Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 and all associated characters are the property of the Queen of Manga, Rumiko Takahashi.

Engaging Matters Chapter 3: Not This Time

By Will Rogers (Xtor49)

Note: Not a songfic

Key

Bold: emphasis

Italic: thoughts

It's just like before. I'm losing Akane all over again...

"No! Not this time! I didn't go after her when she left the first time...I won't make that mistake again!" Ranma hung up a sign at the entrance, "Classes cancelled today." He took a quick shower and got dressed. He pulled two slips of paper from his pants from the day before, sticking them inside his wallet. Grabbing some spare cash from a hidden safe under the floorboards, Ranma went to the phone and pressed the redial button.

A taxi service answered. "Good morning. Listen, a cab came to the Saotome-Tendo Dojo earlier today. I need to know where it went," Ranma said.

The receptionist gave him the address. "Thank you," Ranma hung up and ran outside. He took to the rooftops to avoid the traffic of the streets. Stupid tomboy! I can't believe she's reacting like this! But...she's my stupid tomboy...and I do love her.

As he reached his destination, he recognized the apartment building as where Akane's friend Yuka had moved to. The pigtailed young man had helped her move there. He got Yuka's room number from the desk clerk and went up to the room. He knocked on the door.

Yuka opened it and glared, "Ranma. What do you want?"

"Is Akane here?" Ranma asked.

"She doesn't want to see you. Go away," Yuka's voice was full of scorn.

"Come on, Yuka, the least she can do is say it to my face!" Ranma retorted.

"Let him in, Yuka," Akane's voice came from inside.

With a fiercer look, Yuka did so. Ranma stepped inside, "Akane..."

"Ranma," Akane did not meet his gaze.

"Akane, talk to me," Ranma pleaded.

"Forget it, Ranma," she shook her head.

He sighed, "Fine. If that's how you want it. Happy Anniversary." He pulled out the two slips of paper from his wallet and set them on the table next to her, "I guess you can just take someone else. Better'n letting them go to waste."

Akane looked at the slips as her husband began walking away. They were tickets to a Japanese presentation of Romeo and Juliet that night. "These...these have been sold out for..."

Ranma halted, "Three weeks. Yeah."

Akane stared at him, "How did you...?"

"I got them three weeks ago, in exchange for two years of free classes at the Dojo. I was saving it for a surprise," Ranma explained.

"But...why didn't you..." Akane began.

"Tell you yesterday? It was supposed to be a joke. I knew you'd think I forgot our anniversary. I just...didn't think you'd react like this," Ranma admitted, watching the floor. He looked up at the short-haired young woman, "I hadn't realized how you felt. Wasn't paying attention, I guess. And...I'm sorry."

Even after a year, Ranma never apologizes... Akane thought.

"I love you, Akane, even if I'm not that great at showing it. And I'd rather face the nekoken training a hundred times than lose you. I know we fight a lot, but...maybe we can learn to compromise a little better..." Ranma watched his wife's face as he spoke.

I can't believe my ears. I never would have expected this from Ranma, Yuka thought.

Unsure of what to say, Akane ran to her husband and hugged him tightly. Ranma held her in return, "Does this means we can try again?"

Akane nodded, "But if you ever pull a stunt like this again..."

"I won't. I promise." With that said, Ranma pulled her in for a kiss.

"Pervert," Akane teased.

"Tomboy," Ranma smiled.

And they lived happily ever after...well, most of the time, anyway.

Author's Note: My first Ranma ½ finished fanfic, as well as my first songfic ever. I've been writing fanfics for Ranma ½ for years, but most of them have been thrown out. Others have been rewritten repeatedly, and I'm still rewriting them. I could have put chapters 2 and 3 together, but I decided not to. I felt that the end should be separate from the songfic parts, since it didn't fit with the songs.

This story will probably be the only songfic I ever write. I didn't enjoy writing it quite as much as I usually enjoy writing.