tofu's office.
"Yeah, I know." Ranma said, a hint of nervousness creeping into his tone. "Not too much longer now, I'll have to start wearing those maternity clothes we bought. Some of them were pretty cute though... Don't I have at least a few months left?"
Akane thought for a second, then answered, as they came upon the entrance to the small hospital. "Why don't you ask him? Sounds reasonable enough that when you want to know something, you ask, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, I suppose you're right, Akane. I'll just ask him." Ranma said, checking in with the receptionist before taking a seat in the waiting room.
Dr. Tofu came out, after a few minutes wait, and motioned the two to come back to the exam room. The appointment went very smoothly, Ranma wasn't nearly as uncomfortable as the first time, until Dr. Tofu got around to the part where he was going to perform the ultrasound. He spread this cold, slimy gel onto Ranma's stomach, then began to slide a square device with a handle around on the area which the gel had been applied. "Now, it might be too early to see anything definite, but we'll give it a try." He continued with the slow progression across her abdomen, before spotting something. "Ah! There!" He said, pointing to the monitor. "There's a heartbeat.... oh.. Wait.. There's two, See? Congratulations, Ranma. You're going to have twins."
Ranma looked over at the monitor, laughed faintly, and spoke. "Twins... I-I'm having twins." Thud. That was the sound she made, hitting the exam table as she passed out. The next thing that poor Ranma knew, she was being hovered over by a very concerned Akane, and Dr. Tofu, looking as professional as ever. "Akane... Doc.. What am I doing here?" Ranma said, casting her glance at her swollen stomach, her senses returning. "Twins...."
Akane smiled nervously, taking Ranma's hand into her own. "That's right, Ranma... We're... going to have twins. Doctor Tofu explained that it's not uncommon in artificial procedures to become pregnant with more than one child." Akane explained.
Doctor Tofu returned with a small amount of paper towels, wiping the gel from Ranma's stomach. He then washed his hands, and agreed, citing that the procedure entailed the introduction of several fertilized eggs into the uterus, and often more than one developed. "It's not uncommon at all, Ranma. Trust me. You're doing fine, everything looks normal." Dr. Tofu said.
"You're sure that everything's OK, huh..." Ranma said, noting the nodding response, "Well then, I suppose I have to trust you, hmm?"
Doctor Tofu smiled a bit, and raised up the exam table to a reclining position. "We're all done here, your next appointment should be in a month or so. Take care of yourself." He said, in a gentle tone.
Akane answered for her husband, "Oh, she will, I'll make sure of it, we're not going to let anything happen to our babies."
Ranma buttoned up her shirt again, blushing at the slightly cold residual feeling of the gel and ultrasound device. She then swung her feet off of the edge of the bed, and stood, taking Akane's hand. "I will, Doc." Ranma said, smiling somewhat, as best she could manage. The two of them then slowly walked out of the doctor's office.
Akane leaned closely to Ranma's side, a broad smile on her face, and said, "Ranma, isn't this wonderful? Twins." Akane sighed somewhat, visualizing two little versions of herself or her husband running around on a green lawn, "I can hardly wait."
"You can hardly wait, huh?" Ranma said, poking Akane's stomach with a slender finger, "You don't have two other people inside you. How much more do you think I'm feeling?"
As Akane drew back from the poking, she got a contemplative look over her face. "Ranma... I don't know what you're feeling..." Akane snuggled closer to her husband as they walked, and smiled up, "I'd love to listen to you tell me, though, if you want to."
"Akane...", Ranma sighed happily, feeling her wife's closeness and warmth. "Let's just wait until we get home, al right? I still have to sort through what I'm feeling... It's... confusing, all these emotions I'm getting."
"Sure, honey." Akane replied, squeezing softly on Ranma's hand.
The lovely pair walked through the slightly crowded streets, gathering the same type of curious stares as before, although perhaps more increased, being that Ranma's stomach was also increasing. It didn't seem that Ranma or Akane were in any hurry to get home, as they clung tightly to each other, wandering almost aimlessly on the way back to their residence. Along the path, Ranma spotted at least four eating establishments that she just had to get something from, and by the time they finally did get home, Ranma's movements had been slowed significantly, both from exhaustion, and due to the fact that her stomach was pleasantly stuffed.
"Mm... Man, when they get hungry, they get hungry." Ranma said, slipping into the front door, followed closely by Akane. "I'm exhausted, Akane... This thing is getting harder and harder to carry around." With a gentle shake of her swelling stomach, Ranma headed into the bedroom.
Akane just laughed, having stopped worrying about when they'd be home at the second restaurant. "I think that's the only time it's taken us..." She looked at her watch, and laughed louder yet, "Three and a half hours, to get home." Akane walked back into the bedroom as well, to the sight of a disrobing Ranma, busy with the activity of changing into some more suitable clothing to spend the rest of the evening in, a baggy red shirt, and stretchy black pants. Akane slipped up to Ranma and embraced her tightly about the front, just as she'd finished changing. "Ranma... I'm so excited about this." Akane ran her hands in a caress over Ranma's lower back, drawing out a comfortable moan from the target of the caressing.
"Ooh... Akane... That feels wonderful.. I'm going sit down on the bed, could you please massage my back for a while?" Ranma did just as she said she was going to do, and sat down on the edge of the bed. Akane came around to the other side and got up onto the bed, sitting behind Ranma quietly, moving her hands slowly over Ranma's back in a loving massage.
"About like this, honey?" Akane asked, moving her hands in small circles, up and down the length of Ranma's back. Akane didn't get any understandable response from Ranma, only a collection of very delighted moans, as the tension in her back worked itself out under the gentle coercion of Akane's hands. Hearing these pleasant sounds, Akane giggled, kissed Ranma's cheek, and said, "I guess so, from all the noise you're making. I wonder why I haven't ever thought of giving you a massage, Ranma... You've certainly given me enough." More contented noises came from Ranma, as Akane's firm pressure worked it's way across Ranma's especially tender lower back.
Several wonderful minutes later, Ranma turned back, smiling broadly. "Akane, I love you." Ranma turned halfway on the bed, and pulled Akane into a close embrace, pressing their lips together in a passionate kiss. "You know how... I said I had to sort out my emotions?" Akane nodded, then Ranma continued. "Well, that's the answer. These children that I'm carrying... I've realized that they're the ultimate expression of all the love I have, that I have no other way of expressing to you. That's what that swirl of emotions I felt walking home was. Akane, I love you."
Akane wiped away a few tears from her eyes, and hugged Ranma once more, briefly. "I don't know what's gotten into you, Ranma Saotome, and I love it... I love you." Akane smiled, rising from the bed, and pulling off her clothes, and putting on a long flannel nightgown. Ranma smiled, watching her bride change clothes with a look that telegraphed how much Ranma adored this woman in front of her.
"Akane... Lets go lay on the couch, hmm.." A bright red blush soon flooded Ranma's face, as she struggled to get out the last part of her suggestion. "I w-want to... I want.. you... to hold me..." Ranma cast her gaze downward, that pesky residual masculine element telling her that it was weak and pathetic for a man to express need for cuddling or close affection. Despite all the things that Ranma was doing that were decidedly not typically 'masculine', this expression of the same need as everyone else for a little time to be held was giving her fits. "Please..." Ranma squeaked out, flushing even brighter still as she raised her view to take in the beautiful sight of Akane once more. "How in the world... could I have missed you for so long... I really am an idiot..." A shy smile crossed Ranma's face, as she rose and put her arms around Akane, leading her into the living room.
"You're absolutely right, Ranma... But you're my idiot, and that's a different thing entirely, isn't it?" Akane said, giggling faintly, as she was led into the living room, presumably to spend some quantity of quality time with a very willing husband. "And... I suppose that still makes me your un-cute tomboy, hmm?" Akane fell onto the couch teasingly, winking, after finishing off her thought with that last comment.
"Of course you are, Akane. You always will be." Ranma said, settling down onto the couch in such a position to allow resting on top of her somewhat bulging form. Ranma's arms could still make the circuit around Akane's warm body, although in the back of Ranma's mind, she knew it wouldn't be too long before this wouldn't be possible. Ranma brought her hand up and gently stroked through Akane's hair, smiling with pure joy, even more so when Ranma noticed the soft blush brought out on Akane's cheeks with the gentle caress applied through her hair. The two of them lay there, completely contented in each other's embrace, until finally, the exhaustion of the day caught up, and one un-cute tomboy fell asleep, snuggling and snoring safely in the grasp of one similarly snoozing, idiotic, stubborn martial artist.
