A Night Alone
A work of Ranma fanfiction. 
By David Myers 

All characters owned by Rumiko Takahashi and Viz blah blah blah. Not 
intended to infringe upon any ones rights etc etc.


All was quiet in Nerima as Genma and Ranma Saotome made their way 
through the empty streets.   Their training trip had lasted just over 
three weeks and the intense training had left the two feeling bone 
tired.  Ranma led the way eagerly choosing the quickest path back to 
the Tendo Dojo.  
"What's the hurry Ranma my boy?" Genma asked mockingly.  
"No reason, I'm just eager to get home..."
"..and see Akane hey boy?"
"Don't be ridiculous, why would I wanna see that Uncute Tomboy type 
anyway." Ranma growled angrily "I just wanna soak in the bath. Hanging
out with you for three weeks is bad enough, but having to put up with
that smell you make when you're in Panda mode. Urrgh  I think I've 
still got it all over my clothes."
"Foolish boy!" Genma scolded. "Why can't you just admit to your 
feelings for Akane and let nature take its course." Ranma shook his 
head dismissivily.
"I think I've had enough NATURE over the last three weeks to last me 
a life time."
"Listen to me Ranma my boy, and hear your fathers advice."  Genma 
stopped and pointed at Ranma dramatically savoring the moment.  
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder."  Genma nodded at his profound 
statement, and watched his son's reaction.  Ranma for his part stared 
at his father clearly confused.
"What the heck are you talking about!"
"It could be that in your absence, Akane might actually have missed 
you."
"Well frankly who could blame her." Ranma replied cockily.
"Gyah foolish boy.  If you return now, you'll just get into another 
fight and all my hard work over the last three weeks will have been 
for nothing.  I think another two weeks in the forest might teach you 
the manners I failed to beat into you over the last three. C'mon.". 
Genma turned regally and began striding down the street, back the way 
they had come. Ranma stared in surprise for a minute, watching his 
fathers back before his face contorted into anger as his words sunk 
in.   He leapt into the air and kneed his old man in the back of the 
head angrily.
"You mean to say this whole training journey was some excuse cooked 
up by you and Mr Tendo to get Akane and I to miss each other?" Ranma 
shouted angrily. "I've gone through three weeks of intense training 
for THAT!" Genma from the ground adjusted his glasses.
"We thought that three weeks might be a good time to beat some 
manners into you."
"Just wonderful pop! Who was suppose to teach me these manners?  You? 
And what kind of a place is a forest to teach good manners."
"Well I admit, that it's probably not the best...." Ranma kicked his 
father in the face. 
 "I'm going home old man with or without you."   With that he leapt 
up onto a nearby wall and ran ahead before his father could hit him 
in the back of the head with a sign or something.  
"Ranma! Come back here! I'm not done with your manners training yet." 
Genma yelled and leapt up onto the fence in pursuit. Laughing Ranma 
led his father on a merry chase across the Nerima district.  Finally 
the two arrived at the gates to the Dojo and Ranma ran from the wall 
until he arrived at the steps of the Front door.  He slid the door 
open and saw Kasumi straightening in the front entrance, having just 
put on her shoes. 
 "Why  hello Ranma welcome home." Kasumi greeted the two smiling.  
Ranma looked at her in surprised, noticing her heavy coat and a 
travelling bag by her legs.  Genma skidded to a halt behind  Ranma 
and looked down at the eldest Tendo sister.
"Hello Kasumi, are you going somewhere?" Genma inquired politely, if 
not somewhat out of breath.  Nabiki full of pep rounded the corner.  
"Fact is Kasumi and I have been invited to a hot spring for the 
weekend.  We were just about to leave, so whilst I hate to be rude, 
it's time for us to go." 
"Hot spring?" Ranma asked somewhat confused.
"Oh Ranma I almost forgot.  While you were gone some of your little 
friends came by." Kasumi said almost as an afterthought.  "Ukyo 
wanted to know where you had gone, and said she'd catch up with you 
when you got back."  Ranma nodded smiling.  Kasumi continued smiling 
cheerfully the whole time. "Kuno said that you were a cowardly curr 
who obviously had fled to escape his vengeful wrath. Ryoga and Mousse 
both said they would kill you when they see you next, although Ryoga 
did say he would first send you to a hell so deep you would never see 
the light of day ever again. Kodatchi wanted to know if this Saturday 
or the next would be better for your engagement party, whilst Shampoo 
wants you to beat up Mousse and take her back to China as your bride. 
I think that's all of them." She finished still smiling.  Ranma had 
completely face faulted and his clothes hung loosely from his body as 
he stared at Kasumi in shock.
"Well now that you're up to date, time for us to go. Ta ta Ranma." 
Nabiki cried leading the way.  
"We'll see you tommorrow then." Kasumi added and started off after 
her sister.
"Ah Saotome you've returned.  Good good." Soun Tendo observed. "I 
thought we might go out for  some sake to celebrate your return." 
Genma looked at him surprised.
"Well it's a nice thought Tendo, but I must admit I wouldn't mind 
taking a quick bath first." Genma answered.
"Ah Saotome you don't quite understand.  With Kasumi gone for the 
night that means that the duties of cooking are left to...."
"Sake it is!" Genma cried enthusiastically as he about faced and 
began striding off for the Dojo gates.
"Hey what about me?" Ranma cried in alarm. 
"Be serious boy we can't take you out for Sake you're too young.  
Besides it would mess with your training." Genma scolded
"Yes Ranma, it's a husbands duty to savor the cooking of his wife." 
Soun added
"What the?"
"Yes a nice Romantic evening for two is just what the doctor ordered 
hey Tendo!" Genma cried
"HAHAHAHA why yes it is Saotome, I couldn't agree more HAHAHAHAHA." 
Soun agreed.
"WHO'D WANT A ROMANTIC EVENING ALONE WITH THAT SEXLESS... *mmphh*"  
Soun quickly clamped his hand over Ranma's mouth. 
"Son shhhh!" He warned "Tonights your chance to get to first base 
with Akane.  Who knows if you play your cards right you might even 
get all the way."
"MR TENDO!!!!" Ranma cried, quite shocked.  
"Initiative son!  That's the key initiative."
"Well let's go Tendo, that Sake's getting cold." Genma cried and the 
two ran off like a couple of school boys leaving Ranma standing by 
the front door in a state of shock.  He stood in silence for a moment,
considering his options when Akane appeared around the corner.  She 
smiled as she saw him, but the smile dropped when she saw the look of 
fear etched upon his face.
"Hi... what's wrong?" She asked somewhat concerned.
"Nothing, nothing's wrong, Nothing at all." Ranma stuttered out 
nervously "I'm fine, yes good, never better, glad to be back.  Yeah 
good, nothing wrong at all...how... how are you?" Akane frowned.
"You're acting pretty strange Ranma. Where's dad and Mr Saotome?"
"Uh they left, went out for some Sake."
"Oh, and after I put all that work in as well. Well I hope you're 
hungry." Ranma laughed somewhat nervously.
"No not really." He replied tactically.
"Well we're eating enough food for four tonight. Kasumi and Nabiki 
have gone to the Hotsprings, so I cooked enough for you, my Dad and 
your dad. Since there's only you and I, well I hope you find your 
appetite soon  " Ranma felt sick just thinking about it. "You better 
go wash up." Ranma winced slightly as Akane stared at him.  Maybe he 
could insult her cooking and she could beat him up.  That would get 
him out of it. Being malleted was much more preferable to being 
subjected to that poison that Akane tried to pass off as food.  
Surprisingly though when he opened his mouth, not a single insult 
sprang to mind.  Not one.  He racked his brain thinking of something 
to hit her with but nothing would come.  
Instead he found himself saying "Umm I'm kinda on the nose, mind if 
I take a bath first." Akane frowned before leaning in slightly 
towards him and sniffing.  
"Wow you're not kidding. Yeah I think you better, I'll be in the 
kitchen if you need me."
"Uh yeah O.K"  Ranma smiled and made his way into the bathroom. 
 Here was his chance, all he had to do was squeeze out the window, 
dash off and he could grab some Okinomiyaki at Ucchan's.  Smiling he 
opened the sliding door to the bathroom and after closing it behind 
him leapt up onto the Bath tub, opened the window and vaulted up 
trying to squeeze through.
"Ranma!" Akane cried. Ranma froze, preparing to be caught.
"Uh yeah?"
"I left some spare towels outside for you. The others are in the 
wash."
"Oh ahh O.K. Thanks." He replied lamely.
"I'll be in the Kitchen"  He returned to his task and prepared 
himself as he pushed through the narrow space.  Yep Ucchans cooking 
was preferable to Akane's any day of the week.  Sure Akane would be 
mad at him for ditching her but.... Suddenly Ranma stopped as he 
thought through the implications of what he was doing.
  Akane would wait for him by the table with all her food, alone.  
She'd wait awhile wondering why it was taking him so long.  Then 
she'd probably wait a little longer, feeling hungrier and hungrier, 
wondering if he was O.K.  Concerned she'd probably check on him, 
calling in tentatively to see if he was O.K. Reluctantly she'd open 
the door and where she'd see the empty bathroom, and would be witness 
to his betrayal.  
Ranma knew that even as guys went, he was pretty insensitive, often 
speaking before thinking, thereby more often than not putting his 
foot in his mouth.  But despite this fault he wasn't totally 
heartless.  "I must be outta my mind." He muttered as he pulled 
himself back into the bathroom. 
 Sighing heavily he started the bath and began stripping off throwing 
his clothes into the Hamper.     He picked up a bucket of cold water 
and dumped into over his head.  There was a tingle as his body 
changed, shifting, altering.  Expanding in some places contracting in 
others.  She sighed heavily as she picked up the bar of soap and 
began scrubbing herself.  "Jeeze the things I go through." Ranma 
muttered to herself.  Dumping another bucket of cold water over her 
body, she shivered as the soap suds splashed off her feminine curves. 
Standing she entered the Hot bath and he sank into the steaming water 
as his body returned to normal.  
The hot water worked it's magic as Ranma felt the muscles in his body 
relax and surrendered to the weariness that had built up over the 
last three weeks.  He soaked leisurely for several minutes enjoying 
the hot water that seemed to sap the strength from his body.  It 
burned his skin refreshingly and he dunked his head under the water 
enjoying the blistering sensation against his face and lips.  
Resurfacing Ranma struggled to his feet, and then dried himself with 
the towel.  Wrapping it around his waist he wandered out of the bath 
room into the cool air of the hall.  
"Akane, I'm just gunna get changed!" He called out.
"Oh sure thing Ranma." Akane replied softly from the other end of the 
hall.  He frowned as she gazed at him, feeling a little uncomfortable 
under her intense scrutiny.  
"Wha?" He asked uncertainly.
"Nothing."  She said whimsically and turned, a faint smile on her 
lips, making her way back towards the living room.  Shaking his head, 
the half naked Ranma climbed the stairs and entered his room before 
changing into his Chinese clothes.  Finally he stole himself, "No 
point putting off the inevitable," and with a manly "Yooorsh" He 
strode through the hall, and down the stairs.
"Oh you're here." Akane said brightly as he entered the living room.  
"Uh yeah." He replied staring at her uncertainly. He was a deer 
caught in the headlights. 
"I thought maybe you'd tried to escape out a window or something.." 
Akane said smiling and then she giggled at her own joke.  Ranma 
laughed nervously with her smiling stupidly.  
"Aw C'mon Akane gimme a little credit." He murmured.
"Sit down, I haven't seen you in three weeks." She said.  Ranma 
stepped back in shock his fathers words replaying themselves over in 
his mind. 

**"Listen to me Ranma my boy, and hear your fathers advice."  Genma 
stopped and pointed at Ranma dramatically savoring the moment.  
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder."  Genma nodded at his profound 
statement, and watched his son's reaction
"What the heck are you talking about!"
"It could be that in your absence, Akane might actually have missed 
you........."

"Whoa could it be that.. she really did miss me?" He thought 
surprised.
"Are you gunna sit down or not?" Instinctively he obeyed seating 
himself by the table.  "What's with you tonight Ranma?" Surprised he 
shook his head.
"Uh Nuthin' just tired I guess." He said lamely.
"Well be sure to eat up." Akane replied heaping a serving of stew 
onto his plate.  Still suffering somewhat from shock at this new 
revelation, Ranma continued staring at Akane and mechanically 
retrieved some stew with his chopstick and shoved it in his mouth 
without thinking. Ranma shuddered dropping his chopsticks in the 
process. Reflex took over and he spat the stew out which flew across 
the room and hit Akane in the face.
"Gods  what kinda toxic waste is that?" He  spluttered "It's even 
worse than that cake you tried to make last month, that one bite 
nearly killed me." Akanes face contorted in anger.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" She yelled
"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME ON PURPOSE?" Ranma yelled in response.
"HOW DARE YOU! HERE I AM TRYING TO BE NICE AND MAKE YOU A HOMECOOKED 
MEAL...."
"OH YEAH REAL NICE.  I GO AWAY FOR THREE WEEKS AND THE NIGHT I GET 
BACK YOU TRY TO KILL ME.  I'M SO LUCKY I HAVE SOMEONE SO NICE LOOKIN' 
OUT FOR ME!" Ranma interrupted. As soon as he said it though he knew 
he'd screwed up. Ranma watched as the fury on Akanes face disappeared 
and was replaced, by something else.  With tears in her eyes she 
jumped up and ran from the table.  Ranma half rose to his feet as she 
leapt up the stairs her racking sobs punctuated by her feet slamming 
into the wooden floor. "Akane.. wait..."
"Ranma no Baka." She cried as she disappeared up the stairs.  A 
second later a door slammed and Ranma winced at the sound.  He stared 
up the stairwell for awhile before closing his eyes and shaking his 
head.  
"Damn!"

"Akane.. Akane I'm sorry." He said sitting his back set up against 
the wall outside Akane's room.
"Go away!" She yelled through her closed door.
"It just took me by surprise that's all.  I over reacted...."  He 
waited for a reply.  He didn't get one.  "Jeeze Akane I can only say 
I'm sorry so many times."
"Then stop saying it." She yelled through the closed door.  
"Jeeze why do girls have to be so moody all the time." He muttered to 
himself.  He rose to his feet and regarded the door silently.  His 
heart genuinely filled with regret despite his harsh words. "Akane....
I'm honestly, really sorry." He said to the closed door softly.  He 
waited a moment, unsure if she'd heard him or not and then turned and 
walked down the stairs. 
 It was all so frustrating, just when it looked like they might have 
a chance to enjoy each other's company he had to run off at the mouth 
and ruin it all. "Still it's not all my fault" he thought "I know she 
was trying to be nice but she knows I hate her cooking.  I've 
certainly told her enough times.  I dunno why she can't just give up. 
Make life a whole lot more pleasant for both of us, since she 
wouldn't have to keep  ambushing me with all that toxic waste she 
calls food." He shuddered as he walked through the Living room 
staring at the various colored poisons that littered the table.  
Muttering he walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge looking 
for something that wouldn't kill him if he ate it.
  Finding an apple he bit into it and regarded the huge mess that 
covered much of the kitchen.  "Wow I guess she put in a lot of work 
into this."  He said whistled softly to himself.  He counted at least 
seven different pots and pans and massive quantities of discarded, 
burnt or ruined food hidden in the trash which was nearly full.  
"Yikes." He muttered.  Feeling a little guilty.  He turned and stared 
out into the living room at the table of abandoned food.  Sighing 
heavily he again bit into his apple.

"Ranma no baka, Ranma no baka, Ranma no baka."  Akane cried over and 
over to herself.  She had tried so hard today. Spent hour after hour 
in the kitchen slaving away, discarding the food she knew to be no 
good. For once washing the pans before reusing them, applying every 
correct technique she'd learnt over the last  year.  One bite, just 
one bite from just one of her dishes and he was criticizing her. 
After one bite he made up for three weeks of fighting with one 
comment.
Tears fell from her eyes as she thought about how hard she had 
worked.  How long she had practiced, hoping, praying she could 
surprise him with a decent meal.  One that wouldn't send him fleeing 
for the sink.  His words bit into her, hurting her to her very core.  
Sometimes... sometimes he could be so cruel without even realizing 
it. "Ranma no baka" she sobbed. 
 She lay there like that for a while. Sobbing and weeping. Staring 
about the room at nothing.  Slightly disappointed that P-chan wasn't 
hiding somewhere. As usual the small little black pig was nowhere to 
be found.  She longed to hold him and tell him all her problems.  He 
was a good listener hanging on her every word as if he understood 
them.  Cheering her up with his little squeals of delight as she 
scratched his belly.  Acting almost modestly when he walked in on her 
naked. Getting little nosebleeds whenever she hugged him to her 
chest.  She frowned wondering why it was he did that. 
He was her friend and confidant, and what's more he seemed to, for 
reasons unknown, regard Ranma as his mortal enemy.  But he was also a 
fickle pig, coming and going as he pleased.  Appearing in the 
strangest places and then wandering off at every opportunity.  Akane 
often wondered if he had other homes to go to.  Other places he lived,
when he wasn't at the Dojo.  She supposed he must since he spent more 
time away from the Dojo than he did in it.  But when he was here he 
regarded the place as home.  She longed for him, longed to hug him to 
her and scratch his ears, listening to his little piggy laugh as she 
tickled him. Akane smiled as she thought of her pet and the tears 
slowly stopped to a trickle.      
She sat up and wiped her eyes clear with her sleeve.  The make up 
that she wore had smudged, and she muttered angrily thinking Ranma 
probably hadn't even noticed that she'd made the effort.  She 
wondered why she had, what had possessed her to try.  She must have 
been crazy.  Slowly she rose and sitting at her dresser wiped her 
face clean with a rag, removing the smeared makeup.  She stared at 
her reflection, composing herself. 
"Well the dishes aren't going to clean themselves." She whispered and 
stood making her way out of her room.  She walked softly down the 
hall, composing her face into a disapproving pout.  Which she fully 
intended to hit Ranma with.  Stealing herself she almost regally 
descended the stairs, preparing to bombard him with her cold fury.  
She stopped though as she reached the bottom of the stairs and 
watched in disbelief at the scene before her.  
Ranma sat at the table, his back to her, a set of chopsticks in his 
hand.  He had a large lump of rice and a bit of squid balanced 
precariously within the chopstick.  He paused for a minute before 
shoveling the food into his mouth.  After a second he twitched, and 
reached quickly for the glass of water, which he drowned in one gulp. 
"Bleeuughhh I'm gunna need some more water."  He muttered softly to 
himself.   Akane looked down at the table, noticing that over half 
the food had been eaten.  He turned suddenly seeing Akane for the 
first time, a guilty look on his face.  "Akane....." Akane watched 
him tears welling up in her eyes.  "Hey...I... well.... I.. I.."
"Oh Ranma!  Thankyou thankyou thankyou." She cried throwing  herself 
into his chest as she again burst out crying. She wrapped her arms 
around him and wept with tears of joy.  Ranma his arms free could 
only stare down at her, unsure whether or not he should return her 
embrace.  He sat awkwardly for nearly a minute as Akane cried herself 
out.  "Ranma... you don't know what this means to me." She said 
looking up at him tenderly.
"Akane.." Ranma said uncertainly
"Ranma?"
"Can you help me outside. I think I'm gunna be sick." Akane's face 
darkened.
"Baka!" She thought as she helped her fiancee to his feet.  Ranma 
stumbled once or twice as the two made their way outside.  He 
collapsed onto the veranda and took long deep breaths of the fresh 
air.  "You O.K Ranma?"
"Uh yeah.... I think I'll be O.K."
"Alright then I better go inside and clean up."
"Akane...."
"Yes Ranma."
"Could you... well... could you stick around for a little while. I 
could use some company, take my mind off my stomach." Akane knew that 
she probably should have been angry at Ranma for that last comment, 
but she accepted his request with little protest.
"Are you sure you're O.K Ranma?"
"I'll be fine." Ranma groaned.  
"O.K, well what would you like to talk about?" Akane asked, seating 
herself beside him.
"Anything." Ranma moaned "You choose." Akane thought for a minute 
trying to think of something to talk about.  It was so rare that the 
two of them just talked without arguing that for a few moments she 
was completely stumped as to what to talk about.
"How did you're training go?" She finally asked. Ranma looked up at 
her for a minute, and then he broke into an amused smile.  He started 
chuckling to himself and then he broke into a laugh.  Akane frowned 
at him thinking that he was making fun of her or something.
"A complete failure, Pop sent me out there to teach me some manners." 
Ranma chuckled.
"Manners?" Akane asked incredulously. "Somehow I can't imagine your 
father teaching classes on etiquette or proper dining procedures."
"I know, it was another one of Pop's half baked ideas that he didn't 
think through."
"Like Neko-fu?" Ranma's face darkened visibly and he spoke softly in 
a cold voice.
"Yes like Neko-fu." Akane cringed slightly and changed the subject.
"So what kind of training did you do?" Ranma snapped out of his surly 
mood and turned to her.
"Ah, well nothing to do with manners. I actually spent a lot of time 
trying to perfect this technique that Ryoga has down."
"You tried to perfect one of Ryoga's techniques?"
"Yeah, I dunno if it's a side effect of another of his other 
techniques like, the endurance benefits from the Bakusai Tenketsu.  
But, last time we fought Ryoga was using his Chi in a way that I've 
only seen a few really good Martial artists do.  He has a kind of 
inner balance thing down, I don't really know how to describe it.  
The only other people I've seen who also use it are Happosai and 
Cologne, no wait Kirin and Epiten had it down too, now that I think 
about it. It's a fantastic form, but I just can't seem to get the 
hang of it. I'd love to know who taught it to him." Akane watched as 
his face filled with passion as he talked. "I mean I can still beat 
him, but he's throwing punches with so much more ease than he was 
before, I wish I could figure out how he does it."
"Why not just ask him to teach you." Ranma looked at Akane strangely.
"I can't do that."
"Why not?"
"Well for one thing we're rivals, he wouldn't teach me any of his 
techniques and I wouldn't teach him any of mine. That's not how it 
works."
"Ranma, I've been meaning to ask you this for awhile, why do the two 
of you fight?" Ranma fidgeted nervously.
"Well, ahh..."
"Can you give me a straight answer for once, please." Ranma took a 
deep breath.
"No I can't." Akane looked at him angrily "I did something to Ryoga a 
long time ago.  He's embarrassed about it now, and would really 
rather you didn't know about it.  He'd die if you ever found out. 
Because... because it's my fault that this thing happened to him, I 
figure that I owe him enough to at least keep his secret.   I'm... 
I'm sorry Akane. I'd like to tell you, but I cant."  Ranma stared at 
his feet guiltily. Akane was still dissatisfied, but she knew the 
emphasis Ranma placed on honor.  Whilst she still wanted to know, she 
knew that Ranma wouldn't reveal anything else about it tonight.  So 
rather than get angry over it, she let the matter drop.
"It's nice to have a night alone for once isn't it." She whispered 
staring up into the starry sky.  
"Yeah.. yeah..." He replied still examining his socks. They sat that 
way in silence for awhile, neither saying anything.  Each content to 
nervously enjoy the moment and each other.  
"I wonder is he going to try to kiss me tonight?" Akane thought.  She 
blinked for a moment, wondering where the hell that had come from. 
She sighed as the thought sank in.  "Probably not, I doubt he has the 
guts.  The mood is right. Maybe... maybe he would if I encouraged him 
a little." Then before she knew what she was doing..
"Ranma..." Akane said blushing slightly. "You looked really... well 
handsome tonight... coming out of the bathroom I mean." Shocked Ranma 
turned his face full of surprise. Akane's colored slightly, under his 
gaze. "What?" She demanded angrily as he looked at her strangely.
"Nu..Nothing..." He replied "umm.. yeah thanks, you didn't look so 
bad yourself." He mumbled. Akane smiled at this and reached out, 
taking Ranma's hand in her own. 
"Ranma.."
"Akane.." The two paused unsure of what was suppose to come next.  
Akane tipped her head up slightly and waited expectantly.  "It's now 
or never." She thought "Please don't let anyone burst in and ruin it."
Ranma stared down at her face, their bodies inches from each other.  
Akane tentatively leaned slightly forward tipping her chin further 
up invitingly.  Ranma continued to stare down at her, his face 
nervous.  He began to bite on his lower lip, his eyes were a little 
full of fear. 
Akane stared up at him waiting vulnerably. She licked her lips 
nervously as seconds ticked by.  "Please Ranma, please do it." She 
thought, her heart beating at a million miles an hour. But Ranma just 
continued to stare at her his face twitching in apprehension and 
confusion over his conflicting feelings. He exhaled heavily and 
slowly began to move his head towards her.  Lowering it and adjusting 
the angle of his face to match hers. She could feel his breath upon 
her lips, and his smell engulfed her.  The distance closed intimately 
between the two until... Ranma pulled away and returned to the 
examination of his socks.  Hurt Akane also pulled away, and somewhat 
embarrassed also began examining her socks.  "Baka baka baka baka." 
She thought irritably.  Ranma buried his face in his hands in 
frustration   "Why Ranma, do you hate me that much." She thought to 
herself quietly as she rubbed the tears from her eyes.  
Suddenly without warning and with alarming speed Ranma grabbed her 
shoulders roughly and threw her to the ground.  Akane shocked hit her 
head against the floorboards and stunned watched as Ranma leapt onto 
her.  Her body reacted instinctively, but not the way Ranma would 
have hoped.
Had Akane been a normal girl Ranma, would have easily succeeded in 
kissing her, but despite the fact that Akane was vastly outclassed by 
a number of the various residents of Nerima, she was still a 
formidable martial artist.  Her instincts took over as Ranma leapt 
onto her and her hand struck him in the chin, as she defended 
herself.  Shocked Ranma fell back onto the ground clutching his jaw 
tenderly, and Akane shuffled fearfully away from him staring with 
wide eyes. 
"Akane.. I'm... I'm......" Akane turned and ran before he could 
finish his sentence. She ran wildly out into the street and kept 
running blindly.  She had to get away, and calm down.  She pounded 
through the streets turning corners as her instincts took her through 
Nerima to a place she could feel safe. She stopped as she reached Dr 
Tofu's office and stood panting heavily by the gate. With slight 
disappointment she noticed the lights were not even on.    She turned 
in despair and leaned heavily against the sign.
Why? Why had he done that?  He'd literally forced himself onto her 
and tried to... tried to... tried to kiss her.  She stared blindly 
ahead in realization.  He'd tried to kiss her.  Wasn't that what she 
had secretly wanted him to do?  Hadn't she only a minute before 
silently prayed that he would? Hadn't she invited him to do as much? 
Almost throwing herself at him.  Why then? Why had it all felt so 
wrong? She fell to the ground sitting in a fetal position and started 
rocking back and forth.  Akane gingerly rubbed the back of her skull 
where she had hit it on the wooden boards.  She closed her eyes as 
she thought about the incident and again tears began to run down her 
face. 
Could it be that Ranma wasn't going to be the gentle and tender lover 
that she had always imagined she would one day marry? He loved a 
fight which was why he created so many rivals for himself.  Even in 
dealing with her, he seemed to prefer fighting with her than actually 
talking to her. She felt slightly angry by this thought but it was 
tempered somewhat with a new feeling she hadn't ever considered 
associating with him.  Fear. For a brief moment she had known what 
possibly Ryoga, Mousse, Kuno and various other rivals all knew.  For 
a few brief seconds she had known what it was like to fear Ranma 
Saotome.  
"Akane..." She looked up to see him standing over her tentatively.  
His face was full of guilt and concern.  "I'm so sorry Akane, I dunno 
what came over me.  Please forgive me." He fell to his knees and 
prostrated himself before her, his palms on the ground, head bowed 
low humbly.  She almost chuckled as she wondered if this could be the 
same man who had only minutes before scared her so.
"Its.. its O.K Ranma.."
"No it's not, I hurt you.  I'll never be able to forgive myself.  
Please Akane hit me.. Hit me really hard I deserve it." Akane smiled 
down at him sadly.
"No Ranma I'm not going to hit you."
"But Akane I..." But she interrupted him
"I forgive you Ranma, just try and learn to be a little more gentle 
in future O.K."
"Sure Akane, whatever you want. Are you sure it's O.K"
"Yes, I think maybe we tried something you're not yet ready to do..." 
Akane said thoughtfully.  "Come on lets go home." She stood to her 
feet and strode off down the street.  Ranma leapt up after her and 
followed a little behind.  For once not jumping up onto the fence.  
Akane rubbed her head tentatively where she had hit it against the 
floor.
"Are you O.K I didn't hurt you or anything did I?" Ranma asked 
fearfully
"No, no it's fine, I've had worse."
"Akane, you know that I would never hurt you, don't you?" Ranma asked 
his voice still uncertain.
"Yes Ranma I know that."  Akane replied surprising herself with the 
confidence in her own voice.  Ranma smiled slightly obviously feeling 
a little better, before turning and regarding the road in front of 
them.  As they walked he reached out for her hand.  She watched it 
for a moment, staring at his peace offering. She finally took his 
outstretched hand in her own and the two walked hand in hand through 
the streets "For now... For now this will have to be enough."  Akane 
thought as the two made they're way home.    
  
THE END

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