Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Wounded (now with spacing) ❯ Chapter 11 ( Chapter 11 )

Chapter 11

 

Ranma looked curiously around in the dojo, still feeling slightly awed at the size of the property and the obvious success radiating off of it. He had waited a couple of minutes before he got out of the car when Akane had parked out in front of the houses, but he felt more at ease now than earlier, sitting down by the walls in the dojo watching Akane lead her class through a kata. Kasumi - Nabiki and Akane's older sister - had supplied him with tea and cookies, and he was now enjoying the sight of his girl moving strongly and elegantly, her muscles stretching and flexing as she went through the motions. His eyes lingered on her while his mind replayed the more intimate details of her, and he almost laughed as Akane blushed heavily every time she glanced over at him. This class was the last one for the day, and Ranma felt proud over the way she'd handled them - three classes in total that met two times a week. She probably could have even more classes, but he knew she felt she had to help Nabiki, and therefore settled with this as practise until the day she'd realise her dream of living off the dojo alone.

 

As Akane dismissed the class, three boys about her age stayed behind, standing close enough to Ranma for him to overhear their conversation.

 

“What has happened to her? I mean, she just glowed today.” One of them mumbled.

 

“Yeah… She's always been cute - the main reason I take this class - but today she's… yummy…” another grinned.

 

“Today's my day.” The third boy stated boldly. “I'm going to take her out and get her to bed by the end of the day.”

 

Ranma had been grinning while he listened to the boys, but at the bold declaration from the last one his mood shifted dramatically. Unfortunately for them they didn't see him behind them as they made their way towards Akane, who were helping a young girl stretching. Ranma jumped up and came up behind them just as the optimistic one opened his mouth.

 

“Hello Sensei… Akane… “

 

Akane raised her eyebrow at being addressed so casually, and almost flinched when she caught a glimpse of Ranma's face as he came up behind the boys in front of her. With him so close she felt more relaxed, and turned her attention coolly to the boy that were trying to pretend he wasn't looking below her face.

 

“…Yes?”

 

“Listen, there's this great place downtown, where they have nice food and a cool dancing-spot. I was thinking, around 7 this evening?” The boy smirked down at her, his two friends almost clapping him on the back. Before Akane could respond Ranma slid around the boys and pulled her close to him.

 

“Hmm… Honey, that sounds like an idea. Maybe we should go out tonight? But first, you promised me a tour of your house.” Ranma made sure that the boys could see the hand he put on her back, as he slid it down and rested it lightly on her rounded behind, holding her in place up against his front. He smiled when she blushed, and ignored the spluttering from the boys as he bent down and gave her a firm, hard kiss. #You're MINE, remember…#

 

“Hey, you can't just grab onto our teacher like that! We were here first!” one of the boys protested. Ranma slowly ended the kiss, feeling his heart race from the way Akane had melted up against him, and turned with a broad grin towards the group.

 

“Sorry kids, but she's taken.” He drawled out, accentuating the statement with another kiss with Akane, who put her arms around his neck and clung to him.

 

“No way! We challenge you for the right to have her!” The boys stood back, each taking on a fighting stance. The words however had awoken Akane from her bliss, and she tried to turn to them to beat them into submission. She halted when Ranma placed a finger to her chin, guiding her face so their eyes met.

 

“They challenged me, not you.” He said quietly, then bent down and whispered in her ear, “I love you.” Akane gasped, her eyes filling with tears, and she flung herself at him, kissing him with all the passion she could muster. Then she stepped away from him, grinning at his flustered look, and calmly went to sit by the wall, dragging with her the confused girl she'd helped earlier so she could get out to her waiting parents. #W-O-W!# Was Ranma's first coherent thought. #She sure knows how to get a guy motivated to fight for her!# He snapped back into attention as all three of they boys charged at him, screaming their battle-cry's. Ranma felt good, with total confidence in himself, and decided to play around for a while. The boys didn't realise he just made fun of them until they heard Akane's light laughter as they all were tossed around the room several times over. Angered, they tried using dirty tricks to get him, but soon realised they wouldn't breathe for a second longer if Ranma stopped holding back. The one that had `asked out' Akane landed roughly next to her after a vicious punch from Ranma, and turned to her with a burning stare.

 

“I'll have you, somehow.” He gritted out, lounging for her. Akane easily avoided him, but suddenly Ranma stood before her, holding the boy up by his throat.

 

“You try to touch her again, and I'll make you scream for death to come and release you from the pain I'll inflict on you…” Ranma almost whispered, but everyone in the room heard him clear as day. The boy's two friends tried to crawl further away from their positions on the floor, sweating from the pain from bruised ribs and battered muscles, eyes large as they took in the scene with their friend trying to get loose from the suffocating throat-grip without even making Ranma's arm sway. Ranma then threw him on top of the two others, and without another word guided a stunned Akane out of the room.

 

“Sorry about that, honey… I just lost it for a second there…” Ranma shuffled his feet, hoping Akane wasn't appalled at his behaviour. She'd been quiet the whole time as they'd walked out to the gate to make sure everyone got home, and were standing at the gate after seeing the last boys leave.

 

“Ranma…” she whispered. “Did you mean it? What you said before?” Surprised, he raised his head to meet her firm gaze, taking a minute trying to understand what she meant.

 

“Um… Yeah? I just…” Ranma didn't know what to say. #Didn't she like it after all? Doesn't she want me to love her? Did the loss of control now make me loose her too! Is she afraid of me now!# He took a step closer to her, feeling desperate, and reached for her hands. Her eyes were filled with tears, and he wanted to kill himself for it, and without controlling himself he grabbed a tight hold on her, afraid of what she might say. “Please..! Please, I couldn't help it…”

 

“Ranma… Listen to me!” His heart clenched painfully, and with immense will-power he made himself let go of her and slid to the ground in front of her, shaking with fear of loosing yet another important person in his life. Akane put her hands to his face and forced him to turn up to meet her eyes, talking softly to him.

 

“Will you listen! I love you too! Don't jump to conclusions. I love you! I love you with everything I have, every part of my body, soul and mind…” Ranma froze, the void of pain inside of him filling up with gentle warmth and soothing touches from Akane. He could see love softening her dark eyes, and feeling weak like a newborn puppy he couldn't get to his feet. Instead he rested his head to her stomach, wrapping his arms around her again as he felt her stroke his hair and hold him close, whispering loving words to him the whole time.

 

“So you're not afraid of me now?” His voice was hoarse and muted against her waist.

 

“What! No, I'm not afraid of you! I never have been.” Akane's voice sounded slightly exasperated, but she kept stroking her fingers through his hair, and he drew in a deep breath of her scent. Her gi was a bit rough against his face, but smelled of warm skin and soap. Relaxing a bit more, he moved his hands under her gi-top so he could touch her bare back, still holding her close.

 

“And you're not angry with me for the way I acted towards those boys?”

 

“No, I'm not angry. If you hadn't taken care of them, I would have. And I think you had more control than I usually have after such remarks…”

 

“What about… that I love you…? Do you find me weak? Martial Artists aren't supposed to show weaknesses and let feelings get in the way, and I almost fell to pieces just now.” He tried to laugh, but it sounded more like a sob.

 

“Okay, where have you heard such bullshit like that? You're not weak, and showing feelings aren't a weakness! On the contrary, I think you're very strong, both mentally and physically.” Akane crouched down in front of him, trying to get him to meet her eyes.

 

“Heh, I guess it's some of the `wisdom' that my pop left me with…” Ranma grinned shakily, kissing her lightly on the nose.

 

“I haven't even met him yet, and still I'm close to hating his guts…” Akane mused, kissing him firmly on the mouth. That was the scene that Nabiki saw as she stepped out of the house, Ranma and Akane kneeling on the ground holding each other, with Ranma's hands deep underneath Akane's gi in the back, kissing. Nabiki registered that Ranma was slightly shaking , but she chose to focus on the more obvious parts.

 

“Well, well, aren't we getting cosy… Be nice to my sis now Ranma, or I'll castrate you with a dull spoon and grind up your balls into spice for your last meal on this glorious earth.”

 

“Nabiki!” Gasped Akane. Ranma had gone even paler, and nodded frantically in fear for his tender parts.

 

“Take it easy Akane…” Nabiki grinned. “You kids have fun, and don't forget to use protection..!” She called out as she walked off in the direction of her car. Now it was Akane who turned white as she realised she hadn't given birth control a single thought.

 

“Ranma, we didn't… we didn't use any protection..! Oh my god! I could be pregnant!” Akane ranted on about how she'd forgotten all about it, while Ranma just stared at her with a growing smile.

 

#Pregnant? I wouldn't mind that… My - our own kid… And she'd have been even more bonded to me then… But we'd have to marry. Marry… Akane as my wife… Hmm…# His line of thought was interrupted as Akane hit him with her fist on his chest, demanding his attention.

 

“Ranma! This is serious!”

 

“I know… But… I don't mind if you're pregnant. It would be kind of cool.” Ranma smiled, feeling like he was on an emotional roller-coaster, going from bliss to depression and back to joy again.

 

“Wha-! Really?” Akane seemed relieved, calming down slightly. “But still, I think we should get some birth control of some kind, `cause if nothing has happened yet I want it to stay that way for a while. I want to experience this new thing between us first, to just be young and in love…”

 

“Okay. We can arrange an appointment with a doctor, and we'll go together to get you checked and get the information we need. Now, in the meantime, maybe you could show me around this place?”

 

“Yeah, I can do that. And don't think I've forgotten about your idea about us going out tonight…” With a smile she got back up and pulled Ranma with her, keeping one of his hands in hers as she led him towards the main-building.

 

 

Some thoughts for you to think about now, at the end of this chapter...

Soun still doesn't know about Ranma SAOTOME... What about the agreement between the two families?

Has Genma returned to Nodoka, and if so, what has he told her about Ranma?

Will the other fiancées show up again?

Are there no cats around the Tendo Dojo?

Will Nabiki's investigations bring the attention to Ranma, and stir up in things that has laid dormant while he was "dead"?

I haven't even answered all of the questions in my own mind yet, but it should get your juices flowing...