Two
Ranma had no idea what he had done to Akane. She had been sullen and silent the past three days, and every morning she had come down with red- rimmed eyes. He himself was uneasy around her, barely able to hold himself in check. Each day the need to touch had grown stronger, and not just a little bit stronger, but it would fairly double in intensity. The fact that she was crying every night did nothing to calm him. He was desperate for her to hit him or yell at him. He would go over to Ucchan's everyday, trying to get her to talk to him about her reaction to Akane's words. She wouldn't and his interest would fade quickly, his mind always going back to Akane. He had to talk to someone, but he knew of no one. He was growing desperate. He knew things would come to a head soon and he had no idea how he'd react.
~~~~~
Shampoo was furious. Akane seemed to be out of the picture finally, and Ranma was going over to Ucchan's instead of the Nekohanten. The Amazon kicked a bucket out of her way, scowling as she had for the past week. She was about ready to kill the chef.
Mousse watched this display of temper calmly. He too had noticed the sudden change in Ranma's relationships, but he had noticed something quite different. Akane was upset, depressed about something that it appeared Ranma had done. Ranma was also depressed, as well as incredibly distracted. Ukyo refused to talk to Ranma about anything other than what was happening at school or food. Ranma didn't even notice. Something had happened, and it wasn't a good something. Mousse figured that if this went on much longer everyone here would be able to perform the Shi Shi Houkodan. So for the first time in his life, Mousse sought out Ranma for purposes of peace.
~~~
Ranma sat in the park, making moping faces at the ground. As usual, his thoughts were on Akane and what he was going to do. Things were closer to snapping, and he had gone from being able to be in the same room as her with only a minimum of control on his part to barely being able to be in the same *house* as her. Much more and he would do something he would regret.
Behind him, someone cleared their throat. Ranma stood, spinning as he did so. He hadn't heard anyone approach. Automatically he dropped to a defensive stance at the sight of Mousse.
"I am not in the mood for this," he said.
"I figured."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You look barely able to deal with someone calling you stupid much less a fight." Mousse paused and then grinned. "Unless of course it was Akane. I bet then that you'd be ecstatic." Instead of growing defensive, Ranma sat down again.
"I ain't in the mood for this either."
"No denial. Interesting."
"Fuck off, Mousse."
"I don't think so, Ranma. You need to talk to someone." Ranma looked up at him darkly.
"Oh? And you're volunteering?" he asked sarcastically.
"Sure," Mousse said. Ranma started to answer but suddenly his eyes were drawn to something behind the male Amazon. Mousse turned and sat beside Ranma. The martial artist had his eyes riveted to Akane. She had come into the park and was standing at the edge of the pond just staring down at the water. For the first time, Mousse realized how attractive Akane was. She was beautiful, but not in the way Shampoo was. Shampoo was had a blatant sexual beauty. Akane was soft and feminine and fiery. Even as depressed as she was, it was still there, this brilliant fire of emotion and energy and feeling. Suddenly Mousse wondered what it was about Shampoo that he loved. What was it that had kept him from noticing this extraordinary woman before now? Even as the thought was forming, Mousse became aware of an intense heat next to him. He realized belatedly that he had let his emotions show on his face and that Ranma had noticed. The heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts was pissed. 'Oh, shit,' was the last thing Mousse could think before he found himself fighting for his life.
~~~
Never before had Ranma been so angry. He had counted Mousse as safe, and the bastard had gone and-- Ranma cut off the thought as he fell back from his attack.
"You fucking asshole! You *know* how I feel about her and you just- just-" Again words failed him. He wished he could say what he wanted how he wanted. He *needed* to say it. For almost a week and a half, Ranma had had to control every last action carefully. He had been wanting to talk to someone and Mousse had shown up, offering himself as a sounding board. He had also almost outright told Ranma that he knew that he was in love with Akane, and then he had sat there and leered at her. Not only had he leered at HIS fiancée but he was supposed to be in love with Shampoo. Ranma growled furiously and leapt toward Mousse. The Amazon would die.
Ranma had no idea what he had done to Akane. She had been sullen and silent the past three days, and every morning she had come down with red- rimmed eyes. He himself was uneasy around her, barely able to hold himself in check. Each day the need to touch had grown stronger, and not just a little bit stronger, but it would fairly double in intensity. The fact that she was crying every night did nothing to calm him. He was desperate for her to hit him or yell at him. He would go over to Ucchan's everyday, trying to get her to talk to him about her reaction to Akane's words. She wouldn't and his interest would fade quickly, his mind always going back to Akane. He had to talk to someone, but he knew of no one. He was growing desperate. He knew things would come to a head soon and he had no idea how he'd react.
~~~~~
Shampoo was furious. Akane seemed to be out of the picture finally, and Ranma was going over to Ucchan's instead of the Nekohanten. The Amazon kicked a bucket out of her way, scowling as she had for the past week. She was about ready to kill the chef.
Mousse watched this display of temper calmly. He too had noticed the sudden change in Ranma's relationships, but he had noticed something quite different. Akane was upset, depressed about something that it appeared Ranma had done. Ranma was also depressed, as well as incredibly distracted. Ukyo refused to talk to Ranma about anything other than what was happening at school or food. Ranma didn't even notice. Something had happened, and it wasn't a good something. Mousse figured that if this went on much longer everyone here would be able to perform the Shi Shi Houkodan. So for the first time in his life, Mousse sought out Ranma for purposes of peace.
~~~
Ranma sat in the park, making moping faces at the ground. As usual, his thoughts were on Akane and what he was going to do. Things were closer to snapping, and he had gone from being able to be in the same room as her with only a minimum of control on his part to barely being able to be in the same *house* as her. Much more and he would do something he would regret.
Behind him, someone cleared their throat. Ranma stood, spinning as he did so. He hadn't heard anyone approach. Automatically he dropped to a defensive stance at the sight of Mousse.
"I am not in the mood for this," he said.
"I figured."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You look barely able to deal with someone calling you stupid much less a fight." Mousse paused and then grinned. "Unless of course it was Akane. I bet then that you'd be ecstatic." Instead of growing defensive, Ranma sat down again.
"I ain't in the mood for this either."
"No denial. Interesting."
"Fuck off, Mousse."
"I don't think so, Ranma. You need to talk to someone." Ranma looked up at him darkly.
"Oh? And you're volunteering?" he asked sarcastically.
"Sure," Mousse said. Ranma started to answer but suddenly his eyes were drawn to something behind the male Amazon. Mousse turned and sat beside Ranma. The martial artist had his eyes riveted to Akane. She had come into the park and was standing at the edge of the pond just staring down at the water. For the first time, Mousse realized how attractive Akane was. She was beautiful, but not in the way Shampoo was. Shampoo was had a blatant sexual beauty. Akane was soft and feminine and fiery. Even as depressed as she was, it was still there, this brilliant fire of emotion and energy and feeling. Suddenly Mousse wondered what it was about Shampoo that he loved. What was it that had kept him from noticing this extraordinary woman before now? Even as the thought was forming, Mousse became aware of an intense heat next to him. He realized belatedly that he had let his emotions show on his face and that Ranma had noticed. The heir to the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts was pissed. 'Oh, shit,' was the last thing Mousse could think before he found himself fighting for his life.
~~~
Never before had Ranma been so angry. He had counted Mousse as safe, and the bastard had gone and-- Ranma cut off the thought as he fell back from his attack.
"You fucking asshole! You *know* how I feel about her and you just- just-" Again words failed him. He wished he could say what he wanted how he wanted. He *needed* to say it. For almost a week and a half, Ranma had had to control every last action carefully. He had been wanting to talk to someone and Mousse had shown up, offering himself as a sounding board. He had also almost outright told Ranma that he knew that he was in love with Akane, and then he had sat there and leered at her. Not only had he leered at HIS fiancée but he was supposed to be in love with Shampoo. Ranma growled furiously and leapt toward Mousse. The Amazon would die.