Inner Child
by Darth Wraith

Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is not mine.

' ' - thoughts | " " - speaking
[ ] -Ranma's thoughts, heard by Akane

Akane woke up, vividly remembering the dream Ranma had. She loved it very much; the thought of it made her face redder than a rose. She wondered how Ranma felt about it, and was doubly curious to why the dream got interrupted. But she remembered like the last dream...just as Ukyo was about to kiss Ranma, the dream stopped. Akane sighed. 'Guess he thought it was a nightmare...'

Just then she heard voices outside. A female Ranma was shouting to Genma.

"Damn it Oyaji! Why did ya wake me up!?" Akane was surprised at the outburst. She leaned closer to the door to hear more clearly.

"We got training to do, boy! Don't get lazy just because you live in a house now!"

"But among all times why now?! I just had the best dream ever!" Akane gasped. 'He enjoyed it! So that's why the dream was interrupted...it's because of Saotome-san! I wish it could be real life though...'

"What dream could be so good for you to actually refuse training? I know you like the Art, boy, but..." Genma looked at Ranma quizzically.

[Uh oh...can't tell Pops about me and Akane...he'll get us married in no time! Hell no! I ain't ready to marry Akane! But boyfriend...that's a different sto..EEP! I FORGOT! She can read my thoughts!] Akane giggled and sighed a lover's sigh. She opened the door and went outside.

"Hehe, Pops. You won't ever believe it if I told you." Akane saw Genma who by now was practically chasing Ranma demanding what he dreamt about. She shook her head, wondering whether Ranma was schizophrenic or not. "Good morning onee-chan."

"Good morning Akane-chan." Kasumi frowned..I mean smiled at Akane.

"Good morning there sister." Nabiki was holding some paper, not deviating her eyes when she said good morning.

"Hi Kasumi, Nabiki, Tomboy!" Akane gave Ranma a smash on the head. Kasumi covered her mouth and giggled slightly. Nabiki didn't notice.

"Dang..." [You hit hard, Akane, geez! Anyway good morning.] Akane giggled. Ever so slightly she waved at Ranma, just enough so that the meddling fathers or calculating Nabiki didn't see.

[You know, I don't find it hard when it comes to thinking. It's easy for me to think whatever I want without being bashed by that crazy mallet of yours. I swear, it gets more dangerous every day. Sooner or later it's probably gonna be filled with toxic spikes.] To an outsider, it seems like Ranma was being spaced out, seemingly looking at nowhere. But Akane knew more than meets the eye. She couldn't stop herself from laughing at Ranma's description of the mallets she conjured.

Everyone looked at her with raised eyebrows. Ranma did likewise, though it's only for show.

"What's so funny?" Kasumi asked.

"Huh? Oh nothing!" Akane smiled (mostly to Ranma). Soun, who was uncannily good at catching moments of what he thought were romantic gestures, saw the smile. Nabiki put another tally on a piece of paper as Soun started his 4729th waterfall.

"Saotome-kun! What happy days!" Soun patted Genma's back.

"Indeed, indeed! Now that smile can lead to something more!" Genma laughed. "Come on, a game of shogi to celebrate! Hahahah! My rules as well!"

"Yes! Let'....wait...your rules?!" Soun's experssion darkened.

"Yep! Rule #1! No cheating! Rule #2: Genma Saotome always wins!" Mass facefault ensued. The two fathers went off to their own little world to play another 48 hours of shogi.

Akane rolled her eyes. "Anyway...I was laughing because of a joke I heard yesterday."

"Oh? What is it?" Nabiki for the first time today looked at a human being in the eye.

"Uh...." Akane felt nervous. 'Dang! I forgot what I was supposed to think about!' "Uh...why did the chicken cross the road?"

Mass facefault ensued again.

"Ite..." Ranma grumbled. "Face-faulting hurts if you do it too much. Folks, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!"

"But we are home and we're trying it." Nabiki said matter-of-factly.

Mass facefault ensued YET again.

"Are you wanting to give all of us plastic surgeries?" Akane growled, recovering from the third face-fault. "I suggest doctors, not bashing your face on the floor. Let's go to school Ranma." Ranma shook his head and followed Akane out of the door. Kasumi grinned. "They're getting along so well! It must be that Eggplant guy who helped them out."

Nabiki looked at the couple leaving the dojo. "Ranma has only been malleted once in 2 days. That's quite an achievement. Hmmph! I'll find out what's going on, Akane and Ranma, just you wait! You ain't keeping any secrets from me!"

Akane was walking on the sidewalk, while Ranma, as usual was walking on the fence. For the first time, their walk was rather peaceful. Not even the old lady who kept splashing Ranma was there. [Must be sleeping,] Ranma thought, chuckling.

"Hey Ranma?"

"Hrm?"

"Um..." Akane tried to speak coherently but the flames on her faces were on the way. "Uh..."

Ranma raised an eyebrow. "Yes?"

"Uh...about this morning..."

Ranma grinned. "Oh. I thought about what I dreamt last night huh? I meant it, I liked it."

Akane smiled. Suddenly a devious idea formed in her mind. She didn't tell Ranma about dreaming his dreams, so she decided to play a little game. "So...what exactly happened between the two of us?"

"Hehe Akane," Ranma giggled. "I ain't thinking about it this time. It's nothing special."

"Oh..." Akane looked meek. 'Nothing special, he says. It's too good to be true.'

"...I mean...you won't care anyway. I thought it was special." Ranma finished. Akane instantly perked up. 'Oh yes I do Ranma...'

"Just tell me. What happened?"

"You're such a busybody. Actually that's pretty girly." Ranma and Akane laughed.

"Oh no more tomboy?"

"Pssh in your dreams!"

"Ah well."

"Yeah." Silence followed for a short moment. Then they turned around to each other at the exact same time.

"Uh..." they both started.

"You go first Akane."

"No it's ok. You go."

"I did last time. Now it's your turn." Ranma stuck out his tongue.

"Fine," Akane stuck out hers. "I...I...I...I"

"Eye? What about eyes?" Ranma hopped down next to Akane. Both blushed slightly at the sudden nearness.

"I..as in me...baka..."

"Hehe...anyway...you were saying...?"

"I...heardthatyoudidn'tmindbeingaboyfriend..."

Ranma smiled evilly. "What?"

"Iheardthatyoudidn'tmindbeingaboyfriend."

"Huh?"

Akane's frustration grew. Ranma laughed as he dodged Akane's backpack.

"You baka! Ok...I...heard...that...you...didn't...mind...being...a...boyfriend. There." Akane turned away from Ranma.

Ranma was speechless. "Boy...boyfriend?"

Akane sighed. Ranma spun her around. "I...Iwouldlikeitifyoubemygirlfriend?"

"What?"

"Iwantgirlfriendyoubemine."

"WHAT?!"

Ranma smacked his forehead, annoyed that Akane got back at him. Suddenly he turned solemn which made Akane jump.

"I...I love you Akane. I'd like it if you became my girlfriend."

Akane took his hand. "Why not?" she smirked. "After all, I'm a Tendo girl. And...I would like it if you were my boyfriend."

"You and your ego." Ranma suddenly leaned forward and planted a light kiss on Akane's nose. [I MISSED! GEEZ!]

Akane's developing blush suddenly flared up so much she swore it could've caught on fire. 'He...he kissed me!' Then her experssion darkened. "ON MY NOSE?! You're such a bad kisser Ranma....wait...that's actually a good thing. I guess you didn't kiss your other fiancées after all."

But Ranma was busy making holes on the street with his head. [Man..that was sooo embarrassing....] Suddenly when he was about to bang his head again he felt only something soft and gentle. Akane's hand. He looked up at her, who immediately placed a kiss on Ranma's chin.

Instantly Ranma was restraining Akane as she tried to bash herself on the floor. After a few minutes they both recovered.

"We have got to learn the art of kissing," Ranma mused.

"Yeah seriously. But I don't mind." Akane laughed.

"Mmm....this is even better than learning the Moko Takabisha. Oh no, the gates of Furinkan are at sight. And this means another annoying day with Kuno..."

Akane sighed. "Ranma?"

"Yes?"

"I...I love you too." Akane suddenly cried and flung herself onto Ranma. Ranma could only blink in amazement. [She..she loves me?! W..wow...] He placed his arms on Akane's back, as he buried his head on top of Akane's. 'I wish this could last forever,' Akane thought.

[Finally,] Ranma thought

"Mmmm..." Akane replied. They broke the hug. "Come on now, Ranma. We can't get gushy or else we're in deep trouble. Let's go to school." She gave Ranma's hand a quick squeeze as she proceeded to pound the living daylights of Kuno.

"I'm definitely not taking a shower again...." Ranma muttered.

TES: Whew! Finally they sorta declared their love for each other. But I'm not too good at WaFF...so if anybody has suggestions on improving the so-called Waffy part please say so on the reviews! Thanks! ^_^

Btw, this story is still not complete. Expect more! (And if you give suggestions on the Waff improvement I just might re update this chapter!)