If I hurt you, but don't mean it, does that still count?
He tried to laugh and found himself failing.
"What do you mean, you let me go?"
She wouldn't look at him, refused to look at him, and his hand went to cover the sharp pain in his chest. "Akane."
He tried to reach for her, but couldn't move.
"Akane."
She looked up, but wouldn't meet his gaze. She stood no more than a foot away, and yet...and yet she looked so out of reach, with crystal tears running down her face. Did I put those there, he thought dully.
I never really mean to...
"Akane...what do you mean you let me go?"
"Ranma. You're free. You don't have to marry me anymore. I break the engagement."
Her voice sounded so tired. He shook his head no, surprising them both.
"Akane..." his voice broke, shaming him. She wouldn't meet his eyes, wouldn't even look up from the floor. A nameless emotion throbbed in his chest, one that Ranma didn't know how to decipher. Wouldn't decipher. Like crutches, his pride came to save him from devastation.
"You...you stupid tomboy. You let me go? I was never yours to give up! You think that I would marry you? You actually think that I would marry the un-cute, macho fiancée?"
He laughed. It sounded empty. Hollow. Lifeless.
She met his eyes then. She looked up, and he stepped back involuntarily at the look in her eyes. Where was the fiery tomboy that he knew and... knew? Her golden brown eyes were dry, but they held an emotion that Ranma had never seen in them before.
Defeat. She looked defeated.
One of the crew members cleared his throat nervously, startling Ranma out of his stupor. He had forgotten that they were not alone.
"Akane..." What could he say? What was there to say?
She laughed, shaking her head slightly before turning away. The bitter sound sent shivers down Ranma's spine. What was happening? He insulted her, she hit him, that was the way things were. That was the way they always have been. It was something that he had come to count on.
So what was different?
She hesitated, her body shaking slightly before she took a deep breath. Ranma felt his lips start to curl up. Maybe she would hit him after all. Maybe she was just gathering her energy...
Maybe she still can forgive me...
She looked back, smiling softly before gently taking his hand. Ranma cursed himself as he blushed, his heart accelerating against his will as she aimed her smile on him.
Brushing a stray strand of hair away from his forehead, she continued to smile as she looked at his puzzled face. Something inside had crumbled, something had always given way when he said such things, but she did not care. If she felt empty, wasn't it better that way?
If I feel empty, at least that means that I can start over...
"Ranma."
He looked at her, trying to find something. She nearly laughed. He was trying to find something that she couldn't even find herself. Answers.
"Ranma, I know that you don't love me. Wait-" she held up a hand before he could say anything in response. "Let me finish, please. I know that you don't love me. So I set you free, Ranma. I let you go."
She turned away from him quickly, not trusting herself. Tears welled in her eyes quickly, and she ran blindly from the studio.
He didn't call her back. Somehow, in his heart, he knew that nothing he could say could fix what had just been broken.
Akane stepped out into the unforgiving sun, tears blinding her vision as she let the heavy door slam shut behind her. Not trusting her unsteady legs to carry her very far, she leaned against the cold wall and sobbed into her hands.
"What else was I to do?" she asked no one. "I can't live forever this way. I just can't!"
No one answered her.
Her breathing erratic and harsh, she let out a small cry and kicked a stray soda can with all of her strength.
A gasp was ripped from her as her ears caught the sharp yelp that followed as aluminum connected with flesh. Akane wiped her eyes furiously, jogging over to the prone form. As she crouched down beside the boy, spouting apologies, he raised groggy eyes to search her face.
"Akane...? Why are you crying?"
She smiled quietly, offering a hand to help him up. Oblivious to the door opening behind her, Akane fussed over the cut in his head, unaware of the silent tears that trailed down her cheeks. "Oh, Ryoga, it's a long story. Come on, let's get that cut looked at."
As the two walked away, a pair of blue eyes followed their every move. Ranma let the door shut soundlessly behind him, and leaned against the cool stone of the wall.
"What's going to happen, Akane?" he asked her back quietly. "What's going to change?"
She didn't answer him.
He sighed raggedly, watched until he couldn't see her anymore. And put his face in his hands.
If I were to move on, would you let me?