Author notes: A portion of this chapter is pretty limey…almost but not quite lemony, I think. Read at the risk of being offended and, if you think I need to up the rating more, let me know.
Having it out
Me and this girl we've been
working it out
We've got a long way to go we've got a long way to go
Me and this girl we've been having it out
On a road called Oppenheimer
Muffled moans and irregular gasps could be heard from the vicinity of Akane's couch as a study session morphed into something just a little different. Ranma and Akane lay entwined on the floor between the couch and the low table that also served as her desk. Her skirt was pushed up to her waist. His shirt was partially undone. Akane's hands were fisted in the back of Ranma's shirt, clenching and unclenching almost spasmodically. Ranma's hands were…well, just about everywhere. When Ranma hit a particular delightful nerve, Akane arched into him. When Akane groaned low and harsh in his ear, Ranma pulled her closer.
Somehow something niggled at her, a tiny pinprick in the honey-like wave of warmth that was cruising through her system. Too fast, too fast, it chanted, the barest of whispers. "Uhmm…Ranma," she mumbled.
Ranma didn't respond, he couldn't. He was too steeped in her. She was everywhere—her scent encompassed him, her whimpers deafened him, her taste filled him. How could he want to be anywhere else? Why would he want to?
He undid her shirt, nuzzling her through her bra, running his mouth over her, around her. He heard Akane's breathing quicken as he moved his hands upward to work the garment off.
The annoyance nudged at Akane's conscience. "Ranma…we need to slow down."
Ranma raked his teeth against her neck, moved his mouth back downward. "Need you, 'Kane," he rasped. "Please." He ran his hand up her leg, squeezed. A finger made its way just underneath the edge of her panties. Tracing a slow line of heat, it moved back and forth slowly against her skin, not quite drifting upwards, but definitely making its presence known.
Akane hissed. It felt so good…he felt so good. Just a little longer, just a little more. She shifted, pressing Ranma's hard length deeper against her. He fastened his mouth to hers in response. Her hands moved to the waistband of his pants and, without realizing it; she began to tug them downwards.
Ranma's eyes flew open when Akane grasped him through his boxers. Cloudy with stupor, his gaze met hers. Every nerve was searing with desire. He kissed her again and eased her panties down as she continued to caress him.
Akane broke away from his kiss to bury her face in his neck. She tasted and was immediately desperate for more. She reached for his shirt, was so close to yanking it off him when Ranma's hand brushed against the heart of her. Her eyes, already closed, squeezed tighter. She gave up trying to get his shirt off and reached down once again. The feeling of him set her soul ablaze.
Ranma panted. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse with want, "Akane, I…"
"AKANE!"
Akane blinked. Lost in sensation, she vaguely heard Ranma say her name once. She thought she heard a someone else call her name, a higher pitched, more muffled someone. Shaking it off, she ran her tongue along the edge of Ranma's ear, delighting in his shiver.
"AKANE!" This time the shout was accompanied by an insistent knocking. "We know you're in there! We can see the light through the window."
At the sound of the voice, the couple slowed their ministrations to exchange surprised looks. Akane sighed when she remembered. "It's Yukino and Miki. Study group," she explained apologetically. She began to readjust her clothing. "I'm coming!" she called out. "I'll be right there."
Ranma sat up, breathing heavily. He growled in frustration. Interrupted again. It never failed. Lately it felt like, whenever he and Akane came close to crossing the line that would make them lovers, a huge wall would shoot up out of nowhere, impeding their progress and spoiling the mood. When Akane looked at him, apology and desire apparent in her eyes, he forced himself to calm down. He kissed her hand, then helped her to her feet. After making sure that she was mostly decent, he turned toward the bathroom.
"Where are you going, Ranma?"
He smirked. "To the bathroom. As much as I like Miki and Yukino, I don't feel like seeing them right this second." He glanced downward, laughing when Akane blushed. "You let them in. I'll be out in a minute."
Straightening her clothes, Akane opened her front door to see her friends grinning at her.
"Hey, Akane!" Yukino greeted her. "Did you forget about our study group? What took you so long to get to the door? Were you…" a sly look appeared on her face as she took in the other girl's more than slightly disheveled appearance. "Did we interrupt anything?" She hooted when Akane flushed. "Ah, the trials and tribulations of young love. Would you like Miki and I to leave?"
"Oh, don't leave on my account," Ranma drawled as he emerged from behind Akane. "I was just on my way out."
Yukino batted her eyes at the dark-haired young man. "What's wrong, Ranma? Don't you want to stay and play?"
Miki laughed and lightly shoved the girl into Akane's apartment. "We've already broken up the party. Let's get some studying done."
Akane shook their head at the lighthearted argument that ensued. She sighed, giggling when Ranma sighed too.
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said softly, then brushed his lips against hers. "Good night."
***
"Cut it out, Ranma," Akane exclaimed as she elbowed Ranma in the ribs. "I'm trying to study!"
Ranma wrapped his arms around her tighter, an attempt to prevent any more movement. He nibbled on her ear. "I think it's time for a study break, don't you?"
Akane pushed herself out of Ranma's grasp. She jumped to her feet with such force that he was thrown backwards into the couch. "Leave me alone!" Her posture was rigid. Her eyes shot glaring daggers.
Ranma glared back, his good mood dampened by her actions. "Geez, Akane. What's your problem?"
"My problem is that I have a test to study for. A test I CAN'T study for because you're being Mr. Grabby Hands!"
"Mr. What? If I remember correctly, you seemed to like my 'grabby hands' just fine the other day." He was on his feet now too. "And excuse me for trying to spend a little quality time with you. After all, it's not like we've spent time together this week or anything."
"What are you talking about? We've seen each other this week."
"Sure we've seen each other." He continued, counting off on his fingers, "I've seen you for five minutes after your last class and before you have to get to work. I've seen you for two minutes before you rush over to Yukino's for an all-nighter. I've seen you for a millisecond on the sidewalk when you're on your way to class and I'm coming back from my morning jog." He looked up from his fingers, waited until her eyes met his. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were avoiding me."
"I haven't been avoiding you! I've just been really busy. I have a lot going on right now."
Ranma snorted. His temper was steadily striding towards the end of annoyance, edging along the border of anger. "It seems to me you've had a lot going on before and somehow still managed to spare an hour or three to be with me."
Akane, who was already worked up, felt her hackles rise even higher. "Well, excuse me for wanting to make something out of myself! Besides, maybe I'd want to spend more time with you if you wanted to do something other than make out for hours on end!" Akane's eyes immediately widened with remorse when Ranma turned many shades of fury.
Ranma bit down on his lip…hard. "Screw this," he bit out. It seemed as if he couldn't charge to the door quickly enough.
"Ranma…I…" Akane whispered in a tear-tinged voice.
"Save it, Akane," he barked in response. Where was that damn door? His vision was blurry from pissed offedness, he told himself, not tears.
Normally, Ranma was way faster than Akane. This time however, pure will and resolve enabled her to move with unheard of speed. She grabbed Ranma's arm, her grip desperately insistent.
"Let go, Akane," Ranma growled when she tugged.
"No. We've wasted too much time storming away from each other whenever we have a fight. From here on out, we're going to at least attempt to fix things as soon as possible." Akane wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. "I'm sorry for what I said. Please don't leave."
He sighed. It was too easy to let the anger go when she held him tight. He turned in her arms, tickled his nose in her hair. "Why?"
Akane pulled away to look up into his eyes. "Because I'm scared, I think."
"Scared of what?"
She moved out of his arms, and then walked over to the window to gaze at the street outside. Her back was to him when she spoke. "Scared of you, scared of me, scared of us and where we're going. I just freaked out, I guess."
Akane turned to look at him now. "The other night on the floor," her gaze darted to the spot on the floor in question.
Ranma's eyes followed hers. At the memory, a knot began to form in his belly. "Yeah…"
"You know, when we…"
"Yeah…"
"Well, we came really close to…you know…" Akane worried her lip between her teeth.
"I know." And he did. He knew that, had it not been for the interruption of Akane's study group, they would have gone further than either one had anticipated.
"It's just…well, I got to thinking." Akane turned her back on him again. "And all the thinking, it really scared me. I thought too much, I guess," she added with a nervous chuckle.
"We've done so much pushing away, so much denying how we felt about each other. I guess I'm having a hard time adjusting to it all. To go from kissing with tape to well…you know, it just seems like a long way to go in such a short time.
"I want you, Ranma. I wanted you back then and I want you even more now. You're the only one I've wanted this way. There's a part of me that wants to just forget about everything and give in to this craving for you."
"I think I like that part of you."
Akane let out a strangled laugh. "But, at the same time, all the other parts of me are saying to hold off. I won't go into the whole baby thing, but if we…you know…that's one thing to think about.
"Ranma if we do…have sex…I want it to be about us. I don't want it to be because our hormones are raging, I don't want it to because I'm the fiancée of the moment…"
"Stop right there, Akane," Ranma crossed the room swiftly. When he reached Akane, he spun her around to face him. "WHEN we do MAKE LOVE, believe me, it will be about us. It won't be about raging hormones, it won't be because our dads aren't here watching our every move, it won't be about the hundreds of other excuses that you keep trying to find.
"I want you, Akane. I wanted you back then and I want you even more now. You're the only one I've wanted this way. When it does happen, it will be because we both want it. It will happen because we'll both be ready…physically and emotionally.
"It's okay if you're scared because I'm scared too. I'm scared because this is about us and us means everything to me."
Akane flung herself into his arms. Ranma held her close then pulled away, wiping at the tears drip dropping down her cheeks. "So…are we good?"
She moved in for another hug. "Yeah."
"You really do think too much, Akane."
"What do you mean?"
"Fiancée of the moment?"
She groaned. "Well, it sounded good at the time."
"Yeah well, next time you start thinking, let me know before it becomes too much, okay?"
"And, Akane?" He let her fume for a little bit before he continued. "I'm really glad that we worked this out before I got the hell out of here."
"Me too, Ranma. Does that mean we're growing up?"
"Perish the thought."
***
Me and this girl we've been
getting it on
Beneath a quarter moon beneath a quarter moon
Watching it go until it's all the way gone
On a road called Oppenheimer
It was the night of Miki and Yuu's engagement party. The joyous celebration of two friends very much in love, the bubbles of champagne sparkling their awareness of each other, the way the music kept in perfect time with their heartbeats as they swayed against each other, all of these just right moments led to an absolutely right moment in a room awash with moonlight.
A quiet whisper. "Are you awake?"
"Yeah."
"What are you doing?"
"Just looking…"
"At what?"
"At stuff…and the moon…and you."
A dreamy sigh. "Oh."
"Can't you sleep?"
"Nuh-uh."
"Why not?"
Another sigh. "Too happy. Too enraptured. Too content. Too many things there aren't any words for. How about you?"
"Nope. I've got better things to do."
"Oh really? At," a head turned to look at the glow of the alarm clock, "four o'clock in the morning?"
"Yup."
"And what exactly would that be?"
"Oh, a few things."
"Like…"
"Like looking at the moon…and at you…and…"
"And what?"
"And the last thing works a lot better if I demonstrate."
An eyebrow arched. "Oh really?"
"Yup."
A rustling of sheets. "Then by all means…demonstrate away."
Author notes: So…here's the beginning of the rest of it. What do you think? I have to admit that, despite the fact that I've spent the last too many years of my life reading "trash" novels, the lime really threw me for a loop. Just goes to show that there is a difference between paper versus real life versus writing it yourself for others to read. Whew.
THANKS SO MUCH for the wonderful, fantabulous, flattering reviews. They really, truly mean a lot to me. As great as they were however, I was still plagued with supreme writer's block. Anyway, I hope you like it. A rewrite of this chapter MAY BE in the works, so we'll see. Yes, I know this chapter was short, but it stopped in a good place, didn't it? Yes, I know it was a LONG time between chapters, but aren't you glad I told you at the end that I wasn't sure if I should continue or not? =) And, if you didn't want me to continue, then why are you reading this. =) There's more to come. The rest of this month is going to be pretty crazy for me, so it may be eons before I get the next chapters written and posted but rest assured, you'll see the whole song someday. =)
THANKS FOR READING!
