Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma nor do I own the songs used.

Dare You To Move

Ranma/Akane

Ranma heard Akane training and decided to watch her. He studied her through a window, her concentration as she slowly practice her moves. He stopped breathing when she stopped her movements suddenly.
"Ranma, stop watching me, it's creepy." He grinned. She relaxed her body and glared at him for a movement. "So?" She asked impatiently. "Don't you have something to tell me? Like a wrong move or something I could improve on? Or are you going to call me uncute again?" Ranma's grin disappeared. He was thinking of some witty comeback to say, something that would always leave their relationship fragile.
"No." He replied.
"So you came to watch me?" Akane asked seriously with all her impatience gone, maybe Ranma would say something that would bring down the wall that divided them for so long. Ranma opened his mouth about to say something but closed it quickly when he realized he had nothing else to say.

Welcome to the planet
Welcome to existence
Everyone's here
Everyone's here
Everybody's watching you now
Everybody waits for you now
What happens next?
What happens next?

"Maybe you're watching me because..." Akane took a few steps toward him so she would be in arm reach. "Because you want to?" She asked. Ranma never felt so afraid in his life. He tried to mask the fear in his eyes that Akane has figured it out. Akane figured out his feelings for her. He never felt so compelled to place his own lips onto hers. He never felt his heart beat so fast. "So what is it Ranma? Do you want to-"
He had to silence her, he had to make her stop analyzing him. He had to place his lips on hers.

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened before

They pulled away quickly when they heard a twig break outside. Ranma quickly fled the dojo to leave Akane blushing and wondering what happened.
Ranma climbed up a tree and steadied his breathing. How could this happen to him? How could this happen now? Why was he so scared? What was he afraid of?
He avoided her for a few days and when he was forced in the same room, he was abnormally quiet that the rest of the house knew something happened but they were to afraid to ask. They assumed that their unstable relationship would deteriorate if they mentioned anything. So they were awkwardly silent outside of useless small talk. They had know clue that every second the strength of their relationship grew and the silence ignited the desire within. Akane stole quick glances at Ranma and didn't know how to react to this new situation but she recalled the kiss and decided to let Ranma work it out on his own and when he decided to approach her again.

Welcome to the fallout
Welcome to resistance
The tension is here
The tension is here
Between who you are and who you could be
Between how it is and how it should be

She was training again in the dojo but this time his presence was so heavy, or maybe she just knew when he was around. She turned around and he was so close to her but at the same time the look in his eyes kept him so far away. She shifted her weight uncomfortably, it changed so quickly and so fast that she lost all comfort that she once felt in Ranma but even then it was a slight comfort, she grew accustomed to him and now she didn't know how to handle herself near him.
Distant music from an outdoor party found it's way to the dojo. The heavy beat of a dance faded to a slow song and Ranma tried to say the rehearsed words he worked on all week to tell her. He was going to tell her that the kiss meant nothing and he was sorry it happened and maybe they could go back to the way things were. But he knew the kiss meant everything and he wasn't sorry it happened but he was afraid of what was going to happen now.

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened

Akane waited what seemed like an eternity for Ranma to do or say anything but he just stood there, so lost and she saw a flicker of fear in his eyes. Her heart melted in her chest and she knew at that moment what she did next would change their lives forever. She chose not to yell, insult, or hit him. Instead she reached for his hands slowly, to try not to startle him. She placed his hands on her hips and wrapped her own arms around his neck and pulled herself close. They are both so young and they still didn't know much about the world even though they try so hard to comprehend. They didn't know that these emotions they felt aren't new but lay dormant in their heart. Akane felt Ranma shift his weight from leg to leg, swaying slightly to the beat and Akane followed his movement while closing her eyes.

Maybe redemption has stories to tell
Maybe forgiveness is right where you fell
Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go?
Where you gonna go?
Salvation is here

Like a jolt of electricity, Ranma jumped back from Akane. Akane stared into his bewildered heart and felt tears in her eyes. She pitied Ranma for his reactions, for someone so strong he was really weak inside and probably more vulnerable than the others. He backed away quickly and Akane took this chance to throw her arms around him blindly. She felt to her knees but she held on tightly to his knees. Her left cheek rested on his knees and she sniffled softly but in the dojo it echoed. Ranma pulled back from her but Akane held on tightly with her eyes shut just as tight.
"Don't leave Ranma." She whispered.

I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself
Lift yourself up off the floor
I dare you to move
I dare you to move
Like today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened
Today never happened before

"I'm sorry." Once she heard his voice, she heard what lie beneath it. Her eyelids flew open and she stared at the floor. She released her hold on him and felt him move away from her.
"But I love you." The words came so naturally to her but nothing she could say would make Ranma understand.
"I know." She listened to the soft shuffling on his clothes as he left and she fully felt his presence was gone.

AN: This one is a little more dramatic than I wanted but I felt that if they kissed and lived happily ever it would be too simple. It's really hard for me to write just Ranma/Akane fiction because it's complex on a different level that it's too easy and can be so hard at the same time. I love this song so much because whenever I hear it I think of a first kiss or just a kiss in general and the stages before a kiss, it's just powerful to me.

cat Rina: Aww thanks! I don't worry to much about reviews. I bet the non-traditional couple fans won't like this one but I like Ranma/Akane. I hope you enjoy this one too! Thank you for your review.

Phantasty-Puppy: Yeah, on some level I can understand how people see that Ryoga and Ukyo are wrong for each other but I'd like to look at the fact that I don't believe that everyone should have someone but I think the Ryoga/Ukyo pairing can allow a lot of growth to happen to both at the same time. Thank you so much for reviewing.

Noroi: Oh yeah, I did make Ranma really harsh but I remembered the episode Ukyo's Skirt and he was impatient to her then so I was tapping into it to create some kind of pain in order for her to be brought to Ryoga. Thank you for reviewing.

ForgottenSmile: Thanks! I tried not to be too sweet and at the same time have substance. Thanks you for your review.