Your Touch

A Ranma ½ Romance

by

Jeremy Harper

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

Chapter 8 – A New Intimacy

Ranma sat alone in the dojo, hunched against a wall, arms wrapped around his knees, his right hand clutching his left wrist. His blue eyes were smoldering slits and his mouth was twisted in a harsh scowl. He could not remember the last time he felt so angry. The old men had badgered him all day about Akane. While he and his fiancee had been careful with their physical interactions, they had not been able to completely conceal their new, gentler affection for each other. His father and Soun had finally noticed and had harangued him unceasingly, stating that the day was perfect for a formalization of the engagement, and that everyone had waited long enough for the two of them to grow up and accept their responsibility to the Schools.

Ranma bore their arguments with ill-grace until he finally exploded at them, but unfortunately in his fit of anger he fell back into bad habits, shouting that he would never marry a sexless, uncute tomboy like Akane. She heard him, of course, and that set off her temper. She came storming down from her bedroom, screaming that she did not want anything to do with a brainless, perverted jerk like him. This precipitated a tremendous row, the kind they had not had since coming home from Ryugenzawa. It ended with Ranma slapped stupid, Akane leaving the house in a fury, Soun bawling gushers of tears and Genma playing with a beach ball, pretending he was nothing more than an ordinary panda.

Ranma growled deep in the back of his throat, letting go of his wrist to rub a still-sore cheek. He was angry at the old fools for being so damn demanding and impatient, but even more he was angry at himself for allowing them to aggravate him to the point where he blindly lashed out at Akane. She did not deserve such treatment. He sighed deeply and pressed his face against his knees. Think I'd know better by now. Guess I really am a dummy.

He looked up at the sound of the dojo door sliding open to see Akane step inside, closing the door behind her and locking it. She walked to him, her expression tense and distressed, and Ranma cringed at the hurt look in her large brown eyes. She looked at him silently for a few moments then, with a deep sigh of her own, sat next to him, resting against the wall to his right. She reached out and took hold of his hand, squeezing it gently.

Ranma winced, his fiancee's gentle action intensifying his guilt more than anger or harsh words ever could. "Akane, I'm sorry."

"It's alright, Ranma," she answered softly.

Ranma shook his head. "No, it isn't. I shouldn't have said those things. It wasn't... I... ugh!" Ranma grimaced, frustrated with his incoherence.

"It's alright, Ranma," Akane repeated. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that. It's not like you were being deliberately mean. Daddy and Uncle Saotome had been provoking you for hours. Who is to say I would have acted any different if I had been the one they had been bothering?"

"Still-" Akane cut him off by turning sideways and putting her free hand over his mouth. Ranma glared at her, but she just giggled at his indignation.

"I think I like you better when you're being a jerk instead of acting all guilty," she drawled.

She dropped her hand from his mouth, putting it on his knees and pushing down slightly, encouraging him to straighten his legs. She straddled his lap, throwing her arms around his shoulders and hugging him, pressing her lithe body against his firm chest. Ranma sighed deeply. Her act of physical affection reassured him that she forgave him more than any words could. He wrapped his arms around Akane's waist and gently squeezed, touching his cheek to hers. She sighed appreciatively and nestled into him. He hugged her tighter, pressing his face into the crook of her neck. She responded by taking hold of his pig-tail, gently toying with it.

After a while Akane pulled away a little, leaning back in Ranma's arms, her hands on his shoulders. Ranma looked into her eyes as he ran fingertips up and down her spine. His breath caught in his throat and his heart began to beat strong and fierce against his ribs. Akane's eyes were bright and shining with invitation; he felt himself drawn to her inexorably, powerless to resist her warmth and beauty. He did not want to resist, not anymore. He leaned towards her, his eyes half-closing. Akane trembled in his arms and pulled herself toward him.

Their lips touched. An earthquake seemed to rock the dojo the instant they kissed, but Ranma eventually realized it was the thunder of his racing blood shaking his perceptions. He felt lighting-struck, fire-consumed, burning with a heat that didn't devour but instead invigorated. He felt as if he could do anything, be anything, just as long as he could keep kissing the beautiful girl in his lap.

After a few moments all too brief they pulled apart. Both of them breathed heavily, almost gasping for air. Ranma stared at Akane, a goofy grin forming on his face. Akane blushed deeply, her smile glorious.

"Wow," murmured Ranma.

"You can say that again," whispered Akane.

"Wow."

She giggled. "Dummy," she said affectionately, cupping his face with her hands and leaning forward for another kiss.

Author's Notes: After nearly eight years, we'll soon be finally creeping into territory that will justify this story's M rating. Woo-hoo!

Thanks once again to PurseMonger for her pre-reading, interest and support.