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Ranma 1/2: Confessions and Confusions
Ranma quietly jumped across the roof towards Akane's bedroom. As he neared, he was glad to see that the window had been left open a crack so the cool night breeze could circulate through the room. Ranma carefully pried the window open far enough so that he could sit Indian-style on the window frame.
"Akane...?" he whispered. There was no reply from the quiet figure in the bed. Ranma sighed. "Akane, I'm sorry about what happened today...I know it was all my fault. I didn't mean to make you mad, honest. You know how Shampoo is. I'm sorry I called you a nag. You're really not. I just...I wanted a chance to explain. I wish you'd just let me tell you everything. I was just coming home when Shampoo showed up. I didn't ask her to follow me. She's a nice girl, sure, but I'm not interested in her. She's just a friend. I didn't mean anything, Akane. She just grabbed me all of a sudden and kissed me. I don't like bein' kissed by her, anyway. But then you showed up, an'..heh..well, you know what happened. I wasn't upset cause you interrupted, Akane. I was just mad because you didn't give me a chance to explain. Aw, you know I'd never two-time you. I like you best. Although, you'd probably think I was a jerk for even sayin' THAT, huh. So the only time I can ever talk to you is when you're sleeping. Maybe I could talk to you at night, anyway, but if you were awake now, you'd just call me a pervert and throw me into your pond again. Sometimes it feels like everybody thinks I'm a weirdo. Well, except Ukyo and Shampoo, but they're always all over me. I can't really talk to them. There's nobody I can talk to. Sometimes I wonder if my mom...but that's no good, either. If I could talk to anybody, I wish it was you. Ya know, despite what I always say, I know you're really a sweet person. Whenever I'm really in trouble, you're always there for me. I know we don't get along, but sometimes I feel like you're the only friend I've got. It's because of pops. It's his fault I'm engaged to Ukyo and you, and I'd never even have MET Shampoo if it weren't for him. Heh, he's really hopeless. Although, I probably never would have met you if our dads hadn't set us up together. Maybe it's not all bad after all." Ranma paused, tilting his head to the side. He smiled softly at his fiancee and jumped down from the window to walk over to her bed. She stirred as he approached and he froze, but then she was still. Ranma sat down on the floor and looked up at her. "Ya' know, Akane," he murmured, "you really are kinda cute. I'd tell you that when you're awake, but I don't think you'd believe me. I've called you uncute too many times for you to believe me when I tell you the truth, but you're really adorable. Especially when you smile. I wish...oh, never mind. It must be tough for you, thinking your fiancee doesn't like you. But I do. I wish I knew how you felt about me. I wish you felt the same way about me that I feel about you. Akane, I...I l.I lo...I l-l..." Ranma sighed, looking into Akane's peaceful face. "See? I can't even tell you how I feel when you're asleep. Pretty pathetic. Well, I gotta go. I've already been here too long and I'll fall asleep in class again tomorrow and you'll call me an idiot. I wish you knew. I know I'm lucky to have a girl like you, but I'm so scared I'm gonna lose you before I can ever find enough guts to tell you how I feel. Well, G'night, Akane. See you in the morning." Ranma leaned close to her. "I...I love you," he added, so quietly it was hardly audible even to him. Then he walked back to the window, leaving Akane to her dreams.
Or so he thought. For as he put his foot on the sill, Ranma heard a sound that made the blood freeze in his veins.
"Ranma?"
AKANE WAS AWAKE. Ranma fought the urge to run in utter horror and carefully turned his neck, dragging his eyes to Akane's. His fiancee was sitting up in bed, clutching her sheets tightly in both hands. Her eyes were wide and looked strange in the darkness. "Ranma?" she whispered.
"Yeah...?" Ranma whispered back, wondering how their parents would react when they found his lifeless body the next morning.
Akane leaned forward, crawling out from under her covers. "Did you...did you mean it?"
AKANE HAD HEARD HIM SPEAKING. Ranma closed his eyes in pain. Well, he was as good as dead now anyway. Why not go ahead and dig the grave a few yards deeper? "Yeah," he whispered quietly. "I meant it." He braced himself as Akane crawled out of bed and padded over to him. But to his shock, there were tears in her eyes.
"Damn," she whispered. Ranma blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"Damn," she repeated. Then she repeated it again, over and over. Ranma was confused. Finally Akane looked up at him again, tears shimmering in her eyes. "Why can't this ever happen for real?"
"For...real?"
Akane sighed and closed her eyes. A tear slipped down her face. "I know this is just another stupid dream. I know you'd never do anything like this in real life."
Ranma felt light-headed. Akane had dreams like...like this? "Um...Akane...this IS real life."
"Not funny. You'd never say anything like that to me."
"Sure I would! I mean, I am. I mean..."
Akane looked up at him dully. "I just wanna wake up. I liked dreaming at first, but now it just makes me feel hopeless."
"Akane, this isn't..." Ranma paused. "Wait. I'll prove it to you." He grinned at her confused expression. "In the morning."
Akane sighed as Ranma sat down next to her at breakfast. She was still thinking of the dream she'd had the night before. She'd been so sure it was real...until she'd asked Ranma if he'd meant all he said. The real Ranma would have had some excuse. He always did. He never meant it. Only the Ranma of her dreams would be so open. But she remembered it all so clearly! It didn't feel like a dream. Although one look at Ranma's blissful face told her it had been.
Akane picked up her bookbag. "C'mon, Ranma. We're gonna be late for school."
"Coming." Ranma ran beside her as they headed for Furinkan. But about halfway there, Ranma suddenly stopped and grabbed her shoulders.
"Hey, Akane. About last night..." he watched as her eyes grew wide. "...I still mean what I said," he smiled.
"Ranma...you mean...that was real?!"
"Yup."
Akane's mouth was open. "Ranma...!"
"Yeah, yeah, save it for later. I just wanted to give you something. But close your mouth first; you look like a goldfish."
Akane snapped her mouth shut. Then Ranma bent towards her and kissed her mouth firmly. Akane gasped. This of course caused her lips to part, giving the distinct impression that she was returning his kiss. Then, as her shock slowly lessened, she realized that she was. Akane closed her eyes, resting her hands against Ranma's chest. With a soft sigh, Ranma pulled back and hugged her tightly. Then he looked down into her face, eyes shining.
"We're gonna be late for school," he murmured. Akane nodded mutely. Ranma took her hand and started walking again.
"Ranma?"
"Yeah?"
"I..." Akane took an extra step to come up beside him. He put an arm around
her shoulders as she continued. "I think I'm going to have something to tell
you after school..."
Finis