It used to be so easy then,
We didn't hold back anything.
Love was always sure to win,
Or so we both kept promising.
But how were we to know,
Once time had it's say,
That we would come this close,
To losing our way?
--"Where Do We Go From Here?" by Michelle Wright
She had prepared it, taking three hours, and now she was staring at him. He was sitting up and grinning cheerfully, lighting up as she entered the room. She thought Ranma was asleep, staring at him peacefully lying down. She would've kept staring, if Shinosuke hadn't spoken.
"Is that breakfast, Akane?" He asked eagerly, rumpled hair flouncing about his head. Akane laughed at the strays, and nodded.
Ranma's eyes opened at the sound of her laugh, and then shut just as quickly. If they thought he was asleep he could listen to how they talked when he was not present to "liven up" the conversation.
"I tried earlier, but you supposedly wouldn't have anything else," Akane said, not breaking her huge smile, "It's a simple soup, I know, but I've been working on perfecting it forever. If I work on one thing at a time, I think I can manage to make them edible!"
"You're so pretty when you smile," Shinosuke sighed, sitting patiently for his food.
Akane nearly dropped the tray.
The sun was let in and his healthy glow was effervescent. He was actually quite handsome in the light of the new day; his hair was unruly, but it suited him, and that smile of his was nice, especially without the hint of sarcasm she was used to.
"You're pretty when you don't smile too," Shinosuke blushed, "I think the medicine I've been taking won't let me shut my big mouth."
Akane laughed, at a loss of words.
It was warm in the room, she barely noticed the body she stepped over to kneel down where Shinosuke sat, subconsciously rubbing his leg. There was a cast atop it, but he absentmindedly went on.
"I hope you like it," Akane said nervously, "I brought up a first aid kit, just in case."
Akane nodded toward her waist where the fanny pack with a big red cross in the centre sat, quite snugly.
"I'm sure I will," Shinosuke said intensely.
Akane nodded, seemingly in a dream.
She laid down the tray, and waited for him to dig in. He smiled, lifted the spoon, and eagerly dug into the soup, stuffing it in his mouth.
His face froze. Ranma smirked, laughing underneath the blankets he had sneakily pulled over his head, staring through the tiny hole he had made.
"Akane . . ." Shinosuke whispered.
Akane replied alarmed, "Yes?"
'Please don't knock him out! Please don't knock him out!' She thought, pleaded.
"It's . . . brilliant!" He cried, happily gobbling down the rest.
They both heard a loud "Ack," but were too engrossed to really notice.
Akane sat absolutely still, "What? I didn't use any water of Life, though."
"You don't need anything special, it's excellent," he held out his empty bowl, "Can I have some more please?"
Akane nodded and, placing the bowl on the tray, she slowly stood, walking to the door, "Wow," she muttered to her self, "I guess I'm getting good."
As she walked out of the room, Ranma dared peek his head out of his blankets, staring daggers at the boy across from him.
He had decided: Shinosuke was a witch. He had to be; to withstand that was a feat not many could boast.
Shinosuke sighed and heaved out his hand, clonking Ranma in the head, dropping the blankets he hid under.
"I am a martial artist. Do you really think I didn't know you were watching," he asked, too softly to be truly healthy.
Ranma grunted, sitting cross legged and glaring madly, "Liar."
Shinosuke looked at him, totally outraged, "I am a martial artist! Fight me right now, broken or not, you are still weak!"
Ranma rolled his eyes in that way people do when they know more than you currently do, "I was talkin' 'bout the food," Ranma looked him in the eye darkly, "and don't call me weak."
Shinosuke eyed him back, "Akane's cooking is delicious."
Ranma laughed, "Yeah, and I'm on a diet; only carrots and crackers for me."
"Sarcasm is the lowest form of-"
"Don't lie to Akane!" Ranma pointed a finger at him, cutting him off.
Shinosuke stared at his casted extremity, then backto Ranma, "I'll be out of here by tomorrow, or the next day."
"Promise?" Ranma asked sweetly.
He smiled.
Ranma didn't know why, but it frightened him.
"Oh yes," Shinosuke said, "all your problems will be out the door, in a sleep or two."
Ranma nodded, "They'd better."
Akane had been very tired today. Shinosuke had asked for another bowl, after the second, making her feel very confident with herself. Ranma had been brooding in the corner while she was in the room, and it unsettled her. She didn't stay in the room, trusting Shinosuke would fall asleep again soon after.
She laid her head down and sighed, snuggling up under her blankets. She wanted Shinosuke to be better, but she had more reasons then she would have guessed. Obviously, she wanted him to feel better, but it was a bit unsettling to watch Ranma having to share his room, and they hadn't talked since theirchat in the kitchen.
She knew what it was; she was tired. Tired of the whole routine. She didn't mind the teasing, in an odd way, she liked it; when it was harmless, but these days she had yearned for something more. Ranma didn't seem the least bit sad after the failed wedding, and she wondered if maybe it really was because he didn't care. She hadn't let herself believe that before, but wanted to come clean now.
She yawned and moved to her side; catching a glimpse of her door, and the shadow hounding it.
"Ranma?" She asked curiously, a bit frightened, but it not being the first time seeing his shadow, she calmed. She had never said anything to his shadow before, but it was time for a change.
He was obviously startled and stood frozen, caught, "Uhh, yeah?"
"What are you doing?" Akane asked, whispering.
"Getting a glass of water," Ranma told her, sounding a bit rehearsed.
"In my room?"
". . . yes," he said weakly.
"Then at least come in and talk for a second. I'm fresh out of water at the moment," she looked at his proceeding figure wryly, "but we can at least have a chat."
"Okay," he resided, sitting on the ground next to her bed, cross-legged.
He had edged his way over, fighting a battle with his nerves.
"So," Akane whispered, not planning anything after asking him over, "how are things?"
"Good," Ranma whispered back, "and you?"
"Fine," Akane said politely, listening to her self she sighed, too tired to play their complicated game, "I actually can't get to sleep."
Ranma, pouncing at a real conversation, decided to let down his guard,"How can I help?"
"I don't know . . ."
"Well, what do you do when P-Chan can't sleep," the anger that usually came up with P-Chan had dissipated; Ranma was too busy focusing on the problem at hand.
"I read him a story sometimes," Akane offered.
"Okay . . . got any books?"
She shook her head, letting the blankets fall a little.
Ranma nodded, "Alright, then I'll make one up," he told her nobly.
Akane laughed, "Really?"
"Sure, why not?" Ranma asked defensively, "I bet I rock at storytelling!"
She nodded her head for him to continue.
"Alright, long ago, in a far off land, there was this girl named uh . . ." Ranma trailed off.
"Akane?"
"Sure! Yeah, named Akane, and she was the prettiest girl in the land," Ranma blurted gleefully.
Akane put a finger to her lips to signal for him to keep it down.
"In the book that is," Ranma covered.
Akane rolled her eyes, "Of course."
"Anyway," Ranma went on, "she was picking bluebells in her favorite field."
"She had a favorite field?" She asked skeptically.
"She was a weirdo, okay? It was all the rage back then."
"Okay, her and her field, go on."
"So, she was walking through, picking the prettiest bluebells she had ever seen, when a boy came along," Ranma looked to Akane nervously, "a boy who was definitely not her fiancé. This boy's name was . . . "
"Ranma?"
"Sure," he agreed, taking her suggestion eagerly, "your story."
"They started talkin' and laughin' about the beautiful field and how it was . . . cool, when this big blue monster came, and attacked them with these claws made of brushes."
"Is this going to be all action?" Akane asked.
Ranma didn't know what to say, "Do you want it to be?"
"I dunno, I suppose not; it's supposed to make me fall asleep."
"Right," Ranma nodded, "and the big monster suddenly disappeared in a puff of orange smoke, leaving the two . . . friends to talk."
"About what?" She asked.
"About stuff, and junk," Ranma guessed.
"Ah! Very in depth conversation," She commented.
"Only the best for this princess," Ranma winked.
Something inside Akane jumped.
A few seconds of silence later they heard a creaking in the hallway and both heads flipped to the door. Akane looked down to grab her blankets, and pull them up again. She looked down to where he had been, but the room was silent; the sound of his breath had disappeared, along with him. She looked around her room, but he was gone. She sighed again and let herself fall asleep, comforted by her sort-of fairytale.
Akane woke briskly to the sound of a loud shriek. She could recognize it anywhere. It was distinct, it was Ranma.
She walked downstairs slowly, cautiously, to see Ranma on the floor staring up at a standing Shinosuke.
Shinosuke looked to Akane and then to Ranma, "Sorry for scaring you, buddy," he smiled, "I'll be outta your hair today though, so it'll all even out."
"You're going today Shinosuke?" Akane gasped. She had been expecting at least another couple of days with him here, but his leg had been rejuvenating faster than ever.
"Yes, Akane," he moved towards her, and she thought she heard Ranma growl, "and I'd like to talk with you," he turned to Ranma and then back to her, "alone if that could be arranged."
"Nobody gets to be alone in this town," Ranma told him, "believe me."
Akane laughed, Shinosuke scowled, and Ranma smirked.
Shinosuke continued, "Well, then maybe I'll just ask you here."
Akane nodded carefully, "Go on."
Ranma sat up sharply, and eyed Shinosuke warily. He looked like he could jump up for a fight in half a second.
"Well, I know I'm ready for a tear jerkin' moment; go on," Ranma coaxed.
Shinosuke scowled, along with Akane.
"Ranma, get out!" She instructed angrily, "this isn't about you!"
He stood angry, "Fine, see if I care about a dumb tomboy like you, or a stupid forgeter like you," Ranma pointed to Shinosuke, "have fun, lovebirds."
"Ranma!"
"Oh we will," Shinosuke said, grinning.
Akane and Ranma's faces went red.
Ranma left the room, eyes wide and mouth shut, fuming. Of course, he turned directly after entering the hall to listen to their conversation, but the whole time he was walking, he felt so angry he could faint.
"Well, now that the entertainment's gone,"he quipped.
Akane rolled her eyes, "I don't know who would hire him."
Shinosukelaughed, but stopped suddenly. Ranma seemed to do everything suddenly; Akane shot her mind back to the moment.
"Akane," he looked into her eyes, smiling kindly.
She had to smile back; he could be so attractive sometimes.
"Yes," she said back, starry-eyed.
He clasped her hands; he seemed to like to do that.
"Akane, I'm feeling better, and it's all thanks to you!" He told her genuinely, honestly; something she wasn't used to.
"It wasn't anything to do with me," she told him kindly, "really; it was all you."
Shinosuke shook his head, "If it wasn't for you, I never would have been able to get better! The last times too, remember that?"
Akane nodded fondly, "It was fun going off, and helping out."
Shinosuke smiled, "You liked getting away right?" He asked her, almost stating it.
Akane nodded again, "Of course! It was so nice to go off from this for a while, a little vacation. It was fun having a break, being my own person."
"And the company?" He looked so fragile.
"Very acceptable," Akane smirked.
Shinosuke sighed deeply and got ready for what was coming next, "Akane," he paused, "will you come with me?"
Akane iced over, "W-w-w-w-what?"
"Come with me to find grandfather, I don't know where he could be!" Shinosuke whimpered.
Akane's knees buckled. He was on the brink of tears, "How long would we be gone for?"
Shinosuke shrugged, "I have no clue; a month, a year, maybe forever."
Akane nodded, "I think maybe I'll need some time."
Shinosuke nodded, "Of course, but I'll be leaving early ina morning or two; at about five, maybe."
"So," she said, "I'll get back to you on that," Akane nodded, walking out of the room airily.
She kept quite quiet and calm, walking up the stairs like a robot. She was so lost in thought she didn't notice the figure by the door, passed out with his eyes open, stunned beyond belief.
Out of all the things he had been expecting, he had not been expecting that. Ranma stared forward blankly, listening to Shinosuke rustle about in the room next to him; his arch enemy apparent through a thin skin of wall. He knew what he wanted to do; he wanted to kill him, gut him, and make sure she couldn't leave. Except he could not move, he was in a supreme state of shock.
He didn't think it would happen so fast, he had always expected drastic events like this to happen tomorrow, never today. He was an on the spot thinker, he had to remember that. What kind of martial artist could not get up after hearing a simple conversation?
'Now,' he instructed himself, 'get up!'
And he did; he walked up the stairs to his room, pushing the door open, twisting the heavy knob. He collapsed on his bed and fell asleep.
Akane sat quietly in her room. She had her hands folded neatly in her lap, quite politely, and stood with her back poker straight. She stared ahead; afraid to look any where else, afraid to speak, or move. Something inside her was contemplating what she should do, what she should say.
She didn't expect this today, it didn't seem right. She wished it could happen tomorrow, or the next day; any day but the one she was currently occupying.
There were pros and cons to going. She wanted to help find Shinosuke's grandfather, but the chance of coming back, after such a journey was supposed to be slim, how long would it take? She had to think of her options: what was holding her back?
Well, obviously her family, but she would be going to college soon anyway, she had been preparing herself for that. School was out for summer, she had one year left. She could be back in a year, but would things be the same?
She knew what was in the back of her mind, creeping out to prod her every so often. She needed to think of her priority: Ranma. Did he love her? Could he ever? Could she risk his feeling something for her for a chance with someone who readily admitted his feelings, and wanted her help?
Akane sighed, and felt herself fall on her side, passing out as she hit the pillow, knees still kicked over the bed.
Shinosuke walked by then, staring worriedly into her room. He wondered if it was too soon, if he had asked at the wrong time. It was a bit like a strategy, a way of choosing the best time for the best answer.
He turned and kept walking, opening the door to his shared room. He stared at the two shadows, one a lot larger than the other, taking up the room. He managed to lie down before falling into a trouble sleep, not far off from the other young sleepers'.
Ranma, hearing the noise, turned over to his other side, into another dream.
In this one Akane was dressed in olive shorts and a pale pink shirt, her hair was tucked behind her ears, as much as it could be. She was looking at him in a way he could not describe as anything but meaningful. She smiled slightly and turned her big brown eyes at his big blue ones. He didn't know what to say, or what to do. He stuck out his hand. She fell at this, more like stumbled, but he did not try to catch her. She recovered almost immediately and wiped her eyes, tears falling and soaking the grass. He just noticed they were outside, in a grassy field, with bluebells everywhere. They crept up around his legs and made sure none were stepped on. They didn't have to worry though, no one was moving. Ranma's hand was still out. Akane bowed her head and jerked out her hand, not looking at him anymore, staring forcefully at the ground, shaking his hand automatically. She pulled away; he wanted to pull her in. She turned crisply and walked in the other direction, away from him. He tried to move, tried to scream for her return, but to no avail; she was almost out of sight. She kept going, but he couldn't say it, he just couldn't say it.
Ranma shot up, breathing heavily, sweat hot on his face. Taking a few seconds to shake it off, he turned on his other side, trying to get some sleep, not able to close his eyes. He stared at the wall: dark, tired, and gloomy; exactly how he felt.
Next to him, Genma dreamed of chocolate and cakes. Chewing happily on his pillow, mistaking it, in his subconscious, as a delicious turnover cake.
Breakfast was grueling. Ranma sat next to Akane, who stared blankly ahead the whole time. Shinosuke sat on the other side, right across from Ranma. He sat quietly and ate. Ranma put on his cleanest outfit and his proudest smirk, trying for all he was worth, to hide what might slip through his shield.
The rest of the household stared in awe at the couple, and the new guest. Soun was the first to speak.
"So, you'll be leaving tomorrow then?" He addressed Shinosuke warmly.
Shinosuke nodded, "Heedless of anything else, I will be leaving tomorrow morning, probably before you wake."
"Then we must say our goodbyes tonight, in the form of a party!" Soun proclaimed gleefully.
Genma nodded in anticipation, "It'll be fun. Sorry to see you go though, yer a fine martial artist, I've heard."
Shinosuke looked up, surprised, "From who?"
Genma looked back, "Ranma, of course. He might be full of himself, but he knows good competition when he sees it."
Ranma hacked on his rice, pounding the coughs out of his chest.
"Thanks Kasumi," he muttered.
He got up and walked out of the room, his eyes never leaving the floor.
Akane sighed; she needed to talk to him. First though, she needed to talk to the rest of them.
She coughed loudly to silence everyone. Nabiki looked to her knowingly; Akane always wondered how she knew every single thing about the house. Everyone turned to her, stared, waited. She smiled weakly and continued.
"I've been given a proposition," she told them, voice barely shaking, she could do this, "what I do doesn't depend on you all, I would just like to know what you think. And dad," she pointed to Soun, who was starting to tear up, "I love you but don't try guilting me into a different choice."
Soun nodded wisely. Akane wondered why he wasn't going bananas, wondered why everyone was acting so calm. Could they all have known?
"Alright, these are the details," Akane breathed out, not stopping again for a long time.
They had taken it quite well. It almost seemed like they had discussed it themselves before. It took a lot of ironing out but Akane had won in the end, she would be able to choose. She knew in her heart it wouldn't have mattered if they told her they must decide, they weren't her top priority.
It was getting late and Akane had been sitting in her room for a while now, thinking over what she could do. Should she pack? Would she go?
She knew what she needed to do. She needed to talk to Ranma, and soon. She got up, smoothed down her skirt, and walked out her door. Down the hall a bit she opened another door; Ranma's door. She didn't think to knock, he was alone. Shinosuke was fighting Genma in the dojo; they had only started so they would take quite a while to finish.
She opened the door and saw Ranma, sitting by the window looking miserable. She smiled, smirked at the way he made his face droop even more when she entered, almost comically.
"It's not very lady-like to come into a room without knocking," Ranma scolded in a medial voice, not turning from his perch on the window sill.
Akane smiled, "As I've heard, I'm not much of a lady anyway," she saw his lips turn up a bit at that, "Why live under a false pretense?"
She walked toward him, but he did not move. He had decided long ago that tonight, nothing could move him, he was staying on his perch, staring down at the world, everything he needed in sight.
"Ain't that the truth," he mused distantly. She watched his profile. He could be so handsome and knowing sometimes.
"Ranma . . . we need to talk."
"We're talkin' right now," he tensed a bit.
"If I don't ask now I'll just be beating around the bush for another half hour, and probably either lose my courage, or my patience," Ranma smiled, "So here goes," Akane gulped, "Ranma . . . do you . . . um . . . y'know . . ."
"What? Like cheese? Why yes I do! So, what's the next topic?" He asked hurriedly.
Akane huffed, "No, we are staying on this topic. . . Ranma, doyouloveme?"
She stood tall, wringing the ends of her dress nervously through her fingers.
"I . . ." Ranma couldn't speak, nor move, "what do you mean?"
"What do you mean, what do I mean?"
"What do I love?"
"Me, dummy!"
"I do?"
"Do you?"
"Damn," Ranma whispered, he coughed and cleared his throat, "Well, I wouldn't like you to go just now."
"Just now? Likeleave this room, or leave this town?"
Ranma opened his mouth but said nothing.
"Or both?" Akane asked nervously. She had put herself out there, why wouldn't he catch her?
"Listen, I'm really tired," Ranma told her, yawning dramatically.
"No Ranma!I need to know this! Now, do you love me?"
Akane tapped her foot impatiently on the ground. Her dress was toast.
Ranma sat nervously, staring at the ground.
Akane waited, "Well?"
"It's getting late Akane, you should get to bed," Ranma rationalized. Although it was late, it wasn't near late enough for him to be saying that.
"Ranma," Akane shouted with authority, eyes springing with water, "just give me an answer!"
Ranma looked away painfully, "I can't."
Akane sighed, choked on her tears, "Then I can't stay."
She turned and walked out of his room, stepping into her's soon after to pack her bags.
It was four forty-five. Shinosuke yawned as he set his things down at the door. Akane had said goodbye to her family last night, but there was still a chance she wouldn't be going with him. He heard a rustling coming down the stairs and saw her, in all her beauty and glory, a pretty girl with a pretty, sullen face.
"So you're coming?" He confirmed, grabbing his bags and heaving them over his shoulder, opening the door silently. He walked out, and waited a few paces ahead.
Akane nodded, looking over her shoulder up the stairs, "Nothings keeping me here."
She stepped out and they began to walk, after about five minutes there was the sound of padding feet behind them; they turned to see Ranma, sweaty and tired.
"Out for a morning jog?" Shinosuke asked sarcastically.
Ranma nodded, grinning tryingly, "I'd call it a stroll."
He turned to Akane. Her face was blank, expressionless. He couldn't read her and he hated that, "Akane," he breathed heavily, exasperated from the run, "we need to talk."
"Ranma, you're holding us back," Akane snapped, "At this rate we'll never get to where we're going."
"Good!" Ranma yelled.
They were in the marketplace, and no shops were open yet, so they didn't have to be that quiet. People living above the places were woken though, so a few threats were heard.
Akane sighed, rolled her eyes, and turned to Shinosuke, "One sec."
He nodded, eyeing Ranma suspiciously. Ranma nodded back, grinning famously.
Akane came over to him, and he took her aside, down the street, and into an abandoned lot. There was grass everywhere; he could feel it underneath his bare toes.
Akane looked to him, "What do you want Ranma?"
Ranma stared back nervously, his heart palpitating in his chest, "Don't leave."
She laughed, "What's here to make me stay, Ranma?"
"Family," he tried, "they need you!"
"They're fine with this."
"School," he tried, pleadingly, "you have a year left!"
Akane sighed, "I thought about this, I'm taking a year off to study abroad, I do homework and tests, then mail them in; like home schooling. Maybe I'll get Shinosuke to do that too."
Ranma was having a worse time then he thought he would. Truthfully, he hadn't thought about this at all, he just saw her leave, and stared running.
He sighed, "Me."
Akane stared back intently, "Ranma, do you love me."
He noticed how she said it so plainly, so simply, but he couldn't get over the majesties his mind created.
She stared down, letting the silence engulf them. Probably waiting until he could take it no more and say something.
"I need you, isn't that enough?" He asked, feeling he was giving too much already.
"I need shoes, but I don't love them. Ranma, am I like shoes to you?" she asked, still staring intently at the grass blades.
"No, see," Ranma tried to explain, "I think I might need you to . . . work."
"As in hard labor?"Akane asked sourly.
"As in I don't think I'll be able to live the same without ya here!"
"The noise level will be down a fair bit," she commented soullessly.
Ranma had to think of something, the urgency in his voice could get no higher, "Akane."
He had to do something. He couldn't say it, but he could show it; in his eyes. He prayed she could read him, like he thought she could.
"Akane, I want you to stay," he stared at her face, let all his emotion into his deep blue, glassy eyes.
Akane turned her gaze from the floor, to the street, "I wish I could believe you."
She turned to leave, tugging her pale pink shirt over her olive shorts.
Ranma put his hand on her shoulder, pulling her slightly his way; she had to see his eyes, "Why are you so obsessed with three damn words?"
The fury and confusion in his voice just added to his cocktail of feelings.
She was so cold, his anger took over. He walked up in front of her, staring at her face. She kept staring at the ground. He thrust out his hand, and she stumbled a bit. He couldn't care; she deserved it for making him feel so bad. He kept his hand out and, finally, she shook it.
Akane pulled her hand away, holding it for a second, and then pressing on, "I won't be needing you to follow; I've got all I need with me."
He grinned starkly, "Same here, babe."
She turned to say sorry, to say something near "good bye", but he was gone, leaves rustling in the field, was all that was left. Akane walked away, grimacing.
A/N: Sorry about the lack of funny, but it will return soon. Everybody cheer, I finally have a path for this fic to go on, and trail off of, if need be!