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The dojo was unusually quiet, something Ranma noticed right away. A few days ago, Genma and Soun had won a week-long trip to Yokohama. Before leaving, they insisted on leaving Ranma in charge of the house, justifying it as a "great opportunity" for him to start practicing future responsibilities.
Since then, at least in Ranma's eyes, Akane seemed visibly annoyed. He knew that, even if she didn't say it, she hated when someone implied she wasn't capable of managing the dojo on her own. Although it wasn't his fault, she had also directed some of her anger toward him.
To Ranma's relief, the situation seemed to have changed. It was Friday after school, and though the sky threatened an imminent storm, Akane was in an unexpectedly good mood. He, on the other hand, just wanted to get home quickly, regretting not listening to Akane when she reminded him to pack an umbrella in his bag.
Akane, walking ahead, was hopping slightly and cheerfully humming. Ranma watched her for a moment, intrigued.
"Why are you so happy, huh, Akane?"
"I'm not sleeping at home tonight!" she replied with a wide, beaming smile.
Ranma frowned, confused.
"What? Where are you going?"
"We planned a girls' night with my friends. I'm really excited."
"But who's going to help me set the buckets if the roof starts leaking again?"
Akane suddenly stopped, turning around to look at him with a raised eyebrow, and Ranma nearly bumped into her.
"Ask Nabiki or Kasumi. I don't know, not my problem." She gestured toward him carelessly. "After all, you're the one in charge of the dojo."
"Again with that? It's not my fault your dad trusts me!" he replied, crossing his arms as she turned back around.
"And Nabiki?"
"She's going out tonight too," he answered quickly.
"And Kasumi?"
"I didn't ask if she had plans..."
Akane laughed as she started walking again.
"You won't die without me, Ranma. You'll be fine." She glanced over her shoulder with a mocking smile. "Or are you scared to be alone?"
Ranma tensed up, facing her with a mix of indignation and wounded pride.
"Ha! As if I'm scared of anything! I don't need your help for anything!"
As soon as they stepped into the dojo, a thunderclap roared with such force it seemed to shake them to their core. Moments later, the rain began to pour down heavily, drumming against the roof in a rhythmic clamor. Ranma couldn’t help but feel satisfied knowing he had made it back completely dry.
"We’re homee!" they exclaimed in unison, expecting a response as they removed their shoes at the entrance.
They crossed the hallway and headed to the living room, where they found Kasumi sitting calmly in her usual position, reading a book.
"Glad you made it just before the storm," Kasumi said warmly. "I was worried about you two."
"Are you alone, Kasumi?" Akane asked.
"Yes, Nabiki went straight from school to Rin’s house. It’ll just be us tonight," she replied with a smile.
"Oh, about that—I won’t be staying here tonight," Akane said cheerfully.
"Where are you going in this weather, Akane? Isn’t it a bit late?"
Ranma had already settled on the floor, lying beside the low table, pulling a manga out of his bag. That didn’t mean he’d stopped paying attention to their conversation.
"Don’t worry; Nami’s mom is coming to pick us up."
"Alright, have a great time then, Akane."
"I will, thank you, Kasumi! I’ll be in my room if you need me!"
Ranma and Akane glanced at each other briefly, then quickly looked away. It was just a fleeting moment, but he felt his heart skip a small beat. His ears turned slightly red, and he immediately buried his gaze in his manga, seeking refuge in its pages as if they could shield him from the strange sensation that had just swept over him.
"Ranma, what would you like to eat? It’s just the two of us" Kasumi asked.
"Really? I get to choose?"
"Of course!"
Ranma jumped to his feet, grinning like a child who’d just been promised sweets all night long.
"Could we have fried noodles? Or pork with yuxiang sauce? Or..."
"How about I make both? They both sound tempting to me!"
"Kasumi, it feels like it’s my birthday." he said, thrilled.
"It’s no trouble. I’ll also prep meals for the week—I went shopping today."
He spent a while reading until curiosity about what Akane was up to started to bother him. It was getting late, and he hadn’t heard a word from her. With a sigh, he closed the manga and headed upstairs. When he got there, he noticed Akane’s room door was slightly ajar.
Ranma leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms as he watched her pack things into her bag.
"What do you want, Ranma?" Akane asked without looking at him.
"I'm curious about what you girls do on these 'girls' nights.' What's so fun about it?" he said as he grabbed a wooden practice sword Akane had leaning against the door and began playing with it.
"Well, we all decided to bring snacks in a specific color. I chose red!"
"Not surprising—it’s your favorite," he replied without much thought, trying to balance the sword on his index finger.
"Mm-hmm!" she confirmed, smiling as she focused on her packing.
Ranma couldn’t help but smile when he noticed his comment made her blush slightly.
"Have you bought them already?"
"We’ll pick them up on the way, all together." Akane stopped packing and laughed. "Can you stop moving around? You’re distracting me."
"Sorry, go on."
Ranma chuckled and sat on the edge of Akane's bed, expecting her to kick him out, but she was in such a good mood that she didn’t seem to mind.
"We put on face masks, play games, watch movies, gossip... It’s going to be so much fun! I can’t wait to snack late into the night."
"Well, good for you. I’m going to have fried noodles and pork with yuxiang sauce," he said, standing up happily.
Akane was no longer paying him any attention, focused instead on rummaging through her closet. That annoyed him a little—she could at least pretend to care. After all, he had approached her with good intentions.
Suddenly, the phone rang, and Ranma dashed off to answer it, figuring Kasumi probably had her hands full.
"I’ll get it!" Ranma announced as he picked up the phone. "Tendo residence, who’s speaking?"
The conversation lasted less than two minutes. It was Nami’s mom, calling to say the plans were canceled because her daughter had come down with a fever and couldn’t drive to pick them up. Ranma felt bad for Akane—she’d been so excited. Worse, he’d have to break the news to her.
He thanked the woman for letting them know and hung up.
"How do I even tell her...?" he muttered to himself with a sigh.
He heard footsteps coming from the stairs and saw Akane descending, her smile tinged with a hint of worry.
"Tell what to who?"
"Um, Akane... I’m sorry, but Nami’s mom just called to cancel the plans... She can’t come," he said with a grimace. Her smile immediately faded.
"What? Why?"
"Nami’s sick."
"Poor girl... That’s strange; she seemed fine earlier..." Akane’s voice trailed off. "Thanks for letting me know, Ranma. I’ll go put my things away and tell Kasumi..." She turned around and began walking back slowly.
"Do you want me to tell her?"
"No, thanks..."
Ranma paced back and forth in the entrance, debating whether he should grab an umbrella and go buy the stupid snacks Akane had mentioned. He couldn’t stand seeing her so down over something so trivial. She could do everything she’d planned right here—what difference did it make? He wanted to show her there was no reason to feel so defeated.
"Fuck it."
He grabbed the first umbrella he saw, slipped on his sandals, and stepped outside. The storm was worse than it had sounded from inside the dojo. The way the wind whipped through the rain made it clear the umbrella wouldn’t last a single block.
"You better thank me for this, Akane… The things I do for you," he muttered.
As expected, the umbrella didn’t just break—it got swept away by the wind. Ranma ended up soaked as if he’d fallen into the Jusenkyo springs again.
"I hate this!" His feminine voice betrayed that he’d already transformed.
The store was still open, and that was the only thing that cheered him up. Knowing Akane as well as he did, he figured picking out the snacks she liked would be easy. He just needed to focus on buying red things.
"Good thing her favorite drink is red tea with lemon," he whispered. "That one was easy."
Ranma began to notice the girl behind the register watching him, but it didn’t stop him from talking out loud—it helped him think better.
"Red… red… Pocky? No, what if she thinks that I..." His voice faltered slightly, nerves creeping in. "Not that it would mean anything, right? It’s not like we’re going to play that silly game. She’d never agree to that." His ears burned as he blushed.
"Do you need help, miss?" the cashier asked, clearly concerned.
Ranma shook his head politely and decided to stop talking—his constant muttering might have been scaring her. Instead, he chose a quick solution: grabbing a snack of each color, thinking maybe that way Akane wouldn’t feel so down about not being able to play her silly color-and-snack game.
As he brought his selections to the counter, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he was putting way too much effort into something so simple.
"I’m not supposed to do this, but I’ll double-bag everything so it doesn’t get wet," the cashier offered with a smile as she began packing his items. "I didn’t think anyone would come out in this storm, especially at this hour."
"Well… it’s not for me," Ranma replied, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling awkwardly.
"Oh… is it for someone special?" she asked, tilting her head and looking at him warmly.
Suddenly, the cold Ranma felt was replaced by the heat rising to his cheeks.
"Uh… w-well…," he stammered, unable to form a coherent response.
"Oh, I’m sorry! My mom always says I’m too nosy." She covered her mouth, embarrassed. "Here you go—thanks so much for your purchase!"
"It’s fine, don’t worry. Thanks for the double bags!"
As he left the store, Ranma clutched the bags to his chest to shield them from the rain and started running. Each step left him more drenched, but he couldn’t stop thinking about Akane’s face when she saw what he’d bought. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew it would all be worth it if it made her smile.
When he arrived at the dojo, Ranma heard the girls talking, seemingly setting the table for dinner. Without stopping, he quickly went up to Akane's room to leave the things there. From downstairs, he heard them calling him to dinner, but he replied that he'd be down in a moment; he wanted to change clothes first. He could take a hot shower later.
"Where were you? I had to set the table all by myself!" Akane exclaimed, upset, not taking her eyes off him.
"Ranma, did you go outside in this rain?" Kasumi asked, worried.
Ranma, who refused to speak, kept shoveling food into his mouth. With all the fuss about Akane and her girls' night, he had forgotten about the dinner he promised Kasumi. He was starving.
"Kasumi, everything is so delicious!" he said with a big smile.
"Oh, thank you, Ranma" Kasumi replied, confused.
After dinner, Ranma picked up the plates and left them to wash later. He’d finish it after a nice shower; he couldn’t stand it anymore. When he turned around, he ran into Kasumi.
"Ah, Kasumi, let me wash this after I take a shower, don’t worry."
"It’s fine, Ranma, don’t worry about it. I’m going to prepare food for the week now" she said as she put her apron back on "Go take a shower or you’ll catch a cold."
"It’s a summer storm, nothing’s going to happen" he replied carelessly as he left the kitchen.
"I don’t think it works like that, Ranma…" she laughed.
Ranma headed straight for the bathroom, humming a happy tune. He wished every day could be as peaceful as this, he was a bit tired of the chaos that seemed to govern his daily life. Just as he was about to enter, footsteps behind him stopped him.
"What is this?"
Akane was holding the bag of snacks Ranma had bought for her. She didn’t seem angry, which was a huge relief. Instead, her expression was different, softer and warmer.
"You said you were dying to eat snacks until late." Ranma said, clearing his throat and continuing to feign indifference. "You can still do that, I don’t understand what’s so exciting about a girls' night."
"It’s not fun if I’m alone." Akane’s voice lowered as she moved a little closer. Ranma’s heart began to beat slowly but forcefully, a rhythm that felt almost deafening.
"You have Kasumi."
"She’s busy."
"Well, I’m not a girl..."
"Would you keep me company?" Akane asked with a pleading look, so vulnerable that Ranma was left speechless for a moment.
Ranma swallowed, trying to look anywhere but at her.
"It’s okay if you don’t want to..."
"Just because you asked me..." He managed to say nervously. "And because I want snacks too."
"On the condition that we do things you would do on a girls' night."
Ranma was about to refuse, but Akane grabbed his wrist and started pulling him along.
"Ah, did you want to take a bath?"
"If I’m going to do girl things, I prefer to stay like this."
"I already told you, you can do them as a guy too."
Ranma didn’t respond. As a guy, he always found it hard to show vulnerability in situations like this, and although he wouldn’t admit it openly, he preferred to avoid anything that might make Akane uncomfortable. In his female form, he felt that, in some way, her defenses were a little lower. In the end, Ranma simply sighed and allowed her to guide him into the living room.
"So, what am I supposed to do?"
"Well, we can watch movies, put on face masks, eat, gossip..."
Ranma raised an eyebrow, offended.
"Who said I like gossip? That’s not..."
"Karin told me she was going to break up with Tsuo." She interrupted without looking at him.
"With Tsuo? But why? They seemed so in love the other day when we saw them." Ranma asked, genuinely intrigued.
Akane paused for a moment and then looked at him with a teasing smile.
"Wasn’t it that you weren’t a gossip?" She laughed, and Ranma clicked his tongue, offended.
Akane still hadn’t let go of Ranma’s wrist, and he didn’t plan to say anything about it. He liked seeing her so cheerful and maintaining the contact with his arm.
"What are you going to do?" Kasumi asked, entering the room with a knife in her hand.
For a second, both of them got scared. Ranma remembered that she had been preparing meals for the week before they arrived. Akane took the chance to tell her sister what he had done for her, and Ranma began to get a little nervous as he spoke.
"How nice, what a sweet gesture from you, Ranma. Do you want me to make something sweet for you?"
"Kasumi, you're the best!" He responded, excited.
"Thank you, sister," Akane added with a smile.
Ranma felt like he was going to cry from happiness. Kasumi’s desserts were always a gift from heaven. Maybe the "girls' night" wasn’t such a bad idea after all.
Akane smiled warmly at him, and Ranma felt an uncomfortable warmth rising to his cheeks.
"Well, what now?" Ranma asked, crossing his arms.
"Wash your face so we can..."
"My face is clean!" He interrupted before she could finish.
"No, idiot! God, you never let me finish explaining things to you."
"I’m not the one who said my face was dirty!"
"When did I say your face was dirty? I wanted us to put on face masks, but you know what? Forget it. Stay here."
"Akane, wait..."
For a moment, he hesitated whether to follow her or not, but didn’t dare. He didn’t want to make things worse and make her angrier. This time, she was right; he hadn’t let her finish speaking. Sometimes it was hard for him not to get defensive with Akane.
A few minutes later, Kasumi came back into the room, looking around. She was probably looking for her sister.
"I left the dessert in the fridge... and where's Akane?"
"In the bathroom, I think..."
"Ah, alright." She smiled. "I made extra dessert because I thought I’d be hanging out with you guys, but I’m feeling really tired. You can eat it if you want. I’m going to bed, but if you need anything, you can call me."
"Don’t worry, Kasumi, rest. Thanks for the dessert!"
Akane was taking too long. Ranma washed the dinner dishes, and once done, he sat down to watch TV, hoping to distract himself and quiet his thoughts. It worked for a few minutes, but soon, her absence became too much to ignore.
"Akane, you're such a fool. Why do you take things this way?" he muttered, annoyed, as he sighed.
He stood up, determined to find her. "Did she think that little argument meant I didn’t want to stick to the plan? How ridiculous. How dumb." he thought.
“You’re mad at me when I’m not even in the room?” Akane’s voice startled him.
She stood in the doorway, holding the drinks Ranma had bought and some glasses. She walked into the room, sat on the floor, and started opening the snack packages calmly, though she avoided looking directly at him.
“I'm going to look for a movie… there should be something starting around now.”
“All right…”
“And my sister?”
“She was tired and went to bed… she left us some desserts in the fridge.”
“I’ll go get them then.”
Before she could take a step, Ranma stopped her, gently resting his hand on her arm.
“Stay here. I’ll get them; you pick the movie.”
“Okay…”
Akane nodded and began flipping through the channels as he headed to the kitchen. A little later, when Ranma returned with the desserts, he noticed that Akane had chosen a horror movie.
“Seriously? A horror movie?” he muttered under his breath.
He already knew what would happen next. Akane would insist on leaving a light on, request something comforting to watch afterward, and, most importantly, ask him not to leave her alone. He always complained about how much it made him uncomfortable.
He lied. Ranma always lied to himself.
The truth was, deep down, he liked it when Akane sought his support. He enjoyed helping her, learning about her preferences, and noticing details no one else seemed to. It filled him with a sense of satisfaction to know that, in some way, he alone got to see all the different sides of Akane, as if he had exclusive access to all her versions.
But he could never admit it. Not to her, not to himself. So, he chose to convince himself it was bothersome, that he didn’t care, and that he did it only because it was the easiest thing to do. Lying to himself was far simpler than risking rejection.
“Ranma, you can have the other dessert.”
“Really? Thanks, Akane!” he exclaimed, unable to hide his excitement.
“You enjoy it more than I do… besides, you bought me my favorite drink.”
Ranma felt his cheeks grow warm. Pretending he hadn’t heard her last words, he focused on his dessert and exaggerated his enthusiasm for the first bite. Though he said nothing, a small smile crept onto his face as he continued eating, letting the silence speak for him. Once again, Akane managed to make him feel things he preferred not to admit.
As the movie progressed, during the tensest scenes, Akane would turn away with her eyes tightly shut, trembling slightly, and almost instinctively, she would grab onto his arm or rest her hand on his knee. Ranma noticed that, although she pulled her hand away quickly, it wouldn’t be long before she did it again. He didn’t say a word, but her body sought his presence unconsciously, as if she trusted he’d be there to offer some reassurance. Every time she reacted like that, Akane hurried to apologize, as though thinking it bothered him, but Ranma simply shook his head, dismissing it.
It didn’t bother him at all. In fact, he liked it when she leaned on him, though he couldn’t understand why Akane kept picking those movies if they unsettled her so much.
Ranma didn’t know how much time had passed, but Akane hadn’t stopped combing his hair from her bed. By now, her movements felt more like caresses than anything else. They were chatting… well, Akane was talking while he tried to keep the conversation going. All he could hear was the pounding of his own heartbeat, and it was hard to breathe sitting between her legs.
A little earlier, after the movie, Akane had forced him to take a hot bath because he wouldn’t stop sneezing. Kasumi had been right after all. Everything had happened so quickly. At first, he wasn’t sure if the “girls’ night” was over and hesitated about whether he should look for her or not. Just as he was about to return to his room, Akane stepped out of hers, asking if he wasn’t going to come in. His body started trembling.
Now, Ranma sat on the floor, letting her fingers play with his hair as his mind tried to sort through the emotions fighting within him. He could barely follow the thread of the conversation Akane had started. He needed to get out of that room before she realized what was happening. Nothing good would come of this situation—not for him. She’d only asked to fix his hair, nothing more. Ranma convinced himself it was all in his head, that she wasn’t actually caressing him.
He was about to stand up, but then he heard Akane humming as she braided his hair.
“You’ve always been terrible at braiding,” Ranma blurted out without thinking, laughing, and Akane stopped abruptly, clearly annoyed.
“Excuse me? If you hate it so much, do it yourself!” Akane pushed his shoulders, clearly upset.
“Who asked you to do it in the first place? I was just being honest and laughing a little!”
“Ranma, you’re insufferable! You always have to criticize everything I do!”
“I’m just saying you could practice more! You can’t handle a bit of feedback!”
“Get out. It’s always the same with you. I don’t even know why I bother being nice to you. You’re such a fool, Ranma!”
Both of them stood up abruptly. Akane started pushing him toward the door, but Ranma didn’t look away for a second; his eyes were locked on hers, confused and defiant.
“I don’t know why you even bother either! You always take everything I say the wrong way!”
“You’re always hurting me with your stupid comments!” Akane yelled, her hands trembling against his chest. Her shoves were weak, but the frustration radiating from her was palpable. “You can’t enjoy a single moment with me without insulting me!”
“Akane, wait, I didn’t mean—”
“Without saying something horrible!” she cut him off, her voice breaking as she kept pushing him toward the door. Ranma didn’t resist; instead, he tried to hold her hands to stop their trembling.
“I’m sorry, Akane. Let me—”
Before he could finish, Akane gave him one last shove until his back hit the door of her room. With clenched fists, she grabbed his shirt and buried her face in his chest.
“I hate…” she murmured, her voice muffled. There was a silence that made Ranma’s heart stop for a second. “I hate you so much, Ranma. You’re an idiot!”
“IF YOU HATE ME THAT MUCH, THEN I’LL LEAVE!” he shouted, raising his voice, but his tone was more desperate than angry. “I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’RE THIS UPSET OVER ONE COMMENT! I SAID I WAS SORRY!”
“IT’S NOT JUST TODAY!” Akane screamed, her voice raw and full of anguish. “YOU ALWAYS DO THIS! NO MATTER HOW WELL I TREAT YOU, YOU'RE ALWAYS LIKE THIS. I'M TIRED OF BEING IN LOVE WITH SOMEONE WHO TREATS ME SO BADLY!”
Akane looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears, and Ranma felt a horrible pang in his chest.
"What did you say?" he asked, narrowing his eyes, unable to understand what had just happened.
She seemed to realize too late what she had confessed. She tried to turn around and escape the situation somehow, but he held her wrists.
"Akane, is… is it true?" he murmured hesitantly, in a barely audible tone.
She didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she pressed her lips together and lowered her gaze. Finally, she murmured:
"Ranma... have you... ever liked me?"
He felt like his heart was going to leap out of his chest. He didn’t know what to say or how to respond. His mouth opened, but no words came out. He couldn’t breathe or organize a single thought properly. His head was spinning.
"It’s fine, don’t say anything. I understand."
"Wait, Akane…"
"No, Ranma, it’s fine. You don’t have to feel the same way" she interrupted, with a trembling smile that only made the heaviness in Ranma’s chest worse. "It’s just… I don’t know how, or when, or why I started to like you. It just happened."
Ranma noticed how her fists clenched, trembling, even as he still held her wrists.
"After all, you’ve been forced into so many things you didn’t want to do, and you’ve always gone along with them because you don’t know how to set boundaries. You don’t have to marry me. I’ll accept your feelings, whatever they are."
Her last sentence echoed painfully in Ranma’s mind. Her words were calm, but behind them, he sensed the weight of all the emotions Akane was trying to hide.
"I… I like you" he couldn't formulate anything else. Everything took him by surprise. Ranma hadn't expected Akane to confess after telling him she hated him.
"Ranma, don’t lie. It’s not necessary" she replied with a sad smile.
"Akane, I’m not lying" he said, bringing his hands to hers, softly brushing her wrists with a warmth he rarely showed.
"I know you hate seeing a girl cry because of you. You don’t have to feel bad. It’s my fault" she whispered, trying to avoid his gaze.
Ranma couldn’t hold back any longer. In a swift movement, he pulled her into a firm embrace. He wasn’t good with words—he never had been. He didn’t know how else to show her that he wasn’t lying, that his feelings were genuine. He felt paralyzed, trapped in a whirlwind of emotions he was just beginning to understand.
"I am too… I am…" he murmured.
"Hmm?"
"I’m also in…" Ranma took a deep breath, trying to muster the courage for what he was about to confess, pulling her even closer into his arms. There was no turning back now "I’m in love with you, Akane."
Akane, without pulling away from him, looked up. Her gaze held a purity and warmth that completely disarmed him.
"Really? But I thought you didn’t think I was pretty and…"
"You were right, you’re not pretty" he smiled and continued, bringing a hand to her cheek "Akane, you’re… you’re beautiful."
"Ranma…"
"Stubborn, hot-headed, a terrible cook, strong, intelligent, thoughtful, brave, loyal, reckless, sensitive, passionate…"
"Ranma, stop…"she murmured, lowering her gaze as the heat in her cheeks became evident against his hand.
"I fell in love with you, Akane. Completely." Gently, he lifted her face, forcing her to look at him.
For a moment, their eyes met, and Ranma’s gaze dropped to Akane’s lips. His heart began pounding uncontrollably, and the thought of kissing her formed in his mind. But before he could act, panic seized him. Thousands of negative thoughts raced through his head; all the confidence he’d felt moments ago vanished in an instant.
The hand resting on Akane’s waist began to retreat slowly, as if afraid his closeness might shatter something between them. The other hand, still on her cheek, tensed, uncertain, as fear paralyzed him.
"Can I kiss you?" Akane’s voice abruptly silenced his internal storm, leaving him stunned once more "If you don’t want to, it’s okay—"
Ranma, overtaken by panic, kissed her forehead instead, feeling like the most pathetic man in the world. The girl he liked had just asked if she could kiss him, and he’d panicked. He couldn’t understand how he could be so strong and brave in the face of any danger, but when it came to his feelings, he was the worst. He didn’t want to look her in the eyes again, but then he heard Akane’s soft laughter, and his body relaxed all at once.
"How cute…" she murmured.
Ranma saw the sparkle in Akane’s eyes and knew he didn’t want to let her go. He already knew it well, but once again, he confirmed to himself that this face was the only one he wanted to see every day of his life, until the moment his heart stopped beating.
He began leaving soft kisses all over her face, taking his time to savor the moment. He couldn’t get enough of the small laughs his fiancée let out or the way she melted in his arms at the mere touch of his hand caressing her waist. It felt as though their bodies were made for each other, fitting perfectly together.
Finally, he placed a tentative kiss on her lips, unsure of how to proceed. Akane took the lead, deepening the kiss with a soft sigh as she wrapped her arms around him even tighter. This encouraged Ranma to relax, allowing his hands to explore more freely, though a part of him still braced for her to pull away at any moment.
At first, their kisses were clumsy—after all, neither of them had experienced anything like this before. While they had kissed in the past, it had never been out of their own will or out of love. This was the most genuine, warm thing Ranma had ever felt in his short life. He enjoyed giggling with her between kisses, easing the pressure of trying to make everything perfect, and slowly letting himself get drunk on the love she was giving him. They found their rhythm, and Ranma brought a hand to the nape of her neck to deepen their kiss.
"I thought this would only ever happen in my dreams" he smiled, resting his forehead against hers.
"You dream about me, Ranma?" she whispered.
"I bet you dream about me too" he replied nervously.
"A lot."
Akane brought her hands to his cheeks and placed a small kiss. Ranma embraced her waist and sighed, nervous, but he had never felt as good as he did at that moment. He was drunk with love. His fiancée began placing kisses all over his face, just like he had done at the beginning, until she placed one on his neck, making him shiver.
"Akane…"
"What are you thinking, pervert?" she whispered in his ear, giggling.
"You..." he whispered, a soft smile showing his complete surrender.
Without any effort, he lifted Akane so he could look at her from above. She delicately placed her hands on Ranma's neck, still smiling.
"How do you make me go crazy even when you tease me like this? It’s not fair, you know?"
"If I’m bothering you, put me down, Ranma " she said, bringing her face closer to his, brushing her lips against his.
"I don’t want to."
Ranma took a moment to appreciate her. He could finally look at her as much as he wanted. Having her so close drove him wild: her lips brushing his, her hands playing with his hair, and her body against his. Even though he wasn’t good with words, he wanted to show her how much he loved being with her. He no longer had to come up with excuses to be near her, no longer had to hold back and be angry at the world for fear that someone might take her away. Akane reciprocated, and that made him feel like the champion of the entire universe. He didn’t know if he deserved someone like her, but he would do whatever it took to be worthy of her.
"I’ve always liked your hair, sorry I couldn’t make you a pretty braid" she said, a little sad.
"It’s okay, Akane" he gave her a kiss and smiled "what I like most about you is that you never give up, you can keep practicing if you want. Actually, I want you to keep doing it."
"Really?"
"I just want you to do it." He pulled her a little closer, resting his head on Akane’s chest "Sorry for being so hurtful, I promise I’ll stop."
"Ranma…" she sighed, holding him in her arms "It’s okay… don’t worry..."
Slowly, he lowered her to the floor, and the only sound in the room was their giggles. Ranma felt a little stupid; he had never been so vulnerable in front of someone. But it was just the two of them, and nothing else mattered. She was the only one who truly understood him, the only one he could be himself with, no matter what he looked like.
A thunderclap was the only thing that broke them from their trance. Neither of them wanted to separate, not now that they had confessed to each other, but Ranma glanced at the clock on Akane’s bed for a moment and thought that maybe he should let her rest. God knows what might happen if he stayed there.
"Well, we can talk even more tomorrow about..." He thought for a moment and slid his hands toward hers "About us. Now you need to rest."
"You're right... we should rest" she said, a little down.
"Good night, Akane." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and rested his forehead against hers once again.
"Good night, Ranma." She sighed.
When Ranma left the room, his steps were slow and hesitant. He didn’t want to leave; he wanted to stay wrapped up in her arms, to feel her scent, her hands, hear her voice, her laughter, and kiss her. His skin burned in every place she had touched, and he longed for her to do it again. He turned impulsively, his body moving unconsciously back toward Akane’s room, but when he reached the door, he hesitated.
"No... I shouldn't." He whispered to himself, but Akane opened the door, surprising him "Akane?"
"Can you stay a little longer?"
"I was dying to do so."
They smiled, and Akane took his hand, inviting him to come in again. The light was off, and only moonlight entered the room. Akane walked to the center of her bed, where she sat comfortably with her feet on the floor, leaving space for him to join her.
"I can't believe we were thinking the same thing." She said with a smile while looking at him.
"People aren't lying when they say we’re both idiots." Ranma replied, settling next to her, lying on his side with a smile.
Akane mirrored him, lying parallel to him, both staring at each other. Their eyes reflected a mix of nervousness and warmth.
"Speak for yourself, I wasn’t the one who kicked you out."
"I’m sorry for wanting to let you rest, Akane." He responded, amused, propping himself on his elbow to see her better.
"Who said I wanted to rest, Ranma?" She mirrored him, bringing her face closer to his "I thought you were the tired one."
"After what happened, I couldn’t sleep even if I wanted to."
"Me neither..."
"So... when did you... hmm..." He hesitated nervously.
"Hmm?"
"When did you fall in love with me? Why?"
Akane looked at him in silence for a few minutes, and Ranma felt a knot in his stomach. Had he asked the right question? Was this the right time? Doubt started to invade him, fearing that by asking, he might reveal his own insecurities and end up looking pathetic.
"I don't know if there was a specific moment, Ranma. Sorry if that disappoints you a bit..."
"No, no! I was just asking why..."
"Because you were always by my side when I needed you, whether physically or not." She interrupted him.
"What do you mean?"
Akane settled her body against Ranma's chest, and her arm shyly wrapped around his waist. He, feeling the warmth of her closeness, moved his free hand to her head, gently stroking her short hair.
"Since I met you, you’ve never stopped being in my mind. At first, I was mad at you, but then… on our way to and from school, I really appreciated having you there. Whether to tease me or ask me questions like 'Would you survive on an island with only an umbrella?'..."
"You still remember that?" He laughed, that had been in the first few months living here.
"I remember all the silly questions you ask me… they make me laugh during the day."
"Hey! They’re not silly questions..."
"Sure, sure." She responded, laughing "Ranma, in one way or another, you were always on my mind, I couldn't stop thinking about you. Loving you has been painful many times… seeing you with other girls, and sometimes feeling like I wasn't enough, and..."
"Akane, but you know well that I never..." Ranma pulled her slightly away from him to look her in the eyes.
"Let me finish." She smiled, giving him a small kiss, and he nodded "When I felt overwhelmed by my jealousy and anger, I always remembered the Ranma who sacrificed himself over and over for me. The Ranma who only shouted my name when there were more people in danger. You've always taken care of me, and that keeps my heart burning."
Ranma felt his breath catch.
"I think it was the little things, the things you've done for me, that made me fall completely in love with you, Ranma. I don't have a specific moment, but I could dedicate my life to tell you about every single moment we lived together"
Beautiful. Akane simply seemed like the most beautiful girl Ranma had ever known in his life. Not just for her appearance, but for what she said, what she did, and the way she reached his heart like no one else could. Ranma was left speechless. No one had ever spoken to him like that before. No one had ever touched his soul the way Akane did.
"And you?" Akane asked softly.
Ranma smiled and looked down for a moment, searching for the right words.
"I’m afraid I feel the same way as you, Akane… but there’s one thing I know." He gently stroked her hair before looking her in the eyes "You’re the only person I want by my side when everything goes wrong."
"Ranma..."
"I don't know how to explain it, but you always find a way to calm me down, even when we argue." He chuckled softly, as if recalling all the little fights that had led them to this moment "When I met you, I didn’t want anything to do with you. I was tired of my father, tired of not being in control of anything, of no one asking me what I thought… tired of traveling so much and not having a single friend."
Akane didn’t take her eyes off him, as if she wanted to absorb every word he said. That complete attention melted him, but at the same time, it encouraged him to keep going. Only with her could he feel this comfortable.
"At the time, I didn't care about making friends with anyone, I didn't think I needed one. But when I met you..." He sighed deeply, gathering strength to be completely honest with her "I knew what it was like to be at peace, I stopped existing only to train and was able to get to know myself."
Akane continued to look at her fiancée with sweetness and understanding. That gaze made Ranma feel like he could continue without any problems.
"I trained harder because I had someone to protect, there was something more than just wanting to be the strongest" His voice trembling slightly "And I know you don’t need anyone to protect you, but you're the most precious thing I have in my life, Akane."
Ranma's heart was beating with such force it almost hurt, making him take deep breaths to calm down. However, the nerves were hard to control, even with Akane’s soft caresses running down his back.
"I spend whole nights thinking about the fear of losing you or that you could end up hating me for real..." He confessed in a whisper "Sometimes I feel like I'm so complicated that I want to push you away from me, but at the same time... I can't."
"Ranma, come."
She moved away from him to change positions, almost crawling towards her pillow. She extended her arms towards him, inviting him with a warm look.
"What are you doing?"
"Come here, I want to hug you."
Ranma felt as if he were standing in front of a huge bonfire. His face burned with embarrassment, and his hands trembled slightly. However, he obeyed, sitting up and sliding over to stand in front of her. Akane guided him carefully, allowing him to position his body between her legs as she leaned slightly back, resting against the pillows.
She smiled at him with such sweetness that it completely disarmed him, placing a small kiss on his lips before wrapping her arms around his head and pulling him to her chest. Ranma closed his eyes, letting the warmth and calm she offered him envelop him completely.
"I know it's hard for you to be vulnerable... so I want you to tell me how you feel while I hold you like this." She sighed and began stroking his hair "Ranma, please tell me..."
Ranma let himself be completely enveloped by her scent, a soft perfume that made him feel at peace, as if he were at home. He surrendered to her, feeling how her presence broke down any barriers that were left standing. It took him a few moments to gather the courage to speak, but little by little he found his way to the right words.
"I like the way you look at me, how attentive you are with me. I love your cheeks when you get upset, and how you try to tie your hair but always leave strands loose. Even... how you don’t know how to reheat food in a microwave…"
"Hey!" Akane interrupted him with a laugh, her usual spark shining through.
Ranma smiled too, slightly embarrassed, but he continued:
"I like that, even when you want to have seconds of dessert, you always end up giving it to me. I accept it because I enjoy receiving your love in all the ways possible. I like the attention you give me... and it’s hard for me to admit a lot of things because... I don’t know. I feel like if I show who I really am, people might see my weaknesses, and I wouldn’t be able to protect what matters to me."
The weight of his words hit him, but he knew he had to keep going.
"Like I told you before, no one ever asks me anything. They just tell me what to do or undo, as if nothing matters to me, as if I feel nothing. They have the audacity to overlook everything I think just because it's me. I got used to showing the Ranma everyone expects me to be."
The frustration built in his chest and climbed up to his throat. He wanted to cry. There was so much he had kept quiet, so much that had hurt him over the years. The constant abuse, the decisions others had made for him—about his life, his body, and even his way of thinking.
"Akane, you’re the only one who openly asks me what I think, what I want, what I need, and many times you make sure others respect that for me." he said, holding onto her a little tighter "And when I turn into a girl, you look at me the same way."
"Well, that…"
Akane began to undo Ranma’s braid, staying silent for a few minutes as if trying to find the right words.
"Ranma... I... I don’t mind that sometimes you turn into a girl because… I like you just the same."
"That’s what I was saying, Akane." he replied with a light laugh.
"You don’t get it" Akane sighed and began playing with a strand of Ranma’s hair. "I also like... you know…"
"What?"
Ranma fell silent for a moment, trying to process what she was saying. Then, it clicked.
"Oh…"
"Yeah…"
"So, am I the first guy you’ve liked?"
"No, Ranma, you still don’t understand," she laughed nervously. "I like girls… and boys…"
"Ah…"
"Does that seem weird to you?"
Ranma lifted his head, noticing that Akane was avoiding his gaze. Her face was red, and her lips were slightly pursed.
"Does it seem weird to you?" she repeated, with a hint of sadness as she glanced at him sideways.
"I think the only weird one in this room is me" Ranma smiled warmly at her. "Good thing I didn’t know earlier. What a relief…"
"What? What do you mean?" Akane asked, now looking directly at him with a mix of confusion and amusement.
"I’d have more competition and go crazy as fuck trying to get your attention. Dealing with the guys was bad enough."
Akane couldn’t hold back her laughter, and he ended up laughing with her. Ranma wasn’t lying; he genuinely felt relieved knowing she only reciprocated his feelings. His heart wouldn’t have handled learning that Akane also liked girls. The last thing he needed was to compete against them too.
"You wouldn’t have needed to. You look gorgeous when you turn into a girl. When you’d brag about having nice curves, you weren’t lying... but I didn’t want you to know what I thought of you."
"Akane!"
Ranma felt his face heat up. It was the first time she had made a comment like that. Unable to meet her gaze, he buried his face against her chest again, as if that could shield him from his embarrassment.
"What’s wrong, Ranma? Are you going to tell me I can’t compliment you now?"
"No! I mean... yes! But…"
"When I bought you that dress, you really looked good in it, you know?"
Ranma’s body tensed as he heard Akane’s whisper while feeling her fingers gently playing with his hair. Her soft yet steady touches utterly unraveled him. Akane chuckled softly, enjoying his reaction.
"Alright, alright, I won’t say more for now. Please, continue where you left off..."
Ranma felt his heart pounding like crazy as he tried to calm down and pick up the thread of the conversation again.
"Give me a few seconds… I just discovered this version of you, and all I can hear is my heart," he confessed nervously.
"This is the version of you, in your normal body, that I wanted to unlock. You were already like this. When you transform into a girl, I always noticed that you express yourself so much more…"
"It’s easier…" he admitted, sighing deeply as he nestled his head further into her chest. "Akane, I... with you I discovered that no matter how hard I try to be the strongest, you always find a way to protect me from all the things I'm not able to see."
Ranma felt Akane embrace him more tightly, pulling him closer to her. He closed his eyes for a moment, relishing the warmth that surrounded him.
"I have mixed feelings when I let myself be weak around you, even when I don’t want to. But… I feel cared for… and I like it. With you, I can let my guard down, even if it’s just for a few hours, and it feels good…"
"I’m glad you feel comfortable with me, Ranma. I feel the same." she took a deep breath and continued "But I want us to talk about something."
Ranma lifted his head, resting his chin on his hands so he could look her directly in the eyes.
"Tell me."
"Let’s keep this a secret."
"You mean… us?"
"Yes… I just don’t want them to ruin it. I’m not comfortable with the family knowing that…"
"I was going to tell you the same," Ranma interrupted, a glint of seriousness in his gaze. "So many moments between us have been ruined because of them. I don’t like anyone telling me what I should do or when to do it."
"Right? I feel exactly the same. It drives me crazy!"
Ranma smiled warmly as he listened to her.
"It’s so easy to connect with you, Akane…" he said, feeling her gently caress his cheek. "Can I stay with you a little longer?"
"I’d like it if you never left."
"I could stay and leave in the early morning, before Kasumi wakes up."
"And what if you fall asleep?"
"I might not sleep."
"Ranma, you need to rest."
"Then we’ll set your watch alarm."
"The same one that tends to fail when I want to wake up early?"
"What do you suggest?"
"Mmmm… what if we both stay awake?"
Ranma let out a low laugh.
"You’ll fall asleep first, Akane. I know you." He smiled as he looked at her tenderly.
"Then keep me awake."
"What did you say?"
Before he could process the situation, Akane, with a single movement, gently pushed him until he was lying beneath her. Ranma blinked, completely surprised. He always forgot how skilled she was, and this time she had caught him entirely off guard. His heart began racing uncontrollably. He wasn’t ready or prepared to go further; his mind felt like it was about to explode from the flood of emotions overwhelming him.
“Relax, I just wanted to stay like this,” she said. With her legs on either side of his hips, Akane placed her hands on his chest and leaned into his ear. “I’m not ready for anything else tonight. If you want to change positions…”
“No!” He brought his hands to her hips, holding onto her. “I’m not ready for anything more either. I feel like my heart is going to burst, but if you stay like this… I…”
“Relax” Akane kissed his neck and rested her head there. “Now that’s settled, do whatever you want.”
“Akane, if I ever die of a heart attack, it’ll be your fault.” Ranma tried to think about anything else, but it was impossible.
“I’m sorry, Ranma. I think I overstepped,” she said, sitting up and looking down at him. “I think I made you uncomfortable. I didn’t mean to…”
“Whatever you do, Akane, you drive me crazy,” he said as he stroked her legs. “But I like it…” She smiled at him, and his heart melted. “You’re beautiful, Akane…”
“Ranma…” Akane sighed, and he brought a hand to her cheek, pulling her closer to him.
“I’ll come every night if you let me,” he whispered against her lips.
“Please do.”
Ranma kissed her, slowly, adjusting to her gentle rhythm. The kisses were unhurried; he feared that if he changed the pace, he’d become clumsy again. He loved the sound Akane made every time he stroked her leg, the way she surrendered to him more and more, her body visibly relaxing.
“I feel like I’m in another world,” Akane said, letting out a small laugh as she rested her forehead against his. “When you touch me like that, I…”
“I love hearing you, Akane.” Ranma turned his head to move closer to her neck, continuing to caress her. “I’ve dreamed of holding you like this for so long…”
Akane shivered and let out a soft moan, quickly covering her mouth.
“I adore you,” Ranma said, planting small kisses on her neck. “You make me so happy…”
He wrapped both arms around her waist, and she looked at him. They both smiled, noticing how red their faces were. They could feel each other’s warmth as they listened to the rapid beating of their hearts.
“I love you, Ranma,” she whispered.
“I love you too, Akane.”