Summary - Akane takes up a job as a telephone friend. She's here to answer all the problems of the teenage world! But who's this calling her now…?
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Akane smiled that sort of smile that say's "Okay, lets get this over with…" It wasn't that she didn't like helping people out for the money she was going to use this year for a training trip, but she didn't like spending hours a day listening to people drone on about their problems…not when she had about a billion more.
Like Ranma.
But now wasn't the time to think about a boy who made her heart do stupid things, now was when she pointed out obvious answers to angst ridden teens. The phone rang and she answered it with a smile, though the person couldn't tell that.
"Hello, you've reached Telephone Friends! Tell us all about your problems and we promise to help!"
"HE BROKE UP WITH ME!" a young girl wailed on the other line. Akane sighed.
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It was almost time to go, almost time! She could feel her bones trying to work up the strength to fake a smile as she answered one of her last phone calls.
"Hello, you've reached Telephone Friends! Tell us all about your problems and we promise to help!"
"Hello. Um…I…I wanted to ask you what to do…cause I have…a girl I really like, but I can't really tell her…"
Akane felt her blood run cold. Ranma was talking to her. On the phone. Asking her for advice on how to get a girl to like him.
She felt a strong urge to hang up and go cry her eyes out. But if she did that, somehow he'd figure out it was her, and then it would be merciless teasing for weeks.
"Well, why don't you tell me about her some? Maybe that'll help me figure out why you can't tell her…" If I figure out who she is, I can go subtly kill her.
She could almost hear the smile spread across his face, and his voice got soft and sweet. "She's not like most girls. She's cute, don't get me wrong, but she doesn't spend hours on herself, and she doesn't really care what people think. She's strong, really strong, and not just physically. She's been through a lot, but she just takes it in stride. And sometimes…sometimes I'll see her looking at me out of the corner of her eye, and I hate the way it makes me feel, cause I…I'm sorta scared."
Akane tried to make her sobs quiet, so he couldn't hear.
"I…I really like her, but we've got all this…stuff in the way, and our parents keep pushing us and we've both got other people who won't leave us alone…I need someway to tell her, cause I'm tired of living like this."
Akane waited a few seconds to get her breathing under control, making a soft, "Hmm…" so Ranma would think she was pondering his situation.
"I think the best way would be to go slow. You know, spend time with her, get to know her. Leave her small things, nothing big or flashy. Compliment her sometimes, help her with something she can't do. Don't…don't say something stupid at the worst possible time…"
Akane could feel her breath becoming shorter, could feel her heart breaking. She wanted to die. She wanted to scream until she shriveled up and nothing was left of her but a few ashes.
"Thanks…I think I'll try that. You've been a great help…"
"Yeah, well, its my job…" My stupid, bloody job, that has me giving out help to my fiancé, whom I freaking like, so he can get some other girl to like him!
"See you later, Akane."
"Bye."
Only after he'd hung up, did she realize that he'd called her Akane.
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She woke up, her pillow still soaked with her tears, and her eyes sore from crying. As she rolled over, she heard a crinkling sound. She froze, then reached behind her and picked up a piece of paper. Akane frowned and held it up to the moonlight.
"I got some advice today, and the girl said I should spend some time with you…would you like to spar tomorrow?"
There was no name. There was no need.
Akane cried, smiling brightly as her shoulders heaved with sobs.
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Why? I don't know. I just did.
Bwa ha ha…