=====================================================
The
cherry blossoms float in the spring breeze, shading the earth below
their long reaching branches. Two figures sit quietly entwined, the
wind ruffling through dark hair, underneath the beautiful trees. A
young man with a short braided pigtail leans back into a warm solid
chest as two arms encircle his waist.
"It's
amazing out here," The pigtailed young man whispered. "I'm
glad we could get away from then all and just be alone."
"You
need to tell them Ranma," the young man behind him says
tightening his arms.
"Not
yet, they have all been so busy with the wedding," Ranma
replies loosening his tie. "You should have seen Akane before
the rehearsal began."
"You
can't keep pulling them along."
"I
know Ryoga, I just don't know how to beak it to them," Ranma
explains turning slightly to look into beautiful blue eyes.
Ryoga
sighs resting his forehead against Ranma's wanting nothing more than
to kiss the martial artist. "Wish we were anywhere but here."
"Huh?"
"Can't
kiss you," Ryoga explains receiving a blush from the teen in
his arms. "Hum, do you think anyone can see us?"
"I
don't know, probably not, why---"
Ryoga
cut off the rest of what Ranma was about to ask by pressing his lips
against the other's. He slips his tongue easily into the beautiful
warm mouth, causing Ranma to moan. Ranma finally pulls away gasping
for breath, his lips swelling slightly.
"What
if someone had come looking?" Ranma demands flustered.
"Hope
it would have been Akane-san."
"What,
why Akane? Why would you want her to catch us? She'd probably throw
me in the lake over there. Unless..." Ranma stops speaking,
pulling away from Ryoga's embrace and standing up. "You want her
to because you want to make her jealous, notice you. You are using me
to get to Akane... how could you! Well whatever, just don't talk to
me ever again."
Ryoga
jumps to his feet reaching for Ranma's arm. "Ranma wait..."
"I
don't care; do whatever just leave me out of it!" Ranma growls
darting through the bushes.
Ryoga
gives chase only to lose him amongst the crowds. He slowly walks
back toward where the wedding rehearsal had taken place earlier only
he never reaches the small building. He curses his sense of
direction, wishing he could change that more than curing his cure of
drowned pig. He groans to himself as he walks aimlessly about, each
step making him feel worse.
Ranma
has it all wrong; he had thought Akane would have been the most
understanding and not blackmail them in some way, unlike a certain
other Tendo sister. Ryoga is abruptly jerked out of his thoughts when
he bumps into an elderly man.
"Oh,
excuse me," Ryoga says as politely as his mood would allow. It
was getting so late and he really needed to talk to Ranma.
"You
okay young man? Having girl troubles?" The man replies staring
at him through dark glasses.
"Huh?
Why would you ask me that?" Ryoga wonders confused.
"Your
aura is dimmed by pain," the man answers.
"Well
sort of, I'd call it relationship troubles and lack of
direction," Ryoga explains curious.
"Are
you lost?"
"I'm
always lost, have the nickname to prove it."
"Hum,"
the man says before reaching into his shirt pocket. "Here drink this."
"What
is it?" Ryoga asks apprehensive, remembering Shampoo and all
her potions.
"This
will cure you of one problem. Drink it and think about the problem
you'd like to cure and it will be."
Ryoga
took the little jar, his mind wrapping around its purpose. It could
cure his changing problem; he would never be a pig again. Or it could
cure his lack of direction, making getting around so much easier, and
then he could find Ranma and explain. "Do I have to drink all of
it?" He asks an idea forming.
The
man nods dashing his hopes of curing both. "That is the only
one I have on me too, if you could find me again I might be able to
help you again."
"What---"
Ryoga was cut off as a huge gust of wind blew around them, forcing
him to cover his face. When it settled again the old man was gone.
Great, he thought, a disappearing old man. Looking at the jar he knew
he had to decide, he wouldn't be able to go forward until he did.
Find
Ranma or be free of the pig curse. He'd been dealing with the pig
curse but he can't deal with losing Ranma. Drinking the liquid he
thought about his lack of direction and easily getting lost. Opening
his eyes, he looked around to realize he was just a few miles from
the dojo. He knew exactly where he was and how to get to where he
needed to go.
*~*~~*~~~~*~~*~*
Ranma
sat alone in the quiet dojo, his mind lost to everything around him.
Akane had looked worried when he declined to go and eat out with the
rest of them. She had asked about Ryoga's lack of presence since
earlier that day and he'd almost bitten her head off. It seems to
hurt so much more when he thought about the lost boy, not that it
ever really stopped hurting. Ryoga has used him, damn it, why did he
feel like this. Thinking about Ryoga shouldn't hurt, it should make
him angry. Yet it didn't.
Everyone
would be back soon and he didn't want to deal with it. Them or the
wedding preparations. Getting up he left the dojo, trying to find
some kind of escape from everything, but most of all the pain Ryoga
had wrought in him.
Finding
a secluded spot he hopes no one will find him or even care to come
looking. Well Ryoga got his wish; he was out of the way now. With a
sigh he damns himself for ever feeling something for someone else.
Alone, alone is the best way to be, he thought feeling worse than before.
Ryoga
knocks on the screen, waiting for someone to realize he is standing
there. It is pushed open to reveal Akane with a piece of paper in her hand.
"Oh,
hello Ryoga," she says warmly.
"Uh,
hi --- um is Ranma here?" Ryoga asks trying to swallow his nervousness.
"No,
the lazy pervert. He's supposed to help me with the
invitations," she replies steamed, "yet when we got back he
was gone. But if you want to wait for him you're more than welcome."
"He's
not a pervert," Ryoga grumbles under his breath before bowing
to accept her offer to stay and wait. "Uh, Akane-san can I talk
to you?" He asks louder this time.
"Sure,
come into the living room where I'm working on these invitations."
Ryoga
follows behind her, allowing her to sit before he did. She places
the paper in front of her to reveal a list of names. As she begins to
write he swallows his nervousness to talk to her. "Well, I need
to, uh, tell you something. It - It's about Ranma and I. You see ----
we're ---"
"Akane,"
Nabiki's voice behind them cut Ryoga off. "Kasumi needs to see
you for a moment."
"Dang
these things are never going to get done," Akane says sitting
her pen down.
"I
could do them for you," Ryoga offers needing something to do.
"Oh
that's very kind of you, thank you," Akane says standing up.
"And we can talk later okay?"
"Um,
yeah sure."
She
left the room after Nabiki, and Ryoga wondered how he was really
going to tell her the truth about himself and Ranma. A few hours
later, after he'd finished almost all the invitations, Ryoga heard
the screen door open and close. Watching the doorway he caught sight
of the one person he really needed to talk with. Ranma spots him as
well, as he suddenly stops and turns toward the living room.
"Ranma---"
"No,
leave me alone, I don't want to talk to you," Ranma interrupts
turning away.
"Well
I need to talk to you and you need to listen," Ryoga says
getting up.
"Leave
me alone," Ranma growls before racing to his room.
Ryoga
gives chase, finding it so much easier now to get where he wanted,
needed to go. Barging into Ranma's room, he saw the look of surprise
on the other boy's face.
"Leave
me alone," Ranma says getting over his surprise.
"No,
Ranma we need to talk," Ryoga replies stubbornly.
"There
is nothing to talk about!"
"Yes,
there is. You misunderstood my comment before about Akane-san. If I
wanted Akane-san, which I don't, why would I be here trying to
explain the truth to you?" Ryoga challenges.
"I
don't know," Ranma blurts out in reply.
"Because,"
Ryoga explains stepping closer to the other teen. "I love you."
Ranma
stares into Ryoga's dark eyes in total surprise, this is the first
time Ryoga has said it out loud. He turns away unable to cope looking
into those beautiful eyes. How could any one honestly feel such a
thing for him? "No, you want Akane."
"No
I don't," Ryoga denies quickly.
"You
don't want Akane about as much as I do," Ranma deadpans turning
back to Ryoga, trying desperately to keep his tears from falling.
"You're
wrong, it is you I love and only you that I want to share everything
with. Why won't you believe me?"
"Then
why the hell would you want Akane to find us?" Ranma demands
angry at himself.
"Ryoga
took one of Ranma's hands in his own. "Because I thought she
would be the more understanding."
"Yeah
right," Ranma growls trying to pull his hand free.
"Ranma
I want to tell you about something that happened to me. After you
ran, I got lost chasing you. While I was walking, I bumped into this
old man."
"An
old man?" Ranma interrupted rolling his eyes.
"Yes,
now just listen. Anyway he asked if I was having girl problems. I
told him sort of and about my ability to get lost. He gave me a jar
of something and said it would cure anything. So I had a choice, cure
my curse of drowned pig or my curse of no sense of direction. I chose
the latter because I would be able to find you and will always be
able to find you."
Ranma
stares at him before shaking his head, "That doesn't prove ---"
"It
proves that I love you. If I had wanted Akane-san I would have cured
my cure of drowned pig. I don't want Akane-san though. I want you and
only you."
Ranma
sighs feeling like he'd become the lost one. He stares at Ryoga a
seed of hope taking root. Ryoga wants him, not Akane. Or is it some
kind of trick? No if he did want Akane he would be here with him now.
Ryoga
closes the space between them, his arm encircling Ranma's waist.
"I serious, I only want and need you," he says before
capturing Ranma's soft lips in a sweet, warm kiss. Ranma melts into
the kiss, tears sliding down his cheeks, and Ryoga's possessive embrace.
"Ranma..."
A female voice says causing them to pull apart and Ranma to quickly
wipe at his eyes. Akane stands in the doorway, mouth hanging open in
shock, before getting a hold of herself. "What is going on here?"
"That
is, well, what I wanted to tell you about," Ryoga stutters.
"That, I love Ranma... and I think he loves me."
"So
that was what you were trying to tell me," Akane says smiling
at Ryoga. "Well this is good. Does this mean I'm free to
chase---" She suddenly puts her hand over her mouth before the
name can slip out.
Ranma
steps forward, between them, and nods. "Yes you can now freely chase---"
"Don't
say it," Akane warns. "I'll just go and finish those invitations."
After
Akane leaves Ryoga pulls Ranma into his arms, nuzzling the pigtailed
boy's neck. "So who is this secret person?"
"I
can't say."
"Oh
come on," Ryoga whines.
Ranma
turns in the embrace to face his lover. "Oh fine, just don't
tell anyone," he caves before leaning forward and whispering in
Ryoga's ear.
The
formerly lost boy's eyes widen at the quiet words. "You're
kidding?" Ranma shook his head no, it was the truth. "How
long have you known?"
"About
three weeks now."
"You
little..." Ryoga pulls him close, engaging those troublesome
lips in a deep, passionate kiss.
Ranma
hangs on to Ryoga for dear life as his breath and soul are kissed
away. I love you too, Ryoga.
~I
don't mind not knowing what I'm headed for
You
can take me to the sky
It's
like being now in Heaven
When
I'm lost in your eyes~*
~Owari
*Lyrics
for Debbie Gibson's "Lost in Your Eyes"
