Disclaimer: Neon Genisis Evangelion is not mine, nor is Ranma ½. All go to respective owners...
When it reached her ears, she shot up, clutching her head tightly. Her breathing went rigid with fear as they came up in sharp, long breaths. She was hoping to have gotten used to it be now; ever since the last incident involving nightmares, she had believed that his screams would not have any effect on her.
"Dammit," she whimpered, tears forming in her eyes. It looked to be like yet another sleepless night.
Breakfast was always a silent affair as everyone ate quietly and cast weary glances at each other. The silence was only broken by one of two thank yous to Kasumi for cooking the meal. Other than that, the six people would mindlessly pick at their rice while they let their thoughts wander around.
It did not take a genius to know what everyone was thinking about. Ranma had been the subject of their latest private discussions for the past two weeks ever since the nightmares came pouring down on him. He never told them what he dreamt of though...all they could find out was that he had seen a blue-haired girl in his dreams.
Akane had initially jumped to the conclusion that Ranma was merely fantasizing about girls just like the pervert he was. But as the days passed, the pigtailed boy started shying away from the rest and she was beginning to doubt herself.
Kasumi had even tried to get Ranma to talk about his so-called nightmares but he would refuse and ignore her for the rest of the day, of which the brunette thought was very inconsiderate and unlikely for a person like Ranma to do so. But today...today would be the day where she ended all the childish games.
"Ranma-kun?" She asked loud enough for him to hear through the thin rice walls, "Can I come in? I believe we need to talk."
She tried to keep her voice was gentle as possible, hoping to break down the barrier between them for the last week. She awaited his answer, hoping and praying that he would answer her.
"Ranma-kun?" She repeated herself, concern in her voice, "Is anything the matter?"
Silence.
"Ranma-kun, we need to talk...now."
Silence.
"Is everything alright?" Kasumi gritted her teeth in frustration and anticipation of wanting to hear that everything was alright. Just as her hopes started to fade away, she heard a muffled response.
"Help me Asuka...help me..."
A sob.
Kasumi froze.
"...and just as I started to walk away, I heard him say 'Help me Asuka...help me' and it all sounded as if he was crying softly," Kasumi told Genma, Soun, Nabiki and Akane what she had heard just minutes ago, "Poor Ranma-kun...I hope he's not depressed."
"That macho-jerk? Depressed? Please Kasumi, he's not Ryoga you know," Nabiki waved Kasumi's concern away and took a bite out of her chocolate.
"ASUKA??? A GIRL???" Akane screamed, her aura flaring and flickering madly as she stomped one foot on the dining table and thrust her hands into the air dramatically. "THAT PERVER! I KNEW HE WA-."
"Asuka?! Saotome-kun, you didn't engage Ranma to another fiancée did you?!" Soun wailed as Akane rattled off in the background with a disinterested Nabiki watching her and chomping away on her milky snack.
"Why, Tendo-kun...I can't believe you would think of me as such a person!" Genma argued, a vein throbbing on his forehead.
"...FIRST IT'S THIS BIMBO GIRL, AND THEN THIS...THIS...ASUKA PERSON! WHO KNO-."
Nabiki grabbed another piece of chocolaty goodness as Kasumi sweatdropped, embarrassed at the way her family (excluding Nabiki) was handling the situation. This was a time to be worried for Ranma...not in their childish feuds! (Kasumi thought for a while and decided Nabiki was also at fault for ignoring the obvious pain Ranma was going through)
Kasumi had enough.
Banging her fists on the dining table hard enough to attract everyone's attention (and make Nabiki drop her chocolate) and inhaling a sharp breath, she raised a finger disapprovingly at her family and opened her mouth to speak.
"How could you be so ignorant at a time like this to push Ranma awa-?"
"Yes?"
"Speak of the devil," Nabiki smirked, snapping out of her daze and shaking her head as she watched Ranma walk down the stairs sloppily; as if he had no backbone as support.
"Did someone mention my name?" He asked, jamming one hand deep into his pocket and tilting his head to one side.
"Erm...uh..." Kasumi tried to begin, failing miserably. All of a sudden, she felt herself being pushed down roughly to the floor as a bright shade of purple flapped past her.
"Get back Onee-chan. I'll take care of the pervert," Akane laughed evilly, getting into a stance in front of the pony-tailed brunette.
"Pervert?"
"Don't' act dumb Ranma...I've heard all about you and your little sick fantasies. Did you actually think that the whole screaming thing would have worked? Obviously it didn't'," she went on, pushing his buttons as Ranma stood there, dumbfounded. Out of the blue, he took a step forward. Then another. Then another.
"You thinking of coming here, perv? I think not," one corner of her mouth shot up ever-so-slightly. "I've got a feeling that you'll be sailing sky high even before you pass the dining table," she glanced toward the purple table to emphasize her point, confidently relaxing her stance, as if knowing that she could beat the boy.
Everyone watched, stricken at Akane's sudden outburst. Their gaze shifted toward Ranma as his expression softened and he stumbled forward, stretching a hand out toward his fiancée. She caught it, scared for no reason at his sudden movement. Her heart started to beat a little bit faster.
Just as she attempted to wreck the living room with him, his other hand caught her fist in mid-air and his head snapped to look her straight in the eye, resulting her to gulp nervously and try to wiggle free from his grip. Behind, Soun and Genma started shouting, telling Ranma to let go of Soun's daughter.
"Help me," Ranma asked abruptly, never taking his gaze off her eyes. It was the ultimate meet of brown and blue. Akane leaned backward, scared for a change and regretting everything she had said earlier on. She had never seen Ranma so alone...and yet so easy to fear. His grip tightened on her wrists when she did not reply.
"Help me, please."
She could feel too many pairs of eyes laid on her at that particular moment. The two fathers had gone silent upon hearing Ranma's cries for help. Akane tried to stay strong but found it hard to do so. Ranma kept on asking that question as she took time to pluck up her courage to answer him. She would not give in to Ranma. Not to that pervert.
"You jerk!" She shouted, finding her spunky attitude once more. Ranma's hands dropped to his sides and he started backing up as Akane poked him in the chest, "You think you're so incredible?! HAH! You're just afraid of everyone! You're afraid of getting hurt! You've always been a coward!"
She did not know where the words came from but they suited the situation so well that she just had to say them. It was as if they had popped out of nowhere. Ranma found himself backed into a corner and all of a sudden, his right leg got tangled with one leg of the table and he fell backward, next to the table. Kasumi gasped as she watched the boy fall. It was nothing like she had seen before.
Come to think of it. She had never seen Ranma fall before.
"You're just afraid Ranma...you're just afraid."
Ranma lay there, feeling the pain on his back tingle through his body as tears began to gather in his eyes.
"Pathetic," Akane said softly, gazing at the heap of the floor, every single fiber in her body hating her fiancé at that moment. She had never come across him so helpless. He wasn't like this before the dreams came along.
It did not take long before he begun to get to his feet, taking his time to get up. Everyone watched him get back up on his wobbling feet, tears now streaking down his face. Genma shook his head, unable to say anything to reprimand his son.
Akane watched him with his head hung low, his bangs covering his eyes and his hands which had just gripped her hands tightly minutes ago laying limply at his sides, his red shirt billowing along with the soft breeze that entered. The wind chime which the Tendos hung gave of a sad 'ding.'
It all seemed to fast to see but his hands darted to Akane's neck and caught her totally off guard. He held her throat so tightly in his hands, his thumbs pressing against her windpipe as she choked and her eyes bulged. Using his strength, he lifted her off the ground...
A/N: Evangelion crossover. Hope you review...next chapter will be out soon all you peos!