The time after the failed joining of schools had been a strange one. In retrospect it had been foolish of the fathers to try to have them marry in the middle of their junior year after the return from Jusenkyo. But with Akane's agreement to go through with it, albeit due to some unfortunate miscommunication, they had jumped the proverbial gun. Dojo wrecked and children still unmarried, the fathers accepted that until things were settled with the damage and the suitors and engagements, the wedding would have to wait. This was a relief to bride and groom to be, if only for the sake that they wouldn't be forced to into a surprise wedding anytime soon, engaged but the looming trap of marriage seemed to disappear.
Akane had used the opportunity presented by remaining unmarried to apply for universities after the failed wedding. Colleges in and around Tokyo, she also applied to some further out near Osaka, near Hokkaido to the chagrin of her father. When asked who'd be paying for her travel expenses and dorms, she had little to no answer but liked to pretend she was going away to school like some of her classmates. Still, it was an exciting summer of 1996, the high of being unmarried had fully bloomed in her. Realizing that she was free to apply for university and pursue a degree while studying the art and taking over the school she radiated peak excitable teenage girl energy. It didn't hurt that on top of the freedom she was slowly experiencing, a certain little thing that the boys at Furinkan didn't realize they were waiting on finally happened.
Turned out Akane Tendou was a late bloomer.
The final gym class of their junior year had been an exciting one, Akane's volleyball uniform stretched and shrunk around her firm developed curves. It wasn't an extreme change, but when her shorts moved higher up her thighs because of a growth in her hips and her shirt pulled and moved tightly across her chest as she jumped to block a spike it was undeniable. Ranma would later recall a certain conversation with Hiroshi and Daisuke from the sidelines, getting an elbow to the ribs.
"Man, is your timing rotten. Could've been married to her weeks ago!"
XxXxX
Over the next year, the two of them prepared for potential futures, Akane would be likely attending a local university she could travel to fairly easy while Ranma would study at an even closer Junior College. He had to admit that he was more interested in teaching and mastering the art, his parents convinced him that studying would do him a world of good in a changing job market. Especially if he was going to be a reliable provider. So by the grace of whatever luck they had and plenty of late-night study sessions, both teens passed and graduated. Free from high school nonsense, they could enjoy their summer to the fullest extent.
Still pursued by fiancées and suitors, over the year Akane and Ranma certainly became more cordial with the other. Akane wasn't going to allow him to fail senior year and had worked with him many a hard night to ensure this. In exchange, he was more open to teaching her more and sparring with her, though he still would pull punches or kicks, terrified to hurt her much to her annoyance. But still it was better than nothing. And infinitely better than where they were two years ago.
Their fights and name died down a bit, they still fought over trivial things but it wasn't every trivial thing. She stopped calling him a pervert so much and he stopped calling her a flat chested tomboy. But they became more reliant on the other, more open and on their way to being the best of friends really.
What they did not do was broach the subject of Jusenkyo, of the failed wedding, of their actual feelings for each other. If they were working on the negative parts of their characteristics, stubbornness was far down that list for the both of them. There was safety in the unknown on how the other felt, Akane would swear she heard his confession and Ranma would rather crawl under a rock and die than admit what he had said. So, during their last year together it seemed to take a backseat to everything else. Put away for another day.
That was until only a week before university classes were about to start.
After a particular scramble of a week, the two fiancées were sent out to retrieve a couple items from the grocery store for dinner that night. Walking together in the warm weather they did so in pleasant silence. Ranma peered over his shoulder at her in her summer dress, some off the shoulder get up that seemed nice and breezy on her. He looked down at her neck, feeling slight shame to be looking at her like that when she poked an eyebrow up. He answered before her.
"Your hair is growing. It looks nice."
Stupid, stupid. Couldn't come up with anything better? She peered up at him and smiled.
"Thanks, I had been thinking of growing it out again or maybe doing something different. I've had this same hair for nearly three years so I thought I should change it up."
She watched him just nod from the fence, wondering what had his attention. She'd noticed how well they'd been getting along for some months now. They certainly didn't progress their relationship any further, at least romantically but they hadn't taken any steps back either. Internally she had debated over the summer to tell him how she really felt but had chickened out at the prospect of a boyfriend/fiancée/husband while she was trying to do well in school. It seemed to be a bit too nightmarish. Plus, if he didn't actually feel the same way as her it'd be tremendously nightmarish. Not to mention the other suitors and fiancées.
"Nihao Airen!"
Just on time.
Ranma groaned as Shampoo's bike stopped him dead in his tracks as she jumped onto him. She swooned in his arms.
"Ranma take Shampoo on date, yes? Not too late for summer romance!" He tried pulling off of her as her bike dropped to the ground below, as she remained unaware or uncaring of any potential delivery accidents.
"Shampoo - c'mon, I got things to do and-"
"Shampoo, we have to get to the store and we're pressed on time." A drawl came out of Akane below, Ranma watched wide eyed as the smaller blue haired girl rolled her eyes. "Besides, I doubt he wants to be grabbed like that, let him go." He thought his mouth was wide enough to catch flies when he heard her again. Was she defending him? He felt Shampoo bristle against him.
"What violent girl say?" Her glare was tense at the other girl. "You try take Ranma from Shampoo?"
"I'm saying leave him alone." There was no real threat in her voice, all she had meant was it was considerably warm out and latching onto someone in this heat was not something anyone could want. And they were pressed for time, Kasumi and Nodoka expected them back as soon as possible since they had already started cooking. She felt familiar anger bubbling up in her but all directed to Shampoo. She looked at Ranma whose face was a mix of shock and awe? Shampoo jumped down and stalked closer to Akane when a light voice came from up the street. Ranma followed to the street below.
"Ranchan!"
Ukyou was running, box of okonomiyaki in her hands towards them, smile wide on her face. Having closed for a time between lunch and dinner, she'd gone looking for Ranma to serve him a late afternoon snack from his favorite fiancee.
"Ranchan! I made a delicious special for the two of us, something to help us feel a little fiery this afternoon before it cools off tonight." She purred up to him as he again pulled away, uncomfortable with the situation.
"Ah thanks Ucchan but we have a big dinner to-"
"I insist! After all a fiancee has to keep her growing husband satiated and fed, right?" She pouted up to him as he felt the terror of what's to come crawl up his spine. Akane was going to send him flying any moment now. He closed his eyes as he heard Shampoo direct herself towards Ukyou.
"What spatula girl want with airen? Shampoo have delicious feast waiting for Ranma."
"Get out of here, Shampoo. Can't you see he wants my food not yours?"
"You want fight, winner get date?"
"You're on!"
With a sudden fury of weapons, the two young women began fighting each other in the street, fists and kicks distracting them. Ranma was going to interrupt when he felt a tug on his ponytail. Turning his head, he saw Akane as she reached up and tugged on it again. She quickly pulled him into a nearby alley and had him get on his knees as she knelt over him putting her body over his back as if to shield him.
"Akane?! What are you -" he squawked out until her hand covered his mouth.
"Shh - shut up, she should be here any second." He peeked up as she watched the skies, looking like she was counting something in her head. Keeping him covered, they both heard maniacal laughter and a streamer crack over the buildings above them. From the distance they had ran they could hear Kodachi inviting herself into the fight with the other two combatants.
"When I say 'go' we book it down the alley and cross over to get to the store and away, okay?" Akane kept her voice low, her breath blew over the top of his ears which caused a pleasant chill to run through his body. He nodded his head, feeling her calm her own breath.
"Go!" She came off him and started running ahead as he watched her sprint to the end of the alley away from the fight. Arms and legs pumping in sync, he smiled deeply watching her.
She didn't hit me, hell she didn't even try to make a scene. She got us both out of there.
Without a sound or notice he came up behind her as she prepared to run out into the street, grabbing her by the waist and bouncing her into his arms. She was caught off-guard as he ran with her, leaping onto a nearby tree to move onto another building where the girls wouldn't see them on the move.
"Ranma?"
"It'll be faster this way 'Kane. I've got you."
She cares.
XxXxXx
Returning from that trip had been much less exciting, the other girls never catching up with them as they came back to a peaceful home. Ranma had found himself having a hard time not looking at Akane when they got home. Over the summer it seemed like a lot had changed between them, certainly speaking for himself he knew certain things had in fact changed between them.
So when he watched as he handed a bag of groceries to his mom in the kitchen, watched when she laughed at a joke her sister had told her, watched as she concentrated on some TV show after dinner, he had felt the need to voice something about this change. He didn't get that chance as she stood up and announced she was going to her room. He was left sitting along with Nabiki and their fathers, complaining to himself why he couldn't just say something nice or meaningful to her. He stood up moments later.
"I have some final paperwork for school I gotta finish." He announced to no one in particular. Nabiki peeked up above the magazine she was reading to roll her eyes as she went back to her article. As he was going upstairs, Kasumi stopped him with two snow cones.
"Ranma, would you mind giving one to Akane on your way up. She mentioned earlier she wanted one." She handed both treats to him as she returned back to the kitchen. Curious how Kasumi always seemed to have something for him to rely on as an excuse to talk to Akane. He headed up to her room. He knocked with his elbow.
"Hey Akane, Kasumi made some snow cones if you want one?"
"Yeah! One sec!"
She opened up right away and smiled taking it from him, taking a bite out immediately. She had her desk light on, it was already a bit dark out and it gave the room a nice golden glow.
"You wanna come in?" She offered up when he just stood there.
"Uh, yeah is that okay?" She nodded and offered him a seat, but he took the floor. They both sat in relative silence as they ate their treats, not really looking at each other but more around her room. He finished before her, placing the bowl on her desk to take down later. He leaned back on his elbows as she finished her last bites.
"Th-thanks for earlier." Her head popped up and she swallowed. "I uh... really appreciate you getting me out of that situation before. Thank you." She blushed and finished the last of her treat.
"Yeah, I mean it just didn't look like you liked it..." She trailed off before she could add anything else.
"Why didn't you hit me?" He peered up at her as her face went red, annoyed this time. Oops.
"Why didn't I hit you? Did you want me to? Was there a reason I should have?" Old reliable anger was rearing her head, he reminded himself why he came up and bit his tongue and dumb comment back.
"I mean, normally when all of 'em show up you sometimes (all of the time) hit me. Today was different you didn't get mad at me or nothin'." He watched the rage wash down her face, she examined her hands.
"I just...we needed to get groceries and" she huffed "They just don't get it sometimes! Like we're growing up, you and I are starting university and they're still just acting like school girls. It's dumb." She pouted and looked away. "And I didn't feel like I needed to hit you, wasn't like you were hugging them back or anything." She sat on her bed looking outside at the sky, she didn't see the wide smile on his face. She put her right fist under her chin, thinking out some more about their antics. She didn't feel when he grabbed her free hand and squeezed. She was frozen in her position.
"Thanks 'Kane." He murmured, quiet and genuine. Her body immediately wanted to push him away and in the back of her head thought about calling him some kind of name but she let her hand lightly squeeze back.
"You're welcome." It came out a bit shaky and he released her hand as she took a seat near him on the floor. She no longer felt comfortable on her bed. He quickly brought up another topic that got her thinking about something else.
XXxXx
What started as just a 'thank you' for earlier and to share a summer treat snowballed into a longer conversation about the last year and their memories of their final year of high school. Laughing and joking about over the last few months, they didn't realize how much calmer the year had been overall. No princes, no kidnappings, a fairly mundane school year overall. They laughed at how their fathers reacted about them not going to the same school, torn over the fact they wouldn't be around each hour nearly 24 hours a day anymore. With the wedding put on hold, the Saotomes still had no intention of moving out of the dojo, the combined household incomes enough to sustain the two families, especially now that Nabiki was already away at school most of the year. There was very little reason to see why it wouldn't be the worst idea that they went their separate ways when it came to schools.
Akane had stretched her legs out, spreading the skirt of her dress out around her lap as she laughed at Ranma's impression of her father as he cried at their graduation. He leaned back and watched her, content in the moment. While they were definitely more comfortable around each other now and much more civil, it was still a bit nerve wrecking to be with her alone. In her room. At night.
"Hey Akane?" He offered up. "What do ya really wanna do? Y'know after school and everything?"
"I want to take over the dojo, teach. Keep the school and bring on more students." She answered like it was a long-rehearsed line, avoiding the topic of marriage. Smart.
"Nah, nah I mean what do you want to do? Ya ain't goin' to school to get a degree in martial arts, I'd already be like a professor and teachin' if that was the case." He teased as she rolled her eyes. She thought about it and looked down into her lap as she rubbed the carpet of her room.
"I... I'd like to act. Maybe do another play while in school. I want to major in some kind of business because I do want to be able to run the dojo as a business too. But, it's also a good thing to fall back on, maybe take some teaching courses so I could be a better sensei down the line. I guess that's what I would want." She sighed out. "What about you?"
"What I wanna do?" He replied, she nodded. He scratched his head and took a moment. "I just wanna get better, stronger. Train as much as possible so I'm the best. Master the school and everythin'. Mom and pop say I should get some schooling though just in case but I don't really wanna. I'm not the school type."
"I know you're not." She teased and he sneered back.
"Anyways," he moved on to another subject. "What about outside of school, you got a whole four years to do that and all but what do you really wanna do Akane? Like what's somethin you've always wanted?" The room seemed to grow warmer and he could see a blush run over her nose, not unsimilar to the one that was splashed on his face currently.
"I... I don't know..." She started and couldn't figure out how to continue. For so long now she'd gotten used to being Akane, the heir to the Tendou dojo. Akane, the immature, angry littlest sister. Akane, Ranma's fiancee. Scratch that, one of Ranma's fiancées. The violent one. The uncute one. The one that can't cook. That can't fight as well as the others.
It dawned on her a little, in the darkening room with him that over the last few years she'd lost a bit of who she was, what she was before him. Since he'd come into her life, it had taken a sudden rotation around his. That they were connected not only by engagement but in nearly every aspect of her life.
She scratched the back of her neck, feeling as the ends of her hair brushed against her fingers. Her grown out hair, before he'd shown up. She thought of that girl, what had she wanted? Was that the same as what she really wanted now? Was she betraying herself by not going for those same dreams as before, letting that part of herself just fade away? She looked up into the ceiling, sad that it could take this long to answer what she had once wished for, without having to consider what was expected of her, what she had to do.
"I want to travel." Her eyes grew warm, tapping into that old self. "To travel because I want to see new things but I would've loved to train on the road too. I just want to see...something new. For myself." She pulled her knees to herself. "I want to get out of Nerima, out of Japan. Go to America or Europe. Get to have my own adventure."
Be my own heroine, not a kidnapped princess.
"Maybe compete somewhere? Even if I can't be the best, I can still show how good I am. Maybe learn a new style along the way? Or take up dancing? Or painting? I can choose what I want to do, on my own time. I'm not pushed or pressured." She started speaking quicker, that younger version of herself bubbling to the surface. "Learn to swim the right way, make a dish that no one's made before or at least no one here so they're overly critical. Learn a new language, be so immersed somewhere that I have to. Do something I've never done before, something so crazy that even I can't believe I did that. To take charge of myself, take control of my life. Be someone."
Not a fiancee or a wife. No one's sister or daughter. I'm just me.
She turned her head to look at him as he was listened. Even the dim light of her room, she could see the stress across his forehead and stern mouth. She didn't think she'd ever heard him be so quiet. It made her uncomfortable, but she also thought about how she hadn't mentioned anything about them. She knew in her heart of hearts that in a dream world they'd get along and could run away together to figure this out. If it was just had the two of them out in the world maybe they could admit how they felt. In that moment she remembered Mt. Phoenix and how she'd nearly died for him, how she heard his confession. If he would've let her, she would have told him the same in return.
But if she had died, they wouldn't even be having this conversation. Everything that she may or may not ever accomplish or see wouldn't matter because she wouldn't be here. Because she would've given up anything for him if it meant he was spared. The sort of thing you do for someone you care deeply for.
But they were far past that now, weren't they? Over a year and they were just as confused and unsure as ever.
Guess death isn't enough to confess how you feel huh Akane? She scoffed to herself as she pulled her eyes from him. She fingered the shag of her carpet and focused on that instead, listening to the thick silence around them keep growing.
It's funny, if he asked me to run away with him right now, I'd say yes. I wouldn't even take a moment to think; I'd say yes. She pinched the carpet between her fingers as she tilted her head onto her shoulder. I'd marry him too if he asked me. She closed her eyes and shook her head slightly to herself. Stupid. That's stupid.
She felt like things were getting too intense, too uncomfortable showing this much of herself that she had tried to hide from him and the world. She had been content with keeping it locked away, accepting what fate had in store for her instead. She leaned back a bit, thinking of a joke or a tease or something to break this tension when she felt him get up and turn off her desk lamp.
"What are y-" He was sitting in front of her in flash, his hand over hers as it fumbling over the carpet. She couldn't finish her answer as she caught his eyes so close to hers, soft and stormy. They weren't bright and shimmering like they typically were, instead they were intense and pulled her in. She didn't want to look away but thought she should when she felt his breath on her pursed lips.
He pressed his lips to hers in a way that shocked and scared her. It was an unfamilar warmth that traveled from her mouth to her spine that swelled throughout her body. Unsure of how to respond, she went with what felt natural, she kissed him back. Chaste and nervous, but terribly happy. She could've screamed she was so happy. Without breaking apart he lifted his other hand to her face, cupping her cheek. She sighed into the kiss as she leant into his palm, hot and slightly slick. He must've been nervous too.
He pulled her by her face closer to him, his other hand coming to cup the other side of her face. She nearly yelped when she felt his tongue attempting to enter her mouth. Timidly she opened her lips and let her tongue touch his as she moved her hands to grip the cloth of his shirt. Everything was heat and soft and felt like nothing she'd ever experienced before; the air was laced in a foreign feeling that felt dangerous and heavy. She could've stayed there forever if he'd let her, if time would let them.
A knock on her door brought reality shattering back around them.
"Akane!" Her sister hissed behind the door, she quickly scooted herself to the door and pressed against it, terrified to give away what happened.
"Na-Nabiki, what is it?"
"I'm going out with friends, don't wait up for me and if dad asks, I'm staying over at Emi's." She listened as her sister turned on her heels and headed back downstairs. Akane held her heart in her hand as she turned back towards Ranma. She looked up at him and saw as he squatted in her window, a forlorn smile on his face, unlike any other that she'd ever seen before. So handsome but looked dreadfully sad. She stood up and walked towards him.
"Ranma..." She didn't have any words; his name came out breathlessly out of her. His smile widened a little at that.
"Goodnight, Akane."
And just like that he left and waited for no reply to return to his room. She laid down on her bed, eyes boring into the ceiling while her fingertips felt the pounding of her heart under her chest. More optimistic than she'd felt in a long time, she smiled thinking of the new, beautiful things tomorrow would bring.
He was gone before she woke up.
XxXxXx
Present Day
Akane found herself back staring up at her ceiling, breath catching up with her as she stilled her heart and her stomach. She felt nauseous, something that happened when she ate her anger instead of letting it out.
She hadn't bothered listening to if he'd left or not, resolving herself to closing and locking the door. She was grateful her sister had had the sense to put him in her old room, providing a bit of a buffer between the two of them. The thought of him on the other side of her wall made her shiver, and not in a pleasant way.
She laid on her side and checked the alarm clock on her desk, it was a bit past midnight. She considered giving Ukyou a call, feeling like she deserved a heads up just in case. She pushed the idea away when she considered she could stop there on her way to work or home tomorrow, an unwelcome call this time of night may be too much for her.
She looked at her desk and saw the picture she'd taken with Shingo that she had framed over the spring. They were both smiling in each other's arms after some date somewhere. Nabiki had taken the picture after he dropped her off at home and Akane thought it had been very cute. Shingo had given her the frame as a graduation gift. She wished she could've seen more of his smiling face today but after everything that happened, she'd be lucky if he gave her anything better than a scowl.
Against her better judgement, foggy with drinks and complicated emotions she dug into the bottom of her desk drawers searching for her old keepsake box. She clicked on her desk lamp, pointing the head down over the top of the box. Rummaging through she found it at the bottom, a candid picture Nabiki had taken on their wedding day. Her and Ranma had been on the floor of her bedroom before the ceremony was to take place and Nabiki had slammed the door open to snag a picture of the two of them. All she found was two wide eyed 17 year olds scared out of their minds in wedding apparel. Ranma's handsome face sick with nerves, Akane's flushed face caught mid yelp.
It made for a very cute picture for a nervous couple. A couple that was way over their heads at that point.
She thumbed the photo when she heard heavy steps on the roof, steps that seemed to be moving towards her. She shut the light off immediately and shoved the picture into a drawer. Laying back down in her bed, she heard the stepping get lighter as she stared out into her room trying to get comfortable.
She locked her windows and shut the curtains.
Author: Hello again! I've gotten some messages over timelines from the first chapter, I was saving the breakdown for this chapter but just wanted to clarify in case of any issues. I have set the events of Mt. Phoenix for Ranma/Akane at 17 years old in the middle of their junior year (1996). I thought I would boil down the events of 38 books as encapsuling about 1 year of knowing each other. Their senior year following would then be 1997 and Ranma's return would be 2001. I hope that helps to make sense, I'll do my best to keep things straight but please do let me know if you'd like clearer indications of time, I will do my best.