Would you listen to me if I told you I cared?

...Or is it too late for the truth?

"Is it true? Did Ranma and Akane really break up?"

The student body was abuzz with rumors.

"What happened?"

"Who ended it?"

"I always thought that she hit him a little too much..."

"It's about time she dumped his butt..."

And the inevitable question...

"Does that mean that Akane's free?"

Ranma's head jerked up, his eyes lit with barely contained fury. Damn it, no one was holding Akane like the stupid gaijin pretty boy had yesterday. He'd kill them. She was...

She wasn't his anymore.

His eyes dimmed, but he bristled. "Feh. It isn't like she was mine to begin with anyway," he muttered.

"What was that, Ranma?" Akane hummed lightly as they walked home from school. "I wasn't listening."

He blanched. What the heck was he supposed to tell her? "I..I was saying that I was hungry."

She laughed lightly and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Trust you. I'm not really hungry. Why don't you go to Ukyo's or the Nekohaten and I'll see you at the house later?"

But we always go together.

"Fine...okay. Later."

She smiled and turned in a different direction. Ranma felt something inside of him clench as he watched her go.

"Wait!"

She turned, her face expectant. "Yes, Ranma?"

"I...do you want me to bring something home?" Ranma asked hesitantly. "I mean, since Kasumi might be out, and I don't want anyone dying because of your cooking or nothin'. Because it's bad. Or..." His voice trailed off, pathetic.

There was a silence, marked only by his waiting intake of breath.

She was going to hit him now. He could feel it. And then everything would be fine again.

Akane smiled but the light didn't quite seem to reach her eyes. "Have fun."

"Yeah...fun..." Ranma watched her walk away. His own words sounded in his mind, mocking.

Everything would be fine again.

"Akane?" Ranma called her name as he entered the house. He had lost his appetite after they had parted, and he decided against going to either Ucchan or Shampoo's place. He had just walked around, trying to clear his head. "Akane!"

"Well, well, well," Nabiki drawled from the corner, a predatory light shining in her narrowed eyes. "If it isn't Ranma."

He backed away slowly, not quite trusting the look she sent him. "H-hi, Nabiki..."

She bared him her teeth in reply. "You bellowed?"

"Oh, heh," Ranma chuckled nervously and placed his hand behind his head. "I..I guess I'm looking for Akane."

"She's not here." Nabiki sent him a disgusted glance as she brushed past him. "She went out."

"What? Where!"

"Out."

"Nabiki, answer me!" Ranma grasped her arm, a scowl on his face. "It's late, I've had a weird day, and I'm not in the mood for one of your games."

Her laughter was surprising, and he loosened his grip in his shock. "You know what? That's funny, coming from you. Akane went out. Considering that she finally found the guts to admit that she's had enough of you and your harem, I don't think that its really any of your business where or with who she's with right now."

"What do you mean with who?"

Nabiki only shrugged. "Oops."

"Nabiki, with who?"

She turned and started to walk away. "It doesn't matter, really."

Ranma gripped the Tendo girl's arm and whirled her around. "Damn it, Nabiki, with who!"

The older girl smiled slowly, and it was sharp enough to kill. "What do you care, Ranma? She's not your fiancee anymore, remember?"

Ranma snarled and forced himself to remember that he didn't hit girls. "Nabiki– "

Kasumi walked by, a slight frown on her face as she turned to face the boy. "She went out, Ranma." Her soft eyes darkened with disapproval. "Ryoga came by and took her out for a walk. They left about an hour ago. Akane had said that you were getting lunch somewhere else. Either Shampoo's or Ukyo's."

Nabiki smirked and turned away.

Ranma turned to Kasumi for a kinder visage, but was met only by her disappointed face.

"Good night, Ranma," she murmured.

And then she walked away, leaving Ranma with a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Tadaima!" Akane blew her hair out of her eyes as she bent down to remove her shoes. The house was dark and silent, and the girl fought down a shiver of apprehension.

Everyone must be out.

Which meant no Ranma. Akane sighed in relief.

"Oi."

Akane shrieked, whirling around to face the glaring boy. He sat, long legs sprawled out in front of him, blue eyes hard.

"Oh, hi, Ranma," she giggled nervously. His face darkened considerably. Her heartbeat sped up even as her mind screamed for her feet to move faster towards the stairs.

Run, Akane-chan! Run for it and never look back!

"Akane."

"Fancy that you're still up." Her voice was breathy.

He stiffened, and she winced. "Do you know what time it is?" His voice was smooth and low. She didn't trust the timbre.

"Uhm, no?" She let out a nervous giggle. "Time for a bath? I'm really sweaty; it is so hot out there–"

"Damn it, Akane, it's midnight!" Ranma leapt up from the couch, his eyes blazing. He jabbed an accusing finger in the shorter girl's face. "Where the hell were you?"

"Oh, I must have lost track of the time," she murmured, shaking her watch next to her ear. "I should go to the mall and get the batteries--"

"AKANE!"

"Ranma, I'm home. I'm fine. I wasn't mugged. I don't see how--"

"Akane! Answer me, damn it! Where were you?"

She bristled in annoyance, her eyes snapping. But her words were low and even. "Why do you care?"

"I DON'T!" he bellowed. "WHERE WERE YOU?"

Her hands itched for her mallet, but she suddenly realized that she was too tired to argue. "I was out."

Ranma could feel his jaw clench. He worked to keep the strain out of his voice. "With who?"

She answered his belligerence with softness. "Ryoga-kun."

So Nabiki had been telling the truth. Ranma muttered a soft oath as he felt his hands curl into shaking fists.

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you go with him?"

Well, Akane mused, this night was full of surprises. "He asked me."

"Did you," Ranma swallowed hard. "Did you tell him?"

Akane was too drained to bother pretending like she misunderstood. "No. No, I didn't tell him that I had broken our engagement. We spoke of other things."

Ranma fell back onto the couch. Akane watched him, her eyes somber.

"What would it matter?" she whispered. The sound echoed in the silence.

"I– It doesn't matter," Ranma retorted. "It's not like I care or nothin'."

Akane nodded and turned away, running a pale hand through her hair.

"Why...why didn't you say anything after school?" Ranma murmured. "When I made fun of your cooking. Why didn't you do anything?"

Akane turned around in sheer amazement. She felt the insane urge to laugh. Or cry.

"You're asking me why I didn't hit you?"

Ranma shrugged self-consciously. "It's not like I'm worried or nothin'. I mean, I just want to know how long I can celebrate. Or whatever."

She started up the stairs to her room, trailing a small hand on the smooth wood of the stair railing. "Ranma, don't worry."

"I wasn't."

She lifted an eyebrow at his sullen tone, but didn't turn. "I meant what I said. You don't have to marry me. You don't have to pretend. Not anymore."

"Yeah..." Ranma whispered, his eyes sad as he watched the girl walk away. For some odd reason, he felt as if he were losing something.

"Yeah," he repeated, sinking further into the couch cushion. "Yeah, not anymore."

Author's Note

Hey, guys! Wow, its been a while since I've updated any of my other fics. I've been so preoccupied with I'll Give You Forever that I've nearly forgotten about everything else! Not to worry, though. The next chapter of Forever is going to be long-- I'm nearly done with it now. And then I'm moving onto Black Heart.

And trust me, I won't let Ranma flounder in his misery for long! Well...maybe for a little while longer...'tis good for the soul, you know. wink

Next chapter: Ryoga finally figures out the big picture. Time for some action!

Until next time!