Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma, nor do I profit from this fanfic.
Author's Note: This chapter is completely tame but I've rated the fic M for future naughtiness. Don't expect anything too wild for a while though, I do love suspense. 6 I welcome comments, suggestions and criticism.
Slip of the Tongue
by MalletGirlAkane
"Macho chick!"
"Conceited jerk!"
"Sexless klutz!"
"Disgusting pervert!"
"Kawaii tomboy!"
"Ranma no... huh?"
Ranma paused, mouth hanging foolishly open where he had been about to deliver another scathing insult. He blinked at his fiancée a moment, train of thought (what little there was) completely derailed. He frowned at Akane, "I said you're a kawaiikune tomboy. What? You going deaf too?"
"No you didn't," Akane said, a wicked smile forming on her face, "You called me a kawaii tomboy."
Ranma's eyes bulged. "What're you talkin' about?" he spluttered, "I'd have ta be blinder than Mousse to think you are cute."
Given the option of teasing Ranma or getting offended and clobbering him, Akane would usually choose the latter. But, truth be told, it got boring after so long. It occurred to her that she had expended more anger in the last couple years since Ranma's arrival than most people did in their entire lives. Vaguely she wondered if she was beginning to run out. Shrugging off those thoughts she decided to play with her rapidly blushing fiancé a little. The grin did not leave her face and she said in a sing-song voice, "Ranma, do you really think I'm cute?"
Ranma snorted, "I'm not delusional."
Akane took a slow, swaying step closer to him, "Do you really think I'm pretty?"
"N-no!"
She stepped closer, only half an inch separated their two bodies. She raised her chin so that she could whisper directly into his ear, "Do you really think I'm beautiful?"
Akane waited for his adamant refusal. Maybe he would even fall all over himself trying to get away from her, that was always good for a laugh. He would probably manage to trip over a bucked of cold water in the process and...
It occurred to her that he was doing none of those things. In fact, Ranma was not doing much of anything other than standing completely still, rooted to the spot. She realized she could hear his heart beating frantically behind his red silk shirt. She leaned back a little and looked up into his eyes which were wide and blank. Tiny beads of perspiration dotted his forehead. Uh oh, she thought, I think I broke him.
A warm tingle spread through her mind at the thought of exactly how she had elicited this response from him, but she smothered it. Probably just frozen in horror at being this near me, she told herself with disgust. Frowning, she waved her hand in front of his vacant eyes.
He blinked and immediately yelped, "Yes!"
Akane's brows drew down in confusion, "Yes, what?"
With much mental effort, Ranma pulled himself together. He stared down at the girl, aware of the warmth of her body close to his. Her large brown eyes were locked on him, puzzlement written plainly on her face. A sudden urge to kiss her welled up in him. Frantically he shoved it down and took a stumbling step backwards. "Uh... uh..."
He could practically see the cogs turning in her brain and soon her eyes lit with understanding. "Ranma," she said slowly, "Did you just say yes you think I'm beautiful?"
"Uh... uh..." He took another clumsy step away from her. He tried to deny it, but the words would not come. Thoughts of anything but the slight blush rising in her cheeks, the way her eyes softened hopefully, and the smell of her shampoo pushed everything else from his mind.
Her game forgotten, Akane searched Ranma's eyes. When he stepped away from her, she followed, maintaining their proximity. In a soft, gentle voice, she asked, "Did you... Ranma?"
The way she said his name, almost pleadingly, threatened to overwhelm his brain again. He tried to take another step back but found himself pressed against the dojo wall. They had been sparring when this had all began. What stupid comment had he said that had sparked the whole thing?
"...beautiful..." he breathed.
No, no, no, wrong comment! his mind shouted at him. And why did you say it out loud!
She told herself he was playing with her, getting her back for what she had said earlier. She told herself he was a jerk who hated her and who she hated back. She told herself not to believe a word he said. Regardless, a brilliant smile lit her face.
Ranma softened. That smile, that was his weak spot. Maybe complimenting her once in a while was not so bad, if it got her to smile at him like that... as long as nobody was listening. At that thought, Ranma's eyes darted from Akane to the dojo door. It was empty. In fact the whole house was empty, he remembered. It was one of those extremely rare days when everyone had some chore to see to except the two of them.
"Really?"
Ranma refocused on Akane. Her voice still held that hesitant, not-quite-daring-to-believe tone. She stared up at him through her thick, blue bangs, leaning towards him minutely. She was so close... Again the desire to kiss her threatened to overwhelm him. Scrabbling for coherent thoughts he stammered, "Uh... yes?"
In a flash she was on him, pressing him tight against the wall in a rib-crushing hug. After a moment of shock, Ranma tentatively reached up and ran his fingers lightly through her short hair. That was his fatal mistake. At any other point he might have been able to pull back, laugh at her and pretend it was all a joke. But when he touched her and she loosened her grip on him, though kept her arms around his waist; when she looked up at him with those eyes of warm chocolate, moist with happy tears, he was a goner.
Unable to deny the urge for another moment, Ranma leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.