Story Arc 1: "Byouki"
Part 2: Misunderstandings
Akane's eyes opened slowly as she took in her new surroundings. A cold cloth cooled her burning head, and her eyes were met by a familiar pair of concerned blue ones.
"Ranma?" she asked.
Ranma sighed a breath of relief. "Finally, you're awake. What's the big deal, worrying me like that?!" His voice was rising in anger, a safer emotion to show than his concern.
Akane rose to the bait. "I didn't plan on passing out, you know!"
"Now Ranma, let's not rile up our patient." Akane turned her head to see Dr. Tofu standing in the doorway.
"So what's the deal?" Ranma asked.
"Nothing too serious. Just a bad head cold. The only thing of concern was her high fever, but I've administered a fever suppressant, so it should go down within the hour." He looked sternly at Akane for a moment. "But I want you to get some bed rest, understood?" Akane nodded. Tofu turned to the side and gave Akane a wink. "Don't worry; you'll be up and about pounding Ranma in the head in no time." Akane blushed.
Dr. Tofu then turned to look at Ranma. "Take care of her, will you? She thinks she's as invincible as you are, and just as wrong as you in that regard." Ranma bristled but nodded. Dr. Tofu smiled and left the room.
"Feel well enough to go home?" Ranma asked.
Akane nodded, although inwardly she doubted her ability to stand firmly on two feet. She swung her legs off the bed and tried to stand. Again she swayed and Ranma caught her.
Without a moment's hesitation, he scooped her up into his arms.
"Ranma, what are you doing?" Akane protested, though not as strongly as she normally would have.
"Sheesh. Would ya just relax, Akane? You're in no shape to walk yourself."
Akane felt touched -- even hopeful -- from his uncharacteristic display of care. She was dizzy and feverish, and though she would never admit it, she was glad to accept his chivalry.
Outside the clinic, Akane spoke. Her voice was small and quiet, "Sorry about all the trouble I'm causing you…"
Ranma shrugged. "Don't worry about it. Besides, I uh, feel partly to blame and all, for this morning."
There was no reply. Ranma looked down to notice that Akane was asleep in his arms. Her pale complexion contrasted sharply with her fever blushed cheeks, but she was still the cute Akane he knew and… He shook his head, trying to rid himself of his thoughts.
Walking back from Tofu sensei's reminded him of the early days when they first met. Tofu wanted to prove to him that Akane really was a sweet kid beneath her tomboy exterior, so he had purposely hit a pressure point on Ranma, leaving the martial artist temporarily unable to use his legs. Akane instantly offered to carry Ranma back home, without complaint. He had protested, claiming it would be too embarrassing for a boy to be carried by a girl. She simply splashed him with cold water and proceeded to carry him home anyway. She never once complained.
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Ranma took off his shoes, dispensing with the formality of calling "tadaima" as he entered so as not to wake his sleeping bundle.
He was surprised to find the house oddly quiet and inactive, until he remembered the morning's breakfast conversation. Kasumi was leaving for the weekend to attend a friend's wedding in Kyoto, leaving the household without a cook. Knowing full well that Akane would volunteer, Soun and Genma had entered an out-of-town Gon tournament in advance. Even Nabiki made sure to find some excuse to leave the house, teasing Ranma and Akane with comments such as "I should leave you two lovebirds alone, neh?"
"Well, there's one blessing out of the events from today," he thought guiltily to himself, "Akane won't be feeling well enough to cook!"
Ranma walked into Akane's room and gently tucked the girl into bed. She barely stirred as he set her down.
Ranma left her room, the door making a soft click behind him. The noise seemed unnaturally loud to his ears in the quiet residence. He had become accustomed to the sounds of the Tendo house that was now his home. The smell of Kasumi's cooking, the light arguments their fathers had over a game of Gon or Shogi, the shutter click of Nabiki's profit mongering camera shots –- all were gone, leaving the house empty and hollow. Now, even Nodoka was out of the house. Ranma's mother had moved back into her repaired home a week ago, but it had been agreed that Ranma was best off remaining in the Tendo household so he could learn to get along with his iinazuke.
Feeling restless in the unnatural quiet, Ranma went to the dojo to let loose some energy, and afterwards took a bath. For once, he didn't have to worry about walking in on Akane.
'You'd think I could stop thinking about that tomboy for one second…' he thought to himself. Deep inside he knew the real reason why he kept thinking about her, and it terrified him in a way far different than cats.
Pushing aside such thoughts, he decided to check on her. 'Just as a friend…' he kept telling himself, although his heart knew better.
The rain had resumed, preventing his usual method of checking on Akane through the window. Not wanting to wake her if she was still asleep, he tentatively poked his head through the door. The floor boards creaked, betraying his presence. Akane, although normally a sound sleeper, awoke at the sound. She opened her eyes and turned to look at Ranma.
"You can come in, you know," she offered.
Ranma entered the room and pulled Akane's desk chair over to the side of her bed.
Ranma felt sheepish. "Uh, did I wake you?"
Akane shook her head. "Not really. I was half awake when I heard the door creak."
Ranma, who still felt sheepish but not as much, replied with an "Oh."
The room grew quiet until Ranma gained the courage to speak. "So, how're ya feeling?" He looked her over carefully with his eyes. Her coloring was back to normal, and she had fully sat up to greet him.
Akane smiled warmly at him, (the second time that day!). "Much better. I'm no longer freezing."
Instinctively, Ranma leaned over and placed his hand on her forehead to check her temperature.
Akane was surprised by his tender behavior and sudden closeness. She blushed and her heart began racing.
The light scent of Akane's lavender shampoo filled his senses. Ranma realized they were only inches apart as he leaned over her. His cheeks flushed and he jumped back as if scalded, his heart thudded loudly in his chest.
"Uhm you, uh, don't have a fever anymore, Akane." He stammered as he sat back down.
Akane nodded, her heart pounding equally as hard.
Ranma looked like he wanted to bolt from the chair and flee. An awkward silence stretched in the room. Akane did not want to lose the tender moment. There was no family around to pressure or black-mail them, no fiancées hanging over him -- if she didn't act soon a monster, demon or magical prince would charge in to ruin the day, as usual.
She smiled mischievously at him. "Want to play?" she asked.
"Huh?" he responded, clueless.
Akane waved a hand to point at one of her shelves.
Ranma followed her gesture. "I've uh, never actually played that before."
Akane grinned mischievously. "It wouldn't be fair to play you then. Even after I'd teach you, you couldn't beat me."
Ranma smiled in turn. He knew full well that his fiancée was baiting him. "Is that a challenge?" he asked.
"You bet!"
Intense battle raged between red and black as Ranma and Akane played checkers. Ranma lost the first four games in a row, growing more and more frustrated. By the fifth game, with some coaching by Akane, Ranma was finally learning the subtle strategies required and was holding his own.
In the end, Akane still won, but it was a close match. Ranma felt slightly ticked that he didn't win, but he was determined to change that. "Heh. Just you wait. Next time, I'll be the one winning!"
"Oh yeah?" Akane goaded.
"Yeah!"
Akane laughed. Ranma's stomach growled loudly, interrupting the debate.
Ranma had his hand behind his head in his usual bashful gesture. "So, guess we should eat, huh?"
Akane nodded and started to rise out of the bed.
"Where do you think you're going?" Ranma asked, acutely aware that Akane should stay and rest.
"Well, with Kasumi gone, I'll just have to cook."
"NO!!!" Ranma shouted in panic, a little too quickly and emphatically. Akane gave him a death glare, knowing the cracks on her cooking were about to come. Ranma saw her fists clench in preparation.
"I mean, you haven't been feeling well. What kinda guy lets a sick girl cook for him?" Ranma back-pedaled as fast as he could. And eating your cooking will make us all deathly ill, he thought to himself.
Akane took a deep breath and calmed down. She knew better than to buy into his explanation, but she decided to be satisfied that he had not directly insulted her culinary efforts.
"I'll just order some take-out," Ranma offered.
Akane looked a little worried at that remark. "With what money? We're both broke –- and in debt."
Ranma's face faulted. She was right. Nabiki's last photo-blackmail had left them without a yen to their name.
Ranma knew his next few words would put him on treacherous ground, but he was a Saotome -- and matters of the stomach often came before common sense. "Well, I could call Ucchan…" he offered.
Akane did not look happy at that suggestion, and glared at Ranma.
"…or not." Ranma continued.
He thought some more. "Or Shampoo…"
That brought Akane's temper out fully. "After what she did today?!"
Ranma felt trapped in a no-win situation. "You gotta point, but we still need to eat, Akane."
Akane sighed. "I don't want to deal with them in my house …," -- 'disgracefully throwing themselves at Ranma, no less' she thought to herself.
Ranma's stomach growled again.
Akane sighed, feeling torn. "Go into town and eat, Ranma. Just don't make me any worse of a laughing stock, okay?"
Ranma felt confused. "Huh? What? Why would I?"
Akane shook her head, sadly not that surprised she had to spell it out for Ranma. "People in town are already saying you left me at the altar, among other insulting things. I don't want to hear how you gladly leave me to run into the arms of other girls. I have a limit on how much public humiliation I can take, you know!"
Ranma stuttered a reply, "But, you know it's not like that, that it wasn't like that, right?"
Akane's eyes were downcast as she stared intently at a stitch on her comforter, avoiding Ranma's face. "Maybe. But it doesn't change the stupid rumors and taunts I get. And then you never do anything but encourage them…"
Watching Akane avoid his face, her expression a cloud of gloom, deeply unsettled him. "Hey, look at me, will ya?"
Akane refused and turned her face further away from him. She didn't want him to see the tears burning her eyes. Didn't he understand how insulting it was whenever he ran off to see his other fiancées? Didn't he realize how much she cared for him at this point? But he had denied it at the failed wedding, and if he knew how she felt, he'd never stop making fun of her. "Go get your free food already!" she shouted, wanting him to leave and stay at the same time.
Ranma felt frustrated and confused. "FINE!" he shouted back and slammed the door on his way out.
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A/N: Please REVIEW. This is my 1st Ranma fanfic! I'll even happy to get negative comments! :-)