Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma
PS: I live in Ireland, so I use English spelling, not American, so don't beat me for that! Sorry if there was any confusion about my author name in the prologue. I wanted it to be Madmax when I started writing this story, but when I registered here it was already taken so I took my old age of empires name from school from last year, sorry about forgetting to change it in the previous chapter.
Ranma- Love at last!
Chapter 1- Morning After
Tendo Dojo Roof: Monday MorningRanma was sitting on the roof of the Tendo Dojo lost in his own thoughts. It was just beginning to get bright. He was watching the sunrise, he watched how it had started with a glow on the horizon. Then the light began spilling over Nerima, casting shadows here and there, illuminating the tops of all the houses and making them glow.
He had been there since going to Akane during the night. He hadn't slept at all but he wasn't in the least bit tired. The cold didn't seem to affect him either and he was still only wearing his vest and boxers.
He was startled by the sound of the front door of the Dojo opening. Carefully he crept to the edge of the roof and looked down.
Kasumi was standing on the doorstep. She was bringing in the milk bottles that had been left there.
Halfways through picking up one of the bottles she froze and slowly turned her head up to look up at the roof. Not seeing anything she shrugged and carried on picking up the milk.
Ranma was lying back on the roof again, looking at the golden glow of the sunrise and slowly lost himself in his thoughts.
He was lying like this for some time. The sun had long gone up but it couldn't have been any later than seven o'clock…
" Ranma?"
Ranma jerked around after hearing his name being called.
It was Akane. She was standing on the roof behind him wearing her yellow bathrobe over her pyjamas. She was carrying another robe in one hand and in the other she was holding two steaming mugs.
" Kasumi said you were up here. Have you been here all night?"
" Yeah."
" I thought you might be cold!"
Akane walked towards him and carefully sat beside him handing him the spare bathrobe. He threw it around his back,
" Thanks"
Akane then handed him one of the mugs she was holding.
Ranma took the mug and put it to his lips. Taking a sip he paused and said,
" What is it?"
Akane looked up from her mug and replied,
" Chicken soup! I made it myself!"
Ranma froze and took the mug away from his lips. He eyed it carefully
Akane looked at him indignantly. Anger was building up inside her. She had spent the last half hour making it especially for him(with Kasumi's help).
Ranma took another sip and turned to look at her.
" Nice! Tastes great!"
Akane froze, her anger dissipated, as Ranma continued.
" Between this and that nice curry you made, you definitely improving.
You'll be as good as Kasumi before long."
Although he was telling the truth about the soup and curry, it took an incredible amount of willpower to give her the compliment. The desire to insult her became almost unbearable, but luckily he managed to hold himself.
Akane just looked out at the city and smiled.
Ranma gave me a compliment! Wow! I hope he keeps it up!
Ranma turned and looked out over the city as well. Both of them sat there like that for about twenty minutes, occasionally taking sips from their steaming mugs and looking out over the city, not a word being said.
This peaceful scene was broken when they heard someone calling them from the front garden. It was Kasumi.
" Ranma! Akane! You'd better come down before everyone wakes up!
Akane nodded to Ranma and they both stood up.
Tendo Dining Room: Breakfast
It was a normal breakfast at the Tendo dojo. Ranma and Genma had both fallen into the garden pond during their morning spar and were now fighting over the food.
Kasumi was quietly eating her breakfast while Nabiki sat reading one of her manga's, taking occasional bites. Soun was reading newspaper while eating.
It was so normal, that no-one, not even Ranma noticed the warm smiles Akane was giving her. No-one even noticed that she sat slightly closer to Ranma than usual.
" Hey pops! Do we have to go to school?"
" Grouff!"
Genma held up a sign in one hand, and stole some of Ranma's breakfast with the other while Ranma read the sign.
Yes you will! You are not losing out on your education
He flipped the sign,
And I do intend to see an improvement in your grades young man!
" But Pops!"
Whack!
Ranma had begun to protest, but Genma clocked her over the head with his sign. He then held up a new one.
No more objections! You hear me!
Ranma bowed his head down and continued eating his breakfast, occasionally swatting away Genma's chopsticks as he tried to steal food from his son's plate.
After awhile Akane looked up at her father and said,
" Father, while I agree with Ranma's grades having to improve ( Ranma glared at her when she said this, she just smirked.) I don't really want to go to school today. The rumour hoard will maul us if we go in, not to mention all the people who are still after Ranma's head."
Soun looked over his newspaper and replied,
" Well, the longer you wait the worse the rumours will get. Best to go in now and deal with it. As for Ranma's head, from what I understand there are always people after it, so nothing new there."
Akane saw the wisdom in her father's words and gave up arguing. Standing up she took her bowl and remarked,
" Thank you for breakfast Kasumi-oneechan. It was delicious!"
She headed for the kitchen but stopped in the doorway and asked,
" Ranma, I'm sure you don't want to go to school like that! Want me to heat some water for you?"
Ranma, without thinking, answered,
" If you manage not to burn down the kitchen!"
" Baka!"
Akane growled before stomping into the kitchen and slammed the door behind her.
The slam of the door seemed to wake Ranma up a bit. She groaned, realising what she had just said.
Dammit! I had to say that without thinking! Didn't I! Well no more of this if I can help it. I'm not going to have bad blood between us. She is my best friend and I lo… I don't want to keep pushing her away! I'm apologising!
Ranma dragged herself up and headed towards the kitchen.
Genma smiled and pounced on his son's half empty bowl, devouring all that was left in it.
Ranma carefully opened the kitchen door and carefully entered.
" Akane?"
She was standing with her back to her, cleaning her bowl.
" What do you want?"
Her tone was bitter. Ranma gulped and took a step towards her.
" Look Akane, I'm really sorry for saying that! I didn't mean it! Really!"
Akane turned to look at her. She looked angry, but not furious.
" Then why did you say it?"
Ranma looked at the floor, and shuffled her feet. Finally she looked up and answered her.
" I don't know! Sometimes… most of the time I speak without thinking. It's like my mouth says things without consulting my head first. I don't mean those things, well not like that and I definitely didn't mean to insult you."
Akane, though still angry gave her a funny look.
At this Ranma began to panic a little.
" Ahm! I'm sorry! I-I."
Akane raised her hand, not to hit Ranma but to silence her.
She walked towards Ranma and stopped right in front of her. She raised a large wooden cooking spoon to Ranma's nose, smiled and said,
" At least you apologised! That's a start!"
With that she rapped her on the nose with the spoon and smiled.
Ranma flinched, but didn't recoil from the hit. Opening his eyes he looked up into Akane's eyes. She was staring directly into his own. Ranma noticed how close together they were standing and began to get slightly nervous. She calmed significantly when she looked into her eyes again, those big, brown, beautiful shining eyes.
Slowly, very slowly they leaned forward.
Just before their lips touched both of them jumped back at the sound of the kettle, which had begun whistling. Ranma looked over to the kettle and with a puzzled face asked,
" You put the kettle on even though I insulted you?"
Akane smiled and looked at the floor,
" Yeah"
Akane turned around and took the kettle off the hob. Walking over to the sink, she grabbed a glass and filled it with hot water and then with a little cold water to cool a little. Turning around she walked towards Ranma and handed her the glass. She immediately dumped the contents of the glass over her head, turning her back into a boy.
Putting the glass down he smiled gently at Akane. She smiled back and slowly walked towards him.
Ranma gently put his hand on her shoulder,
" Thanks Akane!"
She looked up again, and saw him smiling at her. Once again they slowly moved towards each other.
Just then the door opened and Kasumi and Nabiki walked in holding their breakfast bowls and chatting to each other.
Akane gulped as the two of them looked up in shock to see Ranma and Akane standing inches apart with Ranma's hand on Akane's shoulder.
Realising the predicament Akane did the first thing that came to mind.
She screamed,
" GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME YOU FILTHY PERVERT!"
With that she gave the shocked Ranma a vicious uppercut that sent him flying through the roof.
Realising what she had done, she winced as she heard a loud thud followed by a splash and a girl's scream coming from the back garden. She turned in shock to her sisters.
" Ohh My"
Kasumi commented. Akane began stuttering,
" I-I-I…"
Nabiki made the first move. She took a step towards Akane, gently patted her shoulder and said,
" It's okay Akane, you don't have to pretend around us. We know about you two! We know you love him!"
Sadly, Akane's old defence's switched to automatic.
" WHAT DO YOU MEAN LOVE HIM? I HATE THAT PERVERTED JERK"
She stopped and looked shocked again. Kasumi just hung her head low and shook it slowly.
Slowly tears began welling up in Akane's eyes. She sobbed, turned around, grabbed the kettle and dashed past her sisters and out the door.
Nabiki turned to Kasumi and asked her,
" Why does he put up with that?"
" Love Nabiki! Love!"
Tendo Dojo: Back GardenOnna-Ranma was groaning and pulling herself out of the garden pond. She was rubbing her bruised arm and muttering to herself.
Stupid Tomboy! Always hitting me for no good reason!
Ranma dragged herself up and slowly walked towards the house.
Just before she entered the house Akane appeared in the doorway in front of her holding a kettle. She was crying,
" Ranma I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"
Ranma shot her an angry glare and pushed her way past Akane grabbing the kettle out of her hands. Without looking back Ranma disappeared round the corner. Akane spun around and sobbed,
" Ranma! Please! I'm sorry!… Where are you going?"
Ranma shouted angrily from the bottom of the stairs,
" Getting changed! My clothes are ruined."
Akane put her head in her hands and began crying.
Why did I do that? How could he ever love anyone like me? I'm always hitting him. Sometimes he deserves it, but I still hit him even if he doesn't deserve it. How does he put up with me?
" Don't worry Akane, I'm sure he'll forgive you in no time."
" Huh!"
Akane raised her head to see Soun sitting down outside on a bench, reading his newspaper. She walked towards him. Seeing this he put down his newspaper and stood up.
Patting his daughters back he reassured her,
" Ranma will forgive you in no time sweetie, don't you worry!"
Akane began sobbing and buried her face in Soun's shoulder.
" Akane (sniff) stop! You'll (sniff) make me cry too (sniff)"
Soun couldn't take it anymore and for no particular reason began crying.
Nabiki came out to look for Akane. She shook her head when she saw Soun and Akane standing beside each other crying"
Grabbing Akane and pulling her towards the house, she said,
" C'mon Akane! Ranma's waiting for you! You'll be late for school if you don't hurry up!"
At the mention of Ranma's name, Akane visibly brightened a little. She stopped crying and began rubbing her eyes, trying to dry them.
Moving into the hall she saw Ranma sitting on the doorstep with his back to her.
Straightening her uniform she walked towards him and tapped him on the back.
He turned and looked up at her, he still seemed a little angry,
" You took long enough!"
Akane just looked at the floor, trying hard not to cry again.
Ranma stood up and held out her bag to her,
" C'mon Slowcoach! We're gonna be late!"
She took the bag off him and slung it over her back and headed out the door with him.