Your Touch

by

Jeremy Harper

Disclaimer – Ranma ½ is the creation of Rumiko Takahashi and is used without permission.

Chapter 6 – Not All Tears Are Evil

Though some time had passed since Nodoka Saotome had left for the evening Ranma remained hunched at the living room table, still in feminine form, her blue eyes dark and forlorn. Akane watched her fiance with concern, not liking the despair radiating from Ranma and not quite understanding it. Ranma had defeated Ryu Kumon earlier in the day, thwarting his attempt to steal her identity. Even if Ranma was upset at having to pretend to be Ranko Tendo for Auntie Nodoka, she still should not look so depressed; it just was not like Ranma.

Genma walked into the living room, sighing in relief, steam rising from his body and a kettle in his hand. He looked down at his erstwhile son with a sneer of disdain and whacked her on the head with the kettle. "Stop sulking like a little girl, Ranma!"

In a flash of movement Ranma jumped to her feet and struck her father with a slashing punch to the jaw. As Genma rocked back, eyes crossing, she seized him by the lapels of his gi then twisted and heaved, throwing him through the open engawa doors and into the koi pond. She watched the now-panda sputter and splash for a moment, fists clenched and mouth asnarl, before turning on her heel and stalking away. Akane sighed, took a minute to finish her tea, and followed after her.

Akane found her fiance on the roof of the dojo, lying on her back, head pillowed on her hands as she stared unseeing at the stars and crescent moon, not looking at Akane as the young woman climbed up to her. "Hey," said Akane. "Do you mind if I join you?" Ranma shook her head briefly and Akane settled down next to her, drawing her legs up, wrapping them with her arms and resting her chin on her knees.

Minutes past silently, neither of the two speaking, Akane watching Ranma, Ranma watching the stars float serene and imperturbable in the vast expanse of the night sky. Ranma's blue eyes shone brightly in the sidereal illumination, storming with repressed emotion. Suddenly she gritted her teeth and swatted at her face with the back of her hand, scrubbing at it harshly.

"It's okay, Ranma," Akane said softly. Ranma said nothing, continuing to wipe at her cheek, deliberately digging knuckles into her skin. Akane pursed her lips and then shifted, scooting behind Ranma and taking hold of her just beneath her arms.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Akane ignored Ranma's protest, swiftly and easily pulling her fiance onto her lap and embracing her fiercely. Ranma froze stock-still in her arms. "Akane?"

"It's okay," Akane said, closing her eyes as she pressed her cheek against the side of Ranma's neck, marveling at how different she felt in feminine form; soft, generous curves in contrast to the hard planes of muscles possessed by her masculine body, seemingly so fragile and vulnerable in her grief. "It's okay Ranma," she repeated.

Ranma started to shake, softly at first but growing stronger with each passing second. "Akane, please..."

"Shhh. It's okay."

"Akane, if you don't let go I'm gonna... Please, I don't wanna..."

"Shhh. Its okay, Ranma. Your father is an idiot – tears aren't all bad. It's okay."

A strangled gasp escaped Ranma as her shoulders quaked violently. She turned in Akane's lap and embraced her, burying her face in Akane's shoulder. "Ah! It hurts, Akane. It hurts so bad!"

"It's okay, Ranma." Akane began to rub slow circles on the small of Ranma's back. She smiled with sad fondness, remembering how Ranma had comforted her a few weeks ago after their fight at school.

"I nearly lost, Akane," said Ranma through her sobs. "It was such a close thing! I nearly lost mom; I nearly lost my name; I nearly lost..." she trailed off, fearing she had said too much.

"I know, Ranma," said Akane. She stroked her other hand through Ranma's crimson hair. "But you didn't. You won, and kept everything. You're Ranma Saotome, and in the end you always win." Akane laid back, pulling Ranma down with her, holding her close as she cried. Soon Ranma fell quiet and settled against Akane with a soft sigh. They lay together silently for a few minutes, Akane stroking her hair, still tenderly rubbing her back.

Ranma sighed again and gently pushed herself up and out of Akane's hug. She stared down into her fiancee's warm brown eyes, her expression one of wonder. "Thank you," she whispered. Cat-like, she gently touched her forehead to Akane's. She stood and jumped off the dojo to seek hot water.

Akane stayed alone on the roof a while longer, humming softly to herself as she smiled.

Author's Note

For those of you who have waited over five years for me to update this, I suggest you send a note of appreciation to Luna12, whose several kind reviews got me thinking about Ranma ½ again.

Cheers,

Jeremy Harper