Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma or Inu yasha.
Chapter 23The tiles on Nodoka's roof dug into Ranma's back as he watched the stars, but he paid them no mind. There would be a number of shallow, red indentations beneath his shirt once he got up and they would cling to him insistently until they faded, unnoticed. The tiles were rubbing into his back, grating against his bones and skin, but he paid them no mind. His mind was on far greater things. Like the stars.
The stars were a thousand glowing eyes, as cold and distant as Nodoka's, and they looked down upon him, as surely and naturally as his mother did. And he tried, tried desperately, to match their distance. But he could not look down upon Nodoka while she looked down upon him – nor did he want to look down on her. He wanted a mother, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to believe that Nodoka could ever really be one. Not when she dumped her impossibly heavy weight on his shoulders and expected him to be grateful. She doesn't even know me…
He probably should have given up on the idea, he didn't need a mother, but a part of him wouldn't let it go. It could only bring him more pain, leave him feeling hollow and unsatisfied, in the end. And still he could not get rid of the notion that his mother should love him.
Ranma sat up, turning his eyes from the stars to study the roof and wonder what Akane was doing. She had seemed decidedly uncomfortable after… well, the fact that they had both gone off alone to think spoke for itself. He wished she was on the roof with him and even though he knew she was somewhere in the house below it felt strange to be without her. He could feel the absence of her presence sharply like an itch he couldn't scratch or a word on the tip of his tongue. It almost stung him, to need someone as much as he did, but he wasn't about to push her away. What he really wanted to do was bring her closer… and he wasn't sure if that was possible anymore.
He was bound to the honor of his clan now. His life would hardly be his own. He would have to fight for control and if Akane stayed with him she would too. How could she want that? He didn't.
So, I'm the demon lord of the East now?
He heaved a sigh and got up to go find Akane.
This sucks.
Akane lied on her futon, watching the ceiling with disinterest. She actually wasn't paying much attention to the ceiling, but that's where her eyes were rooted as her thoughts drifted past it.
When Nodoka had finally revealed just what she intended for Ranma Akane had been more than a little shocked. And so had Ranma, but rather than leaping for the chance to have such power he had tried to leap away from it. She didn't find that too strange; it was something she would have expected of Ranma. He wasn't one to seek that kind of power. The only kind of power he wanted was what came from the Art, but honor was a part of the Art and honor bound him to a power he did not seek.
She could read Ranma most of the time, but Akane was not nearly so close to Nodoka. Ranma's mother, it seemed, had not always been so rigid, as hard as that was for Akane to imagine. She wouldn't say just how, but Nodoka had dishonored her clan and she claimed it was up to Ranma to restore what she had lost. So, their lands were left untouched as an heir was growing, and Nodoka herself was unable to take control. Which told Akane that either Nodoka had done something very wrong, or she saw the world as a toy – something it was not unheard of for full-blooded demons to do. She had a feeling though, that it was more complex than that.
But it wasn't Nodoka that she was principally worried about – it was Ranma. As reluctant as he seemed to take the job, he most likely would. And if he did that… he might leave her behind….
Her ears twitched at the shuffling that reached them through the ceiling. She heard a soft tap at her window and turned to see Ranma hanging upside down outside of it. She slid open the window and he slipped easily into the room. He looked around awkwardly for a place to sit, but the only furniture was Akane's futon and a chest of drawers. Just like his room at… at Daddy's house.
"Uh…" Ranma scratched his head nervously. "So… what do you think?"
"I think…" Akane sighed, and turned her eyes to the ground. "I'm happy for you…"
"Really."
Ranma stared at her pointedly. Of course he had known it wasn't the truth. How could she be happy for him when he wasn't happy for himself?
"No. But I think you won't hate it as much as you believe you will."
There was a pause.
"Would you hate it?" he asked finally. She bit her lip.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," Ranma began, glancing at her as if to say she already knew the answer and he was explaining it anyway. "Would you hate to – to spend your life with me?"
Akane was afraid she was gaping at him, but she certainly had not known the answer to that question. Ranma looked surprised himself, and she guessed that wasn't what he meant to say. Most likely he was cursing Freudian slips at that moment… but that means he must have been thinking about it…
"I wouldn't hate that."
"Oh."
Ranma didn't seem to know what to say as his eyes darted about the room, meeting anything but hers.
"I said I would stay with you… just don't… leave me behind, okay?"
His eyes met hers in surprise. "I won't."
Their gazes parted, falling swiftly to the floor. The silence in the room was becoming increasingly stifling, until Akane cleared her throat awkwardly.
"You… wanna spar?"
"…Okay," Ranma shrugged, and they left the room in companionable silence as if the conversation had never happened. But in the back of their minds and the back of their hearts they knew they would belong to no other.
Ranma watched Inu-Yasha as he fell into an upfront stance. It was different from the unassuming stances Ranma usually took.
"Take the first move," Inu-Yasha said, shifting slightly.
They had decided to fight just a few moments ago, when Ranma had arrived with Mousse and Akane. Shampoo was notably absent, but Mousse wouldn't say a thing about her except that she was alright. Currently, Mousse was off talking with Kagome a short ways away. They couldn't hear what was being said, thanks to Kagome's magic, but she and Mousse were in plain view. Akane was watching the fight that was about to begin.
Ranma began with a slow, testing kick which Inu-Yasha dodged as he had expected. He continued to throw out attacks, his speed gradually increasing, but Inu-Yasha only dodged, watching Ranma with a speculative eye. When Ranma was near his top speed the older hanyou was still dodging, although Ranma seemed to be landing a little closer. Finally, Inu-Yasha blocked an attack instead of dodging, and they both leapt away, facing off across the yard.
"You're pretty fast," Ranma remarked, reevaluating his opponent. He had been surprised at Inu-Yasha's speed; he had looked more powerful than fast, like Ryoga. He was more skilled than Ranma had anticipated…I should have expected this though, he looks like a dedicated fighter, and he's what…? 500?
"I know."
Then they went at it again, but as soon as Ranma came close he found himself flying across the yard. He tucked his head, rolled once, and was back on his feet, his stomach burning with pain where Inu-Yasha had landed a blow.
"That all ya got?" Ranma smirked, even though 'that' was pretty good. Really good. Inu-Yasha snorted.
"Feh. Not even close."
After that Ranma had a hard time keeping up with his opponent. The older hanyou was everywhere he needed to be, there wasn't a blow he couldn't dodge, or block, or make. But from what Ranma could see he wasn't much for form, which only made his movements harder to follow. Ranma leapt out of range, and Inu-Yasha made no move to continue.
"You're not bad," he said absently, "for a pup." Ranma growled. "Maybe you'll be as good as me someday – you know, if you try hard enough…"
Ranma's eye twitched. "Listen, you…"
"Ranma," Akane called his name as she came closer and he found his anger abating slightly. "You're done, right? Then maybe you should ask him about… ah… you know…"
Ranma was surprised he hadn't thought of that himself. Sesshomarou had come to mind, but he didn't seem like the type to give free advice. Inu-Yasha was related to Sesshomaru, though, and he must have learned something being alive all that time – even though he acted less like a lord than Ranma himself… Ranma would have asked him then, if Inu-Yasha's expression had not changed suddenly to surprise as he turned to where Kagome and Mousse were talking.
"It's done," Kagome said, as she and Mousse rose to their feet. And they all stared.
Because he was human.
A/N: Ugh… this took me so long to get out… I'm sorry, I was busy… I told you I would be… Well I like this chap. better than the last two, so I hope you do too, but if you don't like the way I'm taking this feel free to tell me. Yes Inu beat Ranma. I decided to have him take a kinda Colgne/Happi-ish role… and I never said I wouldn't turn Mousse human… Okay, I want to thank everyone who reviewed! Thanks!! I promise to get the next chap out faster, okay? So, please review, and I'll c ya next time!