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Disclaimer: I am Not rumiko takahashi nor do i claim to fame any of these characters besides Keria. hah! all miney mine mine after that!
Author's note' : while this is going to be mostly a ryoga base story, i have to get into the swing of things again since ive been kicking around this story like a hot bean can for about two years. its all written in my head people, all done. hence the Ranma 2nd chappie. Flames are okay! enjoy
The Tendo Dojo 0235
The cold sounds of the dojo creaking kept Ranma awake, leaving him blinking at the ceiling. Throbbing whenever he shifted his head, a purple bruise bulged from the blue-black strands. It was the only thing out of place on the boy's gracefully powerful frame.
The blue of the night cast a hazy shadow on the familiar surrounding of his room.
"Hhhhmmmph..." He stretched, reveling in that sore muscle tension that complains days after a great workout. It burned and felt awesome.
He loved feeling like he was a human bungee cord.
Even though Ranma trained hard every day, there was something about when he fended off that psycho Akane that made him feel more fluid. More wired. It was like...like reaching out quickly to snag a butterfly but without closing all the way to crush it. Hmmm, Akane's like a butterfly...She was...
His blue eyes stared at the ceiling while he shifted his arms overhead. A small smile played at his lips as he allowed snippets of memory to cross his mind. One would grin just at the wonder and gentle expression on this hardened boy's face.
She was....
He felt his eyes glaze over, while his left eyebrow twitched.
She was down there. Trying to train. Feh. Almost c-ca....Almost c-c-aaaaatttt
.......
Almost bull-like in her movements, Ranma could picture her dragging her elbow out so her forward punches were slow, not shifting when needing to, not sitting low enough.
Perfecting her form so that she can remain the reigning champion of Punches Given to the Misunderstood Martial Artists of Nerima. Feh.
She never hit Ryoga. Of course, Ranma was of the opinion that the Lost Boy could really, really get into it if she did start smacking him up, down and crossways. Ryoga was a glutton for pain.
And Akane was a virtual shopping mall open 24/7, available all over Japan for your pain and suffering needs.
Stupid....So stupid...Why does she always think that I'm the pervert? I didn' do nothin, Thick headed girl. What an ice queen.
He could hear the short huffs of breath, her feet stomping on the floor. Every second, she got louder and louder. A moment of silence, and a kick hit the bag. Ranma shifted around in the bed, squeezing over as his pop did a hostile, drooling take over of Ranma's sheets.
Ack, greedy bedsheet stealer. Akane, why can't you go to sleep? Cause she's a freak of nature, that's what. She's not going to get any better, no matter how hard she tries...
Ranma knew this with a certainty but inwardly he lied about the reasons. Yeah, she stunk. But it wasn't because she was inherently bad. Inside he knew she never changed up her routine and that was her downfall.
In his obvious way, he did point this out to her. What he meant to say was "Hey, that was a good stance shift but maybe you should snap back your hip so you can snap out better. Want me to show you how to do it?"
His face burned crimson in the night, thinking of his anticipation in sliding his hand next to her hip and moving with it as he demonstrated. It would have thrust out in a more efficient punch and he wanted to see that wonder in her eyes when she realized she could actually be better. Her legs were so strong and ...and...female....Yeah, she was powerful.
In a tomboy, I hate everything that is MALE kinda way though
But smooth as that scene had been in his mind, she had glanced at him, determination flashing in her eyes.
He felt overwhelmed as that aggressive stare bore into him. It seemed to go right through him, even for that brief second. He didn't even notice the slight softening her face got when she was done with her kata and the shy tone she took when she asked if he wanted to share the dojo.
That brown eyed stare had made him feel faint and scared and..and proud of her at the same time. He didn't like that mix of feeling. No, not at all. His ego had reared its ugly head.
It was then Ranma felt something mildly salty in his mouth and he snapped out of his glazed state to realize he was swallowing his pillow. And half his gi.
Yummy.
He laid it down next to his pop, who quickly snatched that to his chest as well.
Just thinking about what he did next made him wish he could've run fast enough to turn back time and duct taped his mouth shut. He meant SHUT. Like everytime he did something that catered to his ego.
Well, what he thought to say half came out. Just the wrong half.
"Want me to show you how to do it?" Jeez, I was trying to be helpful. Why didn' she give me a chance to say the rest? She didn' hafta go all...icicle on me and bean me on the head.
Akane, stubborn in her little ways, would never go beyond her bad practice habits. He fumed at this. Fumed at himself, but mostly her for making him feel like he was a bad teacher.
He was all flustered, all the freaking time. But noone could ever tell. Ranma kept his cocky attitude up like a blanket to keep in how very unsure of himself he was around her. His breathing shallowed when he thought of her brown eyes snapping.
He was hungry so it was time to raid the kitchen.
Ranma sighed and pushed himself up, lower back muscles screaming at him and he made his way to the other end of the house.
Past the rubble and the sounds of Nabiki wheezing. He had half a mind to take pictures of her dribbling away in dreamland and sell them for 6,000 yen. He put that thought away for later.
Kasumi worked by candlelight in the kitchen sink. He yawned a greeting and was rewarded with her serene smile. He smiled back and started to rummage around in the fridge. She was a mother figure, definitely, always keeping hot water for him, tending to the hysterical Soun Tendo's rantings.
He sat at the table, scarffing up three bowls of udon, listening to the clink of the dishes in the soapy water and further onward, Akane smacking the living daylights out of something wooden.
Kasumi was cool, she never pushed conversation on anyone. She was perfectly happy to let you sit there and do your own thing. Peaceful, delicate, demure.
Totally not Akane
"Ranma, will you be here on Wednesday? I do hope you don't plan on going on a training mission." Kasumi's soft voice lilted.
"Sure, Kasumi, do you need me to help out chores?" He could hardly refuse, he did live here. Even if his pop was a lazy, good for nuthun didn't mean he had to be.
"We are having a party for Akane, she's gotten such excellent grades this term. Daddy would like to reward her." Her eyes shined proudly as Ranma suppressed a sullen frown. His grades hadn't been that spectacular due the all the fighting.
"Presents, cake, the whole bit since her last birthday was rather...ahem...put into disarray." She shook her hands free of the suds and started to wipe clean the bowls.
Ranma could hazard a million guesses why that event had been messed up.
With this family's luck, I'm surprised if they'd have peace at their funerals
Quickly, Kasumi whipped out a dozen cook books. "You're her fiancee, which cake do you think she would like? This one? Or this one? Or how about this? OOOOoo I like this one!" She was whipping out pages and pictures faster than a hurricane.
Ranma broke out in hives from the mention of "fiancee." Now he was looking wildly for a way out.
"Uh....uh..." he stuttered. Ah, no escape. "How about..."
A cracking noise and a painful exclaimation caught his attention.
Wha..? He was on his feet, ripping from his udon and out the window before he could even register that it was Akane who yelped.
He jumped up on the roof, grinning to himself at his sneaky exit when he saw the hole in the outer wall, big enough to drive a car through.
That was Akane's doing!
He grinned even more and hopped his way down the rooftop.
He slunk to the dojo window and slid down to take a peek.
Ranma's heart fell when he saw her on the floor. To him, it was obvious, like so many other things. She tried to do a technique and the punching bag twisted off the hook, by freak accident bringing the wooden frame crashing down on her leg. The udon unsettled in his stomach as he saw the frame covering her ankle.
If it happened to him, he would have just leaped back but she probably couldn't react fast enough. She was ....almost..... crying. What?
Wow, she can deal with a lot of pain,
He didn't understand why she had a unspilt lining of tears in her eyes.
Any female crying was blackmail.
He padded softly in, and stood behind her while she pushed the frame off of her with her other foot. She looked so...hurt. Not physically though, emotionally, she was like a kitten in a puddle. Words were lost as he gingerly knelt down and started to reach out to pick her up.
Better keep an arm up incase she wants to freak out on me. She hasn't even heard me behind her. Silly girl, you gotta always be on alert.
He was inches away from her, from her hair. He could smell the sweat but it was mixed with something sweet and coppery and Akane. It was all her. Ranma swallowed as he closed the gap with his fingers, expecting the mallet to materialize adding another bump to his lumpy head. It was a saving factor that he had so much hair.
Akane jumped up and Ranma clutched to a ceiling support, wincing.
Why does she always DO that?! I gotta pee so baaaadd now...
He watched her with open concern as she took a few halting steps. The hesitation in her movements told Ranma that yup, it was a sprained ankle.
He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. She's a bull, not to have a broken leg from that!
It was good that she was going to bed now, ice and a visit to Dr. Tofu in the morning would do her much good.
He'd have to carry her to school tomorrow. And back. That wasn't so bad, he'd snatched her away from monsters and death before. The smug grin on his face contrasted with the flash of red on his cheeks.
He'd get to hold her close, she'd have to hang onto him with those tiny hands that were bunched up at her sides right now. He'd have to be gentle. Oh yeah, like catching a butterfly. He had the tiniest hope dawn in his mind that maybe she could leave it up to him for once instead of fighting him on everything including the color of the sky.
Maybe he could walk instead of run. Ranma tangled his words together trying to think of things to say when she was resting in his arms tomorrow.
"Hey, when your ankle gets better, let's go over kicks...you've got pretty good balance...just not like me haha!"
"I used to be a klutz too, till my dad made me walk around the house on top of wine glasses. You know my pop, what a nutcase"
"Sea water helps stuff like this. The beach is opening soon, wanna go?"
"Heard you got good grades, you smartie pants. Could you help me with mine?
......I could practice with you........"
But Akane stopped in the middle of the dojo and stood there.
The whole house focused in on her, the feeling of everything collecting made Ranma glance around to see who was watching. The eerie silence that permeated he recognized from his own training.
It was the sound of someone not giving in.
Breeze from another hole in the wall hey, that was all Akane there lifted her gi and she took another stance. Same flaws, Ranma noted but still pretty good. He took out his tongue and held it between his fingers. He dare not speak.
A knot turned over in his stomach and he held his breath as he took in her petite profile, her form, her bangs swirling around those eyes you could fall into.
The tears had been replaced with that cold sheer grit, take no prisoners look that made him want to sag off the wooden beam.
It shot like an arrow through the invisible opponent she now fought with growing speed. When she was furious at him, for only God and his sense of humor knows why, he had to stare down that hardened gaze. The change was incredible, from fluffy cuteness and smiles to an avalanche rushing headlong at you.
Can't move, can't speak coherent. Can't do anything but fight back.
How does she do that? Why? I would have picked her up...she's so stubborn. Stupid, Stupid! Something wrong with me, huh? Don't think I can pick up lil' ol' you, eh?
He felt irrationally frustrated again, this time for getting rejected before he even offered to help.
Why don't you need me?
Remembering his half-eaten pillow, he pulled out his tongue even more to prevent any words from even taking one step out his big, fat mouth.
As things go, Akane's perfect timing caught Ranma making a face at her while she turned around. She startled and stood there, then balled up her hands in pain and fury.
"Raaaannnmaaaaa!!!!whatreyou. HEY!! " He cut her off before the mallet came at him.
whoosh Ranma's ego couldn't take another hit so he swung down and snatched her up, tossed her over his shoulder and high tailed it to her room.
She did that famous dog whistle shriek that assaulted his ears as he pounded down the hallway with her in tow. She wasn't making it easy for him, biting, hitting him, screaming insults. But the fear and uncertainty behind her words cut him deeper than he cared to admit.
"PERVERT, where are you taking me?!?!" Ranma, Put me down!! I said down!!! STOP IT!! Raaaannnmmmaaaa!!!"
She kicked at him with the newly sprained ankle, crying out when a flash of pain froze her train of insults. Ranma took this as a golden opportunity to unpull his tongue and stick his foot in.
"You were screwing yourself up! I can't sleep with all the thudding and crashin' around! Stupid girl!!"
I saw your ankle go..
"In middle of the night practicing! Stupid! Why don't open your eyes.."
...And see that I want to help you
"And see that you need to let others SLEEP!!"
As well as YOURSELF, why don't you UNDERSTAND...
"Practicing won't get your thick skull, lamebrain body any better!!"
You need to rest and I'm so worried you'll burn yourself out.
"What are you doing?! Put me down!! I don't have to listen to you, you macho jerk!!" She was still fighting, even as he ran down the hallway and he held her close. It suffused him with a sense of purpose. It made him feel warm.
Even though he was screaming in her ear like a jet plane.
"Shut up and stop babbling!! I saw you fall..."
and I saw you get up,
"...which such a" stubborn "stupid" determined "look on your face!"
the fire in your soul....
"Will never get any brighter, will you?"
He was glad he couldn't see her face, those eyes, because his backside became scorched from her fury. As his gi started to smoke, he rushed the corner and threw her on her bed.
As his ki went thunderous, Ranma called upon the Secret Binding Spell of the Saotome Clan! and as the blurs went back and forth, he felt satisfaction seeing it completed.
Great, she was duct taped to the bed.
He meet her gaze for gaze, his steely blue eyes chipped with metal, hers, a mixture of ice so hot it burned. Resisting the urge to swallow that lacy pillow next to her head, Ranma turned on heel and slammed the door. Ignoring the wailing, he turned to head to the kitchen for more udon.
P-chan was growling at him from the stairway.
"Don't even think about it, porkchop. You're not going in there to make her feel better."
Holding himself from shaking, his arm lashed out and threw Ryoga into the cold pond. He sat there shivering for a bit then sighed.
Kasumi flickered her gaze from the stack of drying dishes to Ranma. Silently, resting on the counter, she had placed ice packs and a compress. The hopeful look in her eyes made Ranma furious with the whole thing. She didn't look at the torn boy in front of the tray.
Such potential for masculine caring. Do real men back down like this?
He sighed again and made his way back upstairs.
Ranma stood at the doorway, acute ears straining for any sound coming from the brunette within. There, he heard, muffled crying. He felt his resolve buckle yet he remembered how swollen her ankle was at the dojo. The broken bits of frame on the floor.
Saotomes did not back down. Yet was this backing down? It took more strength to open that door than to move a mountain or fight a thousand Kunos. He put on his warface and entered the room.
She tried to sit up, fresh tears streaking her face. Akane's room was disgustingly girly, mismatched for the tomboy presence she always maintained. It had....fringe ..and lace and was pink.
"What, come to kick me while I'm down, Ranma?" Her voice wasn't the powerful, commanding, harshly insulting shriek it was earlier. The one that cut him was this broken sob, almost suppressed but unsuccessful, in the back of her throat. His own throat burned, wanting to scream at her just to see that terrible fury back in her.
He bit his tongue and didn't say anything.
"Get out of here, macho jerk."she whispered.
Tears welled up blurring her vision and he noted her wince as she transferred her ankle's position. His heart hurt from all the rollar coaster rides it had gone through today.
His tongue felt huge from biting it so hard, it was almost drying out. He went over to her bed side and just as she lashed out to bite him, he took her ankle and stroked it.
If I can only...just give me a chance. Obstinate girl.
He sat there trembling inside as that fire lit back up in her eyes. Silent, finally, Akane's young face was a mishmash of emotions. Primarily, confusion wrinkled up her nose and drew her eyebrows together.
Yeah , he could sympathize with that.
Ranma felt his face go stone hard but he didn't have to force his fingers to be gentle. He tightly wrapped the compress and the ice around her ankle, easing it onto a pillow. He looked anywhere but at her. His eyes fell on her body underneath his duct tape, the posters, the parting of her lips in surprise and pain.
His tongue was going to never work again.
Yup, no problem Akane, I'll just learn sign language because I'm trying so hard NOT to scream at you again by gnawing on my own flesh..
He was done dressing her injury but he kept stroking it gently, like soothing a hurt animal. He was awed at himself for going to so. He could almost see the mallet hovering just out of reach but he didn't want to stop. Willing her to relax, he moved down to rub her foot. But she just wouldn't untense at all.
At least she wasn't screaming at him.
He gathered some cocky words that almost made it out but he had put a clamp on his tongue that was going to need a crowbar to undo.
They came out as a "hmmmmrrrrr" noise much to his dismay.
"What?" she asked, anger and hurt and confusion melted into just confusion.
"Hmmmmmrrrr"
She laughed nervously. Oh, that laugh unnerved him.
Go on, call me a pervert
I see that ice in your stare, you hate me touching you
You weren't going to take care of yourself so I did it for you. Ha stupid girl!
He let himself look at her, trying to say without words what echoed in his mind everyday.
Why do you fight me so much?
Just before he asked himself why, he knew. He wasn't exactly the most approachable guy to her. And felt that he could never undo the damage, it was too late. So the status quo would be maintained.
The night air had the crispness of a fresh morning. The coldest time was just before dawn So he put a blanket over her, avoiding the questioning gaze. Ranma didn't see the sparkle, he didn't see how the fire he had mistaken for fury in her orbs was really something that burned hotter.
A million things went on through his head and out of the million he chose silence for once. When he felt he couldn't take anymore of her baleful eyes watching him caress her foot, Ranma felt his body shift as he reached up to grab the roofing, his shoulder now protested moving.
She was being really, really quiet. Just sitting there like a pert doll in her house of no worries. Same...damn...stare boring into his face.
"Ranma."
He caught his breath.
"T-t-t....Thank you. It feels much better."
His head whipped back in from the window. She did speak to him, right? Not scream?
And ..she said thank you? She said Thank you!!
The look on her face was slightly flushed, beautiful. And yet the word beautiful didn't fit. Tomboy was beautiful to him.
Wow, he was feeling mushy, what a switch. But then again, that's how he always felt. One minute wanting to pound sense into her, the other this helpless spaghetti feeling.
She said Ranma was the greatest protector in the whole world! And the best ankle dresser! Oh boy oh boy did I show her! I am Mr. Masculine caring!
All he could make out was a "mmmm."
Never biting my tongue again ....no, no, no I have no tongue, its just rubber..
So she knows I care....she knows! How could she not! I dont' have to say anything, she's smart enough to figure it out!
He felt so light as he looking at her upturned face. Feeling certain, she understood how he felt now, he leaned next to the bed, wanting to fly all over Nerima and straight to the moon. She was so ...cute, sitting there all content in her flowery bed. She smelled so good, he leaned in a little, unable to help himself.
Her lips were so close.
"Akane." He whispered.
She was whispering to him, too.
"Thank you, Ranma-san......but ....I'm still duct taped."
.Wha- wha-wha.....that's it? That's it?!? oh man, look how close i was to kissing that..that..uncute tomboy!
His face took on a wicked grin while he twinged inside. He got the frenzied feeling of rejection from yet another never asked proposal.
"Yeah, well, Next time make sure the wood falls on your thick head." He muttered and huffed outside. He listened for the wailing but it never came surprisingly.
He sighed again, feeling the wieght of his actions and made his way down the hall.
Catching the gleam of the setting moon was a package in the way. Why hadn't he noticed it before? He bent down and unwrapped it.
Whatever... he'd do his training in the morning and go drag that uncooperative female named Akane to the doctor.
He picked up the package and went to his room.