A/N: I dont do good titles. Or dialogue. Deal with it o.O

The Rain Falls Swiftly

Chapter 1--Animosity

"I love New Year's," Ranma happily exclaimed, biting into a pork bun, "Cotton candy and sweetmeats and pies…this just doesn't get any better!"

Akane watched him out of the corner of her eye, then tugged impatiently at her festive red and white kimono. "Ranma you dummy," she said to herself, "is food all you ever care about?"

Then she shook herself. It was the beginning of a new year, and tonight, at least, while they were at the fair, she should be enjoying herself. She watched as Ranma flittered around, sampling the food and laughing at the assorted booths, and sighed. This was supposed to be a day of food and fun, but she just couldn't bring herself to enjoy it, not when so much was on her mind.

Stupid Ranma. It'd been over a year since he arrived at the dojo, and it seemed to her as if nothing had changed between them. It never appeared to bother him, but Akane just couldn't pretend it didn't matter. She'd tried, a few times, to talk about it with him, but Ranma hadn't listened, and refused to understand.

Akane glanced at him furtively, hoping he'd notice her mood, but to no avail. She sighed again, and looked down at her sandals. This close. She was this close to giving up on him.

Her thoughts were interrupted suddenly as Ranma stuck a large drumstick in her face. 'Want?" he asked, grinning like a madman.

"No thanks Ranma."

"Aww c'mon Akane! What's the use coming if you're not gonna eat anything?"

Akane shrugged distantly. What –was- the point of coming?

"Wanna go on a ride then?"

"No thanks."

"Fine. Don't know why I bother putting up with an uncute tomboy like you anyways."

Akane's head shot up at that taunt, but she chose not to reply. What was the use? It wasn't as if would change anything.

Ranma's voice sounded uncertain for the first time. "Is there…uh…something wrong?" he asked worridly.

"No." she replied, sidestepping to avoid walking into a couple. "How do you figure that?"

"Oh, I dunno, its just that usually when I call ya 'uncute' or 'tomboy' you'dve whacked me clear into Yokohama by now." He shrugged and helped himself to a sample from a vendor's platter.

"What's the point? I'm sick of it, aren't you?"

Ranma shrugged again.

"Anyway," she continued, "its not if as it matters or anything."

"Ha!" he said triumphantly, "You finally got it! So there –is- some sense in that violent head of yours."

Akane tried to ignore that comment, biting back the stinging tears that came to her eyes. Why did his words always have to have that effect on her? Why couldn't she just disregard them?

"Ranma," she said, with a hint of her usual buoyancy, "here I am, trying to have a rational conversation with you, and all you can do is call me STUPID?"

"Basically, yeah." He replied coolly, "I mean, come on Akane, its not that I don't try to reason with you. You're just too violent and tomboyish. If Ukyou or Shampoo were here…"

Akane turned away so she wouldn't have to see him, and so that he wouldn't see her tears. She couldn't take it anymore; she just couldn't live like this, waiting for him to do something when he never would.

"Fine Ranma, I see where I stand now." She said softly.

Ranma's face fell. "Hey…Akane? C'mon, you know I was just kidding, don'cha?"

She apparently didn't hear him. "If Ukyou's so pretty and Shampoo's so smart , then why are you here with me? Go find them, I'm through." And so saying, she turned on her heel and ran off into the night, nearly knocking over a display of tropical fish.

Ranma stood, still clutching his half-eaten drumstick, stunned by what had just transpired. Finally, he shook himself and frowned.

"Stupid Akane," he muttered, "Why does she always have to take everything I say so seriously? Its not as if I meant any of it." He sighed.

"I should go get her. Pop'n Mr. Tendou'll kill me if I don't."

Suddenly, he was aware that he was attracting strange looks from passers by, and immediately turned a bright shade of crimson. "Stupid stupid stupid," he whispered, as he ran off in the direction Akane had disappeared.

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Akane ran as fast as she could, stumbling now and then, and nearly bowling over various couples out on midnight strolls, but she paid them no heed. She didn't know where she was going, but that hardly stopped her.

"Ranma you dummy," she said to herself under her breath, "Go find Ukyou or Shampoo. See if I care."

She'd put up long enough with his taunts, put up long enough with his

nonchalance; she just didn't want to care anymore. Didn't want to think, didn't want to have to go home and see him again. And so she ran. And ran.

And didn't see the dark figure standing in the road before her until it was too late.

"Oh!" She gasped, as she stepped back from the stranger whom she had run headlong into. "I-I didn't see you, sir. Are you okay?"

"Akane." the figure said, his voice low and husky.

Akane started; she recognized that voice. Suddenly she could see the figure clearly. Her breath caught in her throat. "Sh…Shinnosuke?"

Shinnosuke gave her a wry smile. "Akane," he said. "How've you been."

"I-I've been…I've been…good," she replied, still shocked by his sudden appearance. "And you?"

He snorted, and gave her a wry smile. "I wish I could remember."

She smiled back, and was suddenly aware that her face was still tearstained. Hurriedly, she tried to wipe them off with her sleeve while trying to appear as if she was merely surprised.

"Akane," Shinnosuke said, concern apparent in his features. "What's wrong? Why're you crying?"

"I…I'm just happy to see you again." She said, hoping that he didn't spot the lie.

He did, apparently, but didn't speak it. "Really?"

A nod.

"I'm glad to see you too."

Akane looked up into his face, having disposed of her tears as best she could. "Shinnosuke…why're you here?"

His features tensed suddenly, then gentled again as he spoke. "To find you, Akane."

"R-really?" Her face glowed.

"Really. There was something else, but I seem to have forgotten. It doesn't matter now anyways, not when I have you." He gathered her into his arms and squeezed. "I've missed you so much."

Akane let herself be embraced, trying to forget the happenings of that night. It wasn't right, she knew, to with him, but oh, how many times had she dreamed of being with Ranma like this? And now, it was never was going to happen. Bering here with Shinnosuke…it just felt so right. Could her feelings be wrong? She didn't think so.

Apparently, she was wrong.

"Akane!" someone called, his voice riddled with shock and anger.

She tensed, hoping she had heard wrong. It couldn't be him. Not now, not when he'd failed her so many times before. Why did he have to choose now, of all times, to come to her? Why? "Please," she pleaded silently, "Don't let it be him. Please don't let it be him"

She didn't know why she even bothered.

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Ranma hadn't known what to expect when he found Akane, but he sure hadn't expected this. There she was, his fiancé, the girl he had lived with for over a year, in the arms of another man. He felt a flicker of jealousy which was squashed immediately by the anger that arose in his chest, anger that he had to fight hard to contain.

"Shinnosuke." he growled, "Get away from her."

He watched as they separated slowly, watched as the expression on Akane's face changed from apprehension to fear.

Good. He wanted her to be afraid.

"R-Ranma!" Akane said, her voice desperate, "I…This isn't what it looks like!"

Ranma ignored her, directing his words instead at the man that stood with his arms still around her. "Get away from her," he spat again, "You're not welcome here."

Shinnosuke withdrew his arms from Akane and glared at the stranger. "I'm a lot more welcome here than you are, apparantly." he scoffed.

Ranma took a deep breath, trying to rein in his anger, before he lashed out; before he hurt someone. "I'll say it one more time. Get. Away. From. Her. NOW!"

"No. I'll not leave Akane, not unless she wishes it."

Ranma's eyes snapped to Akane, who was standing close to Shinnosuke. Her expression radiated fear, but he paid that no heed.

Akane opened her mouth to speak, but Shinnosuke interrupted her, taking her hand in his. "Akane." he said gently, with no trace of the anger that had been present him moments ago, "Stay."

Ranma bit down his anger savagly. "Akane," he said, "Lets go."

She hesitated only a moment before speaking. "Ranma," she replied, fixing him with an icy cold stare, "we weren't doing anything. You needen't be jealous.

He knew he shouldn't say it, knew that in saying it, he would only make things worse, but the words slipped from his mouth: "Jealous? Huh, who's jealous? Don't flatter yourself Akane, this ain't about you. It's about pride."

Ranma watched as his words took their toll on Akane, saw the smugness in her face vanish, only to be replaced by hurt and anger. And for the second time that night, Ranma cursed himself for causing that anguish, but it was too late to take it all back. "No backing down," he told himself, "Martial artists don't give in. Not to anything."

His silent meanderings were interrupted by Akane's shouts. "FINE!" She yelled into the night, each word that escaped her mouth like a poisoned dagger, "IF THAT'S WHAT I MEAN TO YOU, I GIVE UP! AS OF NOW, OUR ENGAGEMENT IS OVER!"

As of now, our engagement is over…

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The words repeated themselves again and again in Ranma's head as he lay on his 'bed', his snoring father beside him. Dimly, he was thankful for the snores. They took a little edge off his loneliness.

They had gone home separately that night. Akane had dragged a very confused Shinnosuke away, leaving Ranma alone on the streets. Alone and feeling like a fool. He'd wandered around, still dressed in his festive outfit, wanting to make sure everybody had gone to bed before returning. He didn't want to have to answer any questions.

"Baka baka baka," Ranma chanted softly to himself, "See if I care, Akane. If it weren't for Pop and Mr. Tendou I'd have broken the engagement a long time ago."

Really? A little voice in the back of his mind asked, doubtful, Would you have really?

"Yep."

Hmm, it mused, unbelieving, you don't care at all that she's not your fiancé anymore?

"Nope. We hate each other. 'S better for everyone this way."

Is it?

"Yes."

Even as he said it, Ranma could feel the lie eating away at his soul.

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"Akane..." Shinnosuke said gently as she dragged him into the soft glow of the streetlight. "Who was that guy?" His voice hardened, and his fists clenched. "Whoever it was, I'll kill him for hurting you. Don't worry Akane, I'll make him pay."

She shook her head at him, her eyes pleading. "Don't, Shinnosuke. Just…let this one go."

"Never. He made you cry. I cant forgive him for that."

"No, Shinnosuke, forget it. Please. For me."

His gaze softened, and he looked down lovingly into Akane's face. "He hurt you…and yet, you seek to protect him."

Akane nodded dumbly. She didn't know what else to say. There was no way to put into words what was swirling in her mind.

"Who is he?" Shinnosuke asked, and this time his voice held a trace of resentment.

"He was my fiancé," she said, and left it at that.

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Far away, a shadow shifted. It sat, waiting, watching, and brooding.

Something to the right of it rustled suddenly, and it turned what would be its head towards the sound. It smiled, almost fondly, at what had moved.

Soon, it said, half to itself, half to the something, Soon…

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A/N: Chapter too short? Send a review or email or something :)

Read, review, share, whatever. Constuctive criticism always welcomed.

Not putting the next chapter up until I get enough reviews. xP