Chapter Nine: Rocky Relevations

Ranma

Warm morning sun drifted across her face, a light smile dusting her lips. Nesting against Akane, Ranma hummed happily to herself in her semi-sleep, too comfortable to think about waking up. Red hair drifted into her face, strands swinging as she breathed in and exhaled. Don't wanna get up…

Akane's eyes blinked open. "Ranma? Wha…"

"Too early," she mumbled, tucking her head tighter against the other girl's chest.

Akane tried to push her off, but Ranma refused to budge and she gave up after a minute. Sighing, her head fell back onto her pillow and she stared past the redhead out the window. "I'm sorry about last night. It's just… I've always wanted to take over the dojo, but not like this..."

Ranma shook her head. "'s not your fault, I blame the stupid panda." She let herself relax for another minute of peaceful silence, slowly mustering the willpower to get out of bed. Why don't I mind this? God, she's my fiancee and I'm cuddling her. Shoving down her uncertainty, she forced herself to sit up in bed, wild red hair spilling down into her face.

Akane groaned as Ranma clambered over her and got out of the bed. "I thought you didn't want to get up?"

Ranma battled with her warring emotions, contemplating what Akane had said as she pulled her pink shirt on. "If I'm going to really train you, you have to get up earlier," she said, deciding to ignore how she had been sleeping. Sis. She sees me as a third sister, that's what she said last night. She would never want me to be her girlfriend, she definitely doesn't want to marry me- wait a second.

Sister? Girlfriend? What the hell?

Frozen, Ranma looked from Akane to the door. I'm a guy. Who slept in his fiancee's bed last night. Uncertainly, he said, "I- You should change. I'll go get the dojo ready." She sleepily hummed in acknowledgment, and he slipped out of her room and into the hallway.

Instead of going to the dojo, he wandered into the furo and aimlessly found himself staring at the mirror. Flush cheeks, full blue eyes, bedhead: there was no way to deny that he looked like a girl. Reaching up, he tentatively reached up to touch his cheek before letting his hand drift back down the length of his body. I…

Disgust filled him, pooling like black oil on the curves of his chest. Yanking the hot water tap as far on as it would go, he grabbed a bowl from by the tub and dumped the water onto his head. Too hot, it hissed against his skin painfully and he winced as his form shifted and grew. To his dismay, the disgust didn't go away – it expanded, taking his breath away. Gripping the sink tightly, he fought the urge to go curl up in the corner. What the hell is wrong with me?

Using breathing techniques he had learned as a little kid, he calmed himself down enough to stumble away from the mirror and out of the bathroom. He desperately tried to clear his mind.

Training would make it all better. Teaching Akane to fight meant it would be at least a little while before he would have to think about, well, that again.

Akane

"Ranma's being weird again today."

Yuka and Akane both turned to look at Sayuri. The three girls were leaning against the fence during gym class, watching the games in front of them as they waited their turn. Frowning, Yuka whispered, "What do you mean?"

Sayuri shook her head. "I mean, he's been watching the girls play all class. He's not even trying, and he always tries in gym. Why do you think he's staring?"

The other two girls looked across the field, where sure enough Ranma had a distant gaze aimed in their general direction. Akane frowned at her friend; he was standing almost awkwardly at the edge of the field, barely going after the ball in the raging game of soccer behind him. "He was like that this morning. We tried to train but he got all weird and distracted." I mean, it's not like he isn't like this a lot, this is just… worse than usual.

"Maybe he's checking us out. He is a boy, after all..."

Sayuri frowned. "Yuka, I don't think that's..."

Akane had already turned bright red before she could finish her statement. Checking out girls? Other girls? He- Oh my god, I let him sleep in my bed last night! Is that why he was all cuddly this morning? Her temper flaring, she leaped to her feet and yelled, "Hey, Ranma!"

Ranma noticed her, noticeably perking up and walking towards her. Sayuri urgently tugged on her sleeve. "Akane, I don't think he was watching us like that."

She ignored her friend. "Why are you staring at the girls, huh? Stop being such a pervert!"

The instant she shouted it, she knew it had been the wrong thing to say. Ranma stopped short and a hurt expression filled his face. Everyone had turned to look at them when she had yelled, getting jeers from the boys and sending the girls into hushed whispers. He looked down in shame, then clenched his fists. In an instant, his downcast expression turned to anger, and he yelled back, "I wasn't staring, you dumb tomboy! In case you'd forgotten, I have a fiancee!"

"Ooh, he pulled the fiancee card," Yuka stage-whispered to Sayuri, who rolled her eyes and pulled Akane back down before she could throw a punch at him.

"Honestly, Akane, you're an idiot sometimes," she said forcefully, cutting her off. "I told you, I don't think he was staring like that."

"But-"

Sayuri shook her head. "He's our friend and you just called him out in front of the entire class." Akane had the decency to look ashamed at that. "See, he's already looking again. I think something's actually wrong."

"I-" Akane paused, and realization slowly dawned on her. "Oh."

"I know you have a short fuse, but I wonder sometimes," Yuka quipped, shaking her head as she leaned back. Akane flushed, clenching her fist behind her back, her anger flipping inwards in an instant.

Sayuri seemed to read her expression because she reached over and put a hand on her shoulder. "You should apologize."

I'm stupid. He's right, I am just a dumb tomboy who doesn't know how to keep her foot out of her mouth. Watching Ranma, she tried to catch his aimless gaze. When he noticed her staring back at her, he met her eyes for a moment before lowering his head and turning away.

Ranma

Awkward silence stretched between the two teens as they walked home together. Ranma was having trouble balancing on the fence again. The pressure on his chest hadn't gone away at all; if anything, it had gotten worse as the day had stretched on. He couldn't focus, couldn't balance, couldn't fight properly, and it was driving him insane. To make matters worse, his thoughts kept drifting back to the morning; first waking up, then Akane-

"I'm sorry." Abrupt: that was the only way to describe how his fiancee had blurted out the apology before sharply looking away at a passing couple.

Ranma bit his lip, desperately trying to reign in his temper. She's apologizing, don't do anything stupid! I don't want to be alone again!

I don't want to be alone again. It was too raw, realizing the truth – before coming to Nerima he had been alone. Now, he had friends! Akane, Sayuri, even Yuka when she wasn't trying to get gossip out of him. "Why? Why would you call me… that in front of the whole class?"

Akane sucked in breath. "I- Sayuri noticed you were staring at the girls and I- I just kind of assumed..."

"When have I ever done anything like that? I'm not Pops! Is that all you see me as?" Ranma asked, his anger bleeding into his tone.

But you are a pervert, a voice in the back of his mind whispered. You wanted to stay in your cursed form this morning.

I am not and I did not! he raged back, furiously blinking back the prickling sensation at the corner of his eyes. I am a man among men, not some stupid weak girly who enjoys cuddling her best friend or wearing her shirts or-

Shut up shut up shut up!

If Akane was saving him from his spiraling thoughts, it was a sick salvation, he mused. "I didn't think, Ranma," she said softly, completely oblivious to his internal conflict. "I- When I noticed, I thought you- I thought the only reason you stayed with me last night was to take advantage of me, and-"

"Idiot," he scoffed harshly, and she flinched. "You were crying and I wasn't gonna let you just cry while I was trying to sleep in the same room! What kinda asshole would do that? Besides, you're my best friend, so maybe think about that the next you call me a pervert!" Cause that's all I think of me.

OH MY GOD STOP THINKING! Ranma contemplated jumping into the river, maybe that would fix his broken thoughts.

Definitely not because he wanted to change forms.

What the hell is wrong with me?

Akane sniffed slightly. "You're right. I am just a dumb tomboy who doesn't even deserve to be friends with you. You probably don't even want to train me anymore-"

"Nah, I'll still train you. I just-" He took a deep breath. "I just want you to trust me. I mean, if you don't I can just move back into Pop's room-"

"No!" Akane shouted, then flushed slightly. "I- I just- I have issues, issues with boys, you know- You, you're, well, you, but it's still hard sometimes, okay?"

Boys. Narrowing his eyes, he snapped, "So I'm just a boy? Living in the same house for a month hasn't meant anything?"

Akane hurriedly shook her head as he dropped down from the fence. "No, you aren't. I mean, half the time you barely even act like a boy- Oh, shit, please don't take that the wrong way, you're a man among men and all that bu- Ranma, I- You know about my temper," she ended on a pleading note, crossing her arms over her chest and trying to meet his eyes.

I don't even act like a boy half the time? What's that supposed to mean?

It means you're not a man among man, you're a per-

Ranma seriously wanted to bang his head against the wall. Trying to steady himself, he forced himself to think rationally. She's in therapy, you know that. Just accept her apology, it's not like she was wrong about you anyways. "I- um, okay, I guess. Can you just, y'know, tell the other kids that I'm not, okay? Please? Because- I'm just- It's not true, okay?"

"Of course I will," she said hurriedly, trying to stop him from stumbling over his own words. "I already told the other girls I was overreacting in the locker room, I can try to tell the boys too. Look, really, I'm sorry-"

Acting on an impulse, Ranma shuffled closer and gave her an awkward one-armed hug. "I know, 'Kane. I just… I'm glad you're around 'n stuff."

She blushed and looked away. "R-right. Thank you, Ranma."

As they passed Dr. Tofu's clinic, Ranma found his gaze lingering on the faded sign. Maybe Tofu'll know what's wrong. Maybe he can help… He did say I could come whenever I needed to talk…

Pervert.

Shaking his head, Ranma turned away without giving the doctor another thought.

Nabiki

"Ranma, Akane, I have to tell you two something."

There – that was it, the dreaded words were out of Nabiki's mouth. Now she just had to deal with the consequences.

Ranma and Akane had been quietly talking to each other at the end of the table so Genma and Soun weren't able to eavesdrop. Now they both looked up, and Akane asked, "What is it, sis?"

She took a deep sigh. "You know how we haven't been doing well, right? Financially?"

"Yeah?"

"Ever since Mommy died, I've been the only one supporting the household. First it was a part-time job, then it was two part-time jobs. We- We weren't doing great, but we got by." Seeing their frowns, she said, "About six months ago, it wasn't enough anymore. I had to do something more."

Akane narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean, 'something more?'"

"I…" Ranma gave her a pointed glance as she trailed off, and she hesitantly said, "I've been taking pictures. And selling them. Of both of you."

Ranma and Akane stared at her blankly as Genma and Kasumi both gawked at the middle sister. "To who?" Ranma asked, his eyes narrowing.

Nabiki was barely whispering at this point. "Well, to… to the boys in my class, mostly them, but… my main customer was, uh, Kuno."

There was a moment of silence, and then Akane exploded. "YOU'VE BEEN SELLING PICTURES OF ME TO KUNO?!" she shrieked, almost in disbelief.

"And me?" Ranma echoed, and she nodded in shame.

"So that- that p-" Catching herself, Akane shot Ranma a guilty look and said, "monster has seen my, well-"

"No, I would never!" Nabiki yelled, not missing Soun's significant look. "I mean, I only took pictures of you exercising, Akane. And Ranma, I-"

"You what?" Ranma growled dangerously.

"It was only your female form," she muttered. "You never seemed to care, so I- I never took full on you-know-whats, I- Kuno told me he wouldn't pay unless I gave him more, and I- I stopped, I talked to Daddy, I- I'm sorry!"

To her surprise, it was Ranma who pushed away from the table unsteadily and sprinted out of the house. She turned to Akane only to find utter betrayal written on her face. "I can't believe this. Kuno- I thought you were my sister," she snarled, then ran after Ranma.

Nabiki turned to Kasumi, who only shook her head. Voice dead, she said, "You knew."

"You're right… You were supporting our family," she said quietly, turning back to the dishes. "I've been doing Mother's job when I should have been working. It- I knew it wasn't right, but if I leave the house untended..."

"All three of us are to blame," Soun said, bowing her head. "You did the right thing, Nabiki. I should never have let my daughters take up all the responsibility in this family just because your Mother left us. When we start holding classes again, hopefully I can begin making up for lost time."

That was too much for Nabiki, and she finally allowed herself to start crying for the first time since her mother's death. Her Ice Queen persona melted away, and she found herself clinging to Soun as Kasumi comfortingly rubbed her back. "I… I miss her, Daddy. I miss Mommy," she sobbed.

"We know, Nabs," Kasumi said, holding back tears herself. "We all do."

The Tendos held each other for a while longer, before eventually breaking apart. Nabiki had calmed down when Soun shifted his focus to Genma. "I apologize, Genma, for the shame my family has brought you under my own roof."

Genma didn't look disturbed, though; he looked pensive. "It's not a big deal, old friend. At least the boy got something of value out of that curse of his."

Nabiki and Kasumi shared a disturbed glance – even Soun seemed slightly put out by that response. If it wasn't a big deal, then why did he run out before Akane?

Ranma

Ranma didn't know where he was running to, but it didn't matter because he didn't get very far. Stopping short, he unloaded his dinner into their neighbor's hedge, dry-heaving as he gripped the scraggly boughs.

He wasn't just angry, no. He felt violated, like he wanted to curl up into a tiny ball and cry. Out of his control, his fist swirled with ki as he punched the bush, blasting a hole through the shrub. This isn't my body, I'm being like a stupid weak girl, I shouldn't even care, it's just a curse, I'm a man among men, this is the exact same stupid shit I've been saying all day and it never ever ever ever ever ends.

"Ranma! Ranma! Calm down, please, let me talk to you!" Vaguely realizing that he was hyperventilating, Ranma tried to take deep heaving breaths to calm himself down. Unable to speak, he hugged Akane, who returned it without a second thought.

He needed to cry, he couldn't cry. It felt like everything he felt was happening at a distance, blocked by some indistinct shadowy mass he couldn't break through. How will she ever know that if I can't tell her? I don't even want to cry, I'm not supposed to cry, I haven't cried since-

He couldn't think about falling in the river now. If he did, he instinctively knew he would never be able to put his life back together again.

"I'm angry at her too," Akane was saying. "Look, we can deal with her and Kuno. Can you just come upstairs with me? We'll both feel better if we get a little bit of sleep, okay?"

The next events seemed to happen in a daze. Somehow, Ranma nodded and the next thing he knew they were sneaking back in the front and up the stairs, away from where he could hear Nabiki faintly crying in the kitchen. Akane led him back to their room to get ready for bed, and at some point he found himself stumbling into the furo.

The pigtailed boy in the mirror was the same boy he'd been seeing his entire life, but he looked at him now with a new intensity. Things were wrong – since when had his shoulders been so wide, his cheekbones so pronounced? His hand drifted down to the faucet, and he hesitated for a moment before dumping the cold water over his head.

As he changed, the pressure and discomfort he had constantly been feeling all day lifted in an instant. He gasped at the sheer euphoria that filled him with the change, stripping away every emotional defense he had and leaving him vulnerable as the memories of the day came rushing back to him.

In that moment, Ranma knew he would never truly be a man, or maybe even male at all.

Stop being such a pervert! Akane's voice seemed to ring in his mind.

Akane ran from her room to the furo as Ranma burst into hysterics. Helping the sobbing and confused martial artist up, she helped him back into her room and set him down on her bed. Neither of them questioned it when she got under the covers after him. Whispering comforting things to him, she tried to calm him down but only succeeded in helping him cry himself to sleep.

You're a man among men. You'll never be a girl!

[A/N] It's been a second, hasn't it? Thank you for everyone who read this story while I was away, you all rock! I finally got my life back in order and I got to a place where I was ready to write this story again, so cheers to that!

Related note – thank you for one hundred followers! All of you are great, thank you! Thanks also have to go out to flairina, Armiture, James Birdsong, Qistiko, James1996, Siatru, and Raineh Daze for reviewing, y'all rock!

Please review, your feedback means the world to me :)

Signing out, Allie