Author: Furiousmonkey
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!
Ranma- Love at last!
Chapter 9- Crash
A/N. Hi everyone!
Really sorry 'bout the long wait. School, computer troubles and all that. Hopefully the rest won't take so much time to write and post up. Don't worry I'm not suffering from writers block. More like the " no time" syndrome.
Anyway, enjoy. Reviews as always, much appreciated.
Tendo Dojo: Gate
Akane stood outside the front gate of the dojo compound. Her cheeks were still wet from the tearful goodbye with Ranma only minutes earlier.
Jusenkyo had really changed her. She had realised that there was no one she loved but Ranma.
She always liked him. Even in the beginning, when they were constantly fighting, she liked him. He was basically a good and honorable person, even if he did ask for trouble, a lot!
Soon after she began to feel stirrings inside her chest every time he smiled at her. Back then she had been very confused and didn't really know what she was feeling.
When Ranma had to train with Picolet Chardaigne, she had followed and helped him out. Back then she had convinced herself that she had done it out of duty. But she soon afterwards realised that was not the reason. She gave him good luck charms; got him food when he was hungry and made sure he didn't kill himself from malnutrition. She worried and fussed over him day and night.
When Ranma was chasing after Shampoo, trying to get her to say she loved him, Akane accidentally ended up wearing the emotion gem. She wore it the right way up and immediately began confessing her love for Ranma. Cologne explained the gem to her afterwards. Wearing it the right way round made your emotions of love come to the surface. She convinced herself that Cologne was lying and that it wasn't like that, but looking back, really she knew Cologne had told the truth.
When Ranma left to chase after Herb and the Pot of Liberation she began to realise, consciously, that she felt more for him than just friends. She worried about him every day, and didn't know what she'd do if she lost him. But when he came home safe and sound, she pushed her feelings back down. And apart from hugging him and saying that she was glad he was back, she didn't really show him how she really felt.
Soon after, Ryogenzawa was a real eye opener for her. She felt horrible when Ranma left after she hit him. She was protecting Shinnosuke because he was dying from a wound he had gotten when he saved Akane, back when they were both young. Ranma, of course, misunderstood what she had done and left, visibly hurt with a simple, "Sorry I bothered you!". He took off into the forest and Akane heard his anguished scream of
"Akane You Idiot!".
She broke down crying there and then. She thought she had lost him forever. She could do nothing but cry. Luckily everything turned out all right and the two made-up and walked home hand in hand.
When the imposter Ranma was looking for the Umi-Sen-Ken, she did everything she could for Ranma. Carrying messages and generally watching Ranma's back.
When she got the battle costume, she was nigh invincible. But without even thinking about it, she was willing to give it all up to be with Ranma
From somewhere along this journey, Akane knew deep down that she loved that big arrogant jerk. The only one who could make her feel light-headed. The only one who made her weak at the knees. The only one who could make her truly smile.
" Akane!"
Akane recognised the soft, warm, motherly voice of Kasumi. But she didn't turn; instead she kept staring in the direction that Ranma had disappeared.
" Akane"
She felt a soft gentle hand on her shoulder,
" I'm glad you got a proper goodbye this time Akane."
Akane smiled a weak smile and began to turn,
" He was worried that you wouldn't show up."
Akane had finished turning. Kasumi saw Akane's puffed up eyes.
" I'm glad you turned up! I'm glad you didn't fight!"
Akane managed another weak smile and whispered, half to herself,
" Me too!"
Kasumi put her arm around her younger sisters shoulders and gently shepherded her towards the house.
" Come Akane, breakfast is getting cold. You need to get your strength up, you have to help with the renovations after school."
Akane looked at Kasumi and questioned,
" What are ye planning with his room?"
His room, his own real room, not a guest room! He was a part of the family. He was a part of Akane.
Kasumi smiled and said,
" You'll see!"
With renewed vigor, Akane strode towards the house, fully intent on making the most of the day.
Furinkan High: Just Before School
Akane lazily wandered past the school's gates and into the schoolyard. Her morning had gone well enough. Breakfast had been calm, too calm for her tastes. She realised that since Ranma appeared that everything was non-stop action. The way she liked it. Although a little break once in a while didn't do any harm.
Her father had acted the same that morning, but Kasumi and Nabiki had been all talk about what was to be done to Ranma's room and how much it would cost. And since it would be Nodoka and Genma paying Nabiki didn't bother with the cheap ideas.
" Akane!"
Hearing her name being called she turned. Saiyuri and Yuka were rushing towards her. Stopping in front of her, Akane spoke.
" Hi guy's! Yuka, you feeling better?"
Yuka smiled a toothy grin and patted her stomach.
" Yup! A tummy bug can't keep me down for that long!"
Akane smiled while Saiyuri turned to Yuka and spoke up,
" Ohh yeah Yuka! I forgot to tell you! You have a contender for your chair next to Akane!"
Yuka raised her eyebrow and gave her a strange look,
" Who?"
Saiyuri grinned and said,
" Ranma, he sat willingly beside Akane all of yesterday!"
Akane blushed and looked at the floor, the two continued.
" So this isn't like last term where he was forced? He did it all by himself!"
"Yup!"
Akane tried to save herself and cut in
" It's not like that! I was just helping him with some subjects!"
To no avail. Yuka and Saiyuri burst into a fit of giggles, while Akane sunk her head again.
After she calmed a bit Yuka spoke,
" Well, how can I compete with him? Looks like you have a new bench partner!"
Akane kept her head hung, mostly to hide the huge smile on her face.
Saiyuri spoke up, but her voice sounded serious,
" Speaking of Ranma, where is he? Did you guys have a fight?"
Akane managed to hide her smile and lifted her head,
" No. Not at all! He's just staying at his parents while we renovate his room."
Yuka grinned broadly,
" Ohh, so it's becoming your room as well!"
Akane blushed again, shook her dead and quickly denied it,
" No-no-no! Nothing like that! We're just putting down a carpet and a bed, so that he doesn't have to sleep on the floor."
This time it was Saiyuri, who spoke up,
" What size? A double bed? Or are ye going for the King sized one, you know, for the extra freedom and movement?"
Akane blushed profusely and made a playful punch at Saiyuri.
"You guys! Cut it out! Were not even going out! I've never said I'd ever do anything like THAT with HIM!"
Yuka smiled and retorted,
" Your eyes say it all the time!"
Akane blushed, hung her shoulders and gave up. They had won; she was getting to tired for their games. She turned and headed for the school's front door.
Yuka called after her,
" Where are you going? Off to find him eh?"
Akane jokingly called back,
" Yeah sure! And I won't even be using a bed when I find him!"
Although they knew she was joking, Saiyuri and Yuka began laughing and hooted and whooped after her.
Akane smiled, shook her head and continued walking.
Pushing the recently repaired school door open, she stepped inside.
Furinkan High: Roof
Leaning over the metallic railing at the edge of the roof, Ranma watched Akane intently as she weaved her way through the schoolyard and into the school. He smiled weakly to himself.
" Yo Ranma! Been meaning to ask ya!"
Ranma turned his head, behind him his two school friends, Daisuke and Hiroshi, were sitting cross-legged on the roofs hard concrete. A deck of cards was set out on the ground in front of them. Daisuke's face was screwed up with concentration, his tongue stuck out as he stared at the cards he was holding in front of his face. Hiroshi on the other hand was holding his limply by his side and had his head turned towards Ranma.
Ranma answered him,
" Ask away!"
Hiroshi nervously asked,
" Ranma, why didn't you come to school with Akane today? You get kicked out of the house or something?"
Ranma smiled shrewdly,
" Yeah I suppose you could say it's like than!"
Hiroshi looked slightly disappointed for a moment, but then he looked up with a broad smile on his face.
" You're still seeing Akane though? You know, in secret!"
Daisuke had taken Hiroshi distraction and was now looking through the deck and picking out the cards he wanted.
Ranma laughed inwardly at Daisuke's guilty look.
" What do you mean seeing? We're NOT going out!"
Hiroshi turned back to the game; Daisuke quickly pulled his hands back from the deck of cards.
Ranma looked back out to the yard but said back to his friends,
" By the way Daisuke! There's no way you can get away with that Royal Flush! You should have gone with something more believable!"
Sparing a glance back he saw Hiroshi muttering angrily under his breath and Daisuke pointing at himself as if to say " Me! Never!"
Ranma laughed quietly to himself as the two began arguing behind him
He began to think,
" What I wouldn't give to be able to go out with her properly!"
Smiling, he kicked off the ground, vaulted over the railings and began to fall.
As he carefully and gracefully fell he heard voices behind him
" He's done it again! I wish I could do that!"
He smiled, twisted in the air, caught onto one of the ledges on the fourth floor and swung through an open third floor window. The one he knew to be his homeroom. It would be empty at this time.
But no!
As he swung through the open window his eyes widened in terror as he saw Akane sitting at her desk, right by the window!
Akane looked up just in time to see Ranma fly towards her.
With an almighty crash, they fell off the desk and crashed through two more. Finally coming to a halt. Akane landed heavily on her back, while Ranma crashed, face first, down on top of her.
After a very uncomfortable moment Akane spoke up.
" Ranma?"
A "Mmm" came, muffled from her chest,
" Get off me!"
Ranma slowly removed his head from her chest and stood up. Apart from a few sore spots he seemed to be fine. He couldn't meet eyes with Akane as he held his hand out for her. It hung there for what seemed like ages before a small warm hand grabbed his wrist.
Ranma gently grabbed Akane's wrist and began pulling her up. But she winced and fell, almost pulling Ranma on top of her again. She landed on her behind. Ranma quickly dropped to his knees beside her. His eyes were full of worry and care.
" Akane! What's wrong? Are you hurt?"
Akane winced and pointed at her foot.
" It hurts!"
Ranma looked terrified,
"Oh Akane, I'm sorry! I really am!"
Akane gracefully wrapped her arms around Ranma's neck.
Ranma completely froze. What was she doing? Wasn't she going to kill him? Hadn't he finally gone too far? Hadn't he hurt her, although inadvertently. Why was she moving closer?
Akane's face moved closer and closer. Ranma closed his eyes. After a few moments he opened his eyes, Akane was holding him closely with her head at the side of his. As he felt her gentle breath in his ear, he began to smell her aromatic lavender shampoo. That girl drove him crazy.
" Apology accepted! Now take me to the school nurse please."
Ranma unfroze and carefully picked up his injured fiancée. He held her close as he walked out of the room and into the hall.