Disclaimer:  All place names, characters, and mallets that appear out of nowhere are trademarks of Rumiko Takahashi, Shogakukan, Kitty, Viz Communications, and/or applicable legal owners.  They are used without permission.  This work may be copied or posted to websites only if unaltered.

I've been told this fic contains some lemonic scenes.  Hmm...  Really?  Although I'd consider it a lime due to no actual coital activity, consider yourself warned anyway.

Originally written:  December, 1998.  Last edit:  December 23, 2002.

Nerima, When The Walls Fell

A RANMA 1/2 FanFic by Tenma.

 

Akane Tendo stared at the picture on her nightstand.  She had only this picture from Togenkyo to remember their relationship with, and they weren't even standing together.  Those were happier times, times when although things were never perfect, there had always been a chance.  Anger welled inside her, and she became angry with herself for being angry.  There was no way to escape it.  It was the Cycle.  She had known it for too long and it had gained a certain home-like familiarity by now.

So, instead, she let go.  She slammed her fist into the picture, breaking the glass of the frame and cutting her hand.  The pain was enough to bring her back to her senses.  She lay on the bed.  Now look at what you've done, she thought, you've destroyed the only proof you were ever happy.  And you're bleeding.  Her inner reprimand fell upon a deaf mind.  She didn't care anymore.  All that was important was the bed, and she knew that she could count on it to stay there.  The bed was comfortable and wouldn't leave her.

After a few minutes of calming herself with positive thoughts about the reliability of her mattress, Akane's thoughts began to wander.  It had been such a surprise.  How in the HELL had it happened?  It was her fault, she told herself.  DAMMIT, how long had it been going on?  How could he do that... with HER?  No, if she had just been nicer in the first place... it's just... RANMA NO BAKA!!!!!!!

Kasumi's concerned head peered in through the door.  Akane realized she must have said that last bit out loud.  Luckily, Kasumi had not seen the trickle of blood running down her middle finger.  The last thing she wanted to do right now was to deal with her overprotective older sister.

"Uh, I'm... sorry I yelled, Kasumi.  Please let me collect myself for a while longer and I will explain everything," said Akane.  Kasumi nodded understandingly and retreated.  Akane knew she owed an explanation for rushing into the house and storming to her room without a word, and now screaming bloody murder.

Kasumi wasn't angry...  She never was.  Akane knew that it was mostly concern, but it made her feel uncomfortable to be able to read anything under Kasumi’s ever-present smile.

'How am I going to tell her,' Akane wondered.  'I don't really know what went wrong myself.  All I can do is to try to remember everything.  How did this all happen?'

***

Three nights earlier...

Ranma sat on the roof of the Tendo Dojo, his hand clasped to his cheek.  How did it always manage to hurt so much?  Why couldn't he dodge it or something?  Was he not a martial artist?  As he dropped his hand, sheen of sweat left from his palm reacted to the slight evening wind and cooled his cheek.  The change of temperature made the red handprint's throbbing ease off a little, but it was still registering strongly.

Pop's punches during morning training were always harder, but he barely felt them.  Ranma wondered for a second if Akane had learned how to manipulate ki into her slap, but quickly dismissed the idea.  She couldn't even cook; what would she know of ki?  She was violent... so goddamned violent, and always willing to display it.  But, to be honest, he was a bit smitten.  On the few occasions she wasn't trying to kill him, she could be downright cute.  Every now and then, Ranma could catch Akane displaying genuine concern for him...  Of course she would deny it later.  Ranma caught and dismissed a smile as it crept across his lips.

Ranma cursed his father.  It was all his fault, after all.  He just couldn't be content with letting things develop on their own.  Engagement... bah.  Ranma wondered how many other fiancées he had yet to meet.  But it was worse with this one.  There was so much hostility between the two of them, but at the same time he felt something for her.  He thought it might even be love.  He loved her.  He loved the violent, no-good-in-the-kitchen, belligerent tomboy.

The pain from his cheek warmed into existence again and brought him back to reality.  Maybe THAT was why it hurt so hard.

The next morning at breakfast, Ranma didn't look at Akane.  If he had looked at her, she would say something to him and he'd have to be honest.  Then the pain would come.  He knew that was a big problem.  She was so damned sensitive over every little thing, and Ranma wasn't about to sugarcoat his words for anyone.  It was hopeless.

***

Ranma walked along the fence on the way to school nonchalantly.

"Ranma, is something wrong?" asked Akane.  Ranma didn't look at her, simply continuing to walk.  It was the first thing to be said between them all morning, other than Akane telling him to hurry up or they would be late.  That exchange could always be counted on.

"Yes," he said finally.  With that, Akane knew something was wrong and the tone of his words clearly told her he wasn't about to share the information.  Astoundingly, Akane didn't press the issue.

He proceeded through his classes apathetically, as usual.  At lunch he ate alone, Kasumi’s food registering pleasingly on his palette.  It was an unbelievable contrast to Akane's.  He didn't think it was possible for her to be a direct relative of Kasumi, from the same birth parents, and still end up cooking such disgusting junk.  Sure, she said she had mistaken vinegar for white wine, or some other damn thing, but how many times could that really happen to one person?  Ranma let out a small chuckle, envisioning Akane mistaking a cow pie for a hamburger patty.  He tasted the delicious piece of raw fish, and thought:  Akane and Kasumi, Yin and Yang.  He mentally patted himself on the back for his analogy.

"Ranchan!"

Ranma turned his head abruptly, leaving the next bite suspended between his chopsticks.  "Oh, hiya Ucchan."  Another one of Genma's mistakes he was currently paying for.

"This seat taken?" she asked, her voice cheerful as always, and sat near him on the grass.  Ranma noticed that even though she still wore the male school uniform, the new designs seemed to fit her form more suitably.  Good -- the old blue coats always made Ukyou look like a boy.  REALLY look like a boy.  He didn't care for being engaged to her, but as long as there was no stopping it, he wanted to be engaged to a girl.

"So what's up?" he asked.

"Not too much, but you looked like you could use someone to talk to.  Don't you usually sit with Akane?"  Ukyou smiled at him.  Fiancée maybe, but least he had one friend.

"Yeah well, uh...  I just felt like being alone today," Ranma lied.  He suspected it wouldn't meet with success.  This suspicion was lent more credit upon the discovery that his hand had gone behind his head, chopsticks and food still attached.

"I don't think so Ranma-honey.  You two lovebirds not getting along?" she asked mockingly.

"We are not lovebirds!" Ranma shouted, thrusting his face in Ukyou's direction.  Ranma knew that Ukyou had meant it semi-jokingly.  There was evidence out there that an intelligent person couldn't ignore.  Well, if she knew, why wouldn't she just give up on marrying him?

Ukyou was expecting that reaction and just continued her friendly smile.  "Relax, Ranchan.  It was a joke, ya know?  Listen.  I think we need to talk.  Come on by the restaurant on the way home from school, 'kay?"

Ranma let his guard down a little.  "Yeah, all right, I guess.  Any chance I could get a bite to eat for my troubles?"

"You know I can't refuse you, sugar.  See ya!" she said, and blew him a kiss.  He rolled his eyes, waved and went back to his lunch.

Friend yes, but always that reminder...  Fiancée, as well.

Ranma continued to eat, taking casual glances at Akane across the yard.  She had obviously been looking at him.  When she caught his glance, she turned her nose up and looked away.

Ranma laughed.  She's jealous.

***

"I'll be home a little later on.  I have to go someplace," Ranma stated plainly.

"Just where do you have to be?" asked Akane.  So, he was being standoffish again.  Two could play this game.

"It's really none of your business.  Please leave me alone."

Akane was taken aback by his coldness.  Ranma was usually fairly rude, but this time he’d added a new level to it.  Was he still upset about their argument last night?

Ranma took advantage of her silence to walk off.

When he approached Ucchan's, it was still closed.  He had been expecting this...  She usually did not open until five o'clock.  He knocked on the door.  It opened, casting sunlight into the darkness beyond.

"Hi Ranchan.  You're early, I just got home."  He heard Ukyou and could see her hand, but he couldn't make her out very well.  "Well, c'mon in."

Ranma entered the establishment and Ukyou turned on the light.  As he saw Ukyou, he was taken aback, his hands reflexively warding off evil spirits.  Her hair was down and she was wearing a tight white tank top and abbreviated dark red shorts.

"What?  It's not like I'm in my underwear or anything.  Like I said, I just got home and threw something on," she said.  "C'mon, let's sit down."  Ranma scratched the back of his head and looked away politely, but continued into the restaurant nevertheless.  They sat at a booth.

"Okay, so what did you want to talk to me about?"  Ranma asked.

"I think it's more like what you need to talk to me about, Ranma honey."

Ranma displayed puzzlement.

"Come on.  Don't you think I know what's going on?  You're having trouble with Akane, right?"

Ranma sighed. "Yeah."

"Why don't you tell me about it?"

"I don't think you would understand."

"You got no one else, sugar."  The reality of her words hit Ranma hard.

"Well... it's just that she's always pitching huge fits and hitting me for the slightest little things.  She never gives me the chance to explain myself, jumps to conclusions, overreacts, calls me names, and that food of hers is going to kill me someday!"  Ranma felt better.  His standard "Problems With Akane" speech would be all he would need to admit.

"So why don't you dump her?" Ukyo asked.  The smile was still there.  Ranma was shocked but quickly countered.

"Oh yeah, wouldn't that be convenient," he asked sarcastically.

"Ranma!" Ukyo became serious. "I may be your fiancée, but first and foremost I am your friend.  I'm only saying this because you're never happy and the way things are going, you never will be."

Ranma thought on this a while.  "I can't break off the engagement.  You know it wasn't my idea in the first place."

"You know good and well that if you and Akane protested it enough they would have to break it off.  There's no sense in forcing you into a marriage that will only lead to divorce."

Damn it all.  She had a point.  Ranma had no excuse now.

Ukyou seemed to take a hint from Ranma's silence.  She rose and motioned him to make room on his side of the table.  Ranma did so reluctantly, noticing her body through the unusually light attire.  He really had meant what he had said that first day about her being cute.  Normally, it was easy enough to ignore through a boy's school uniform or okonomi-yaki making outfit.  She sat beside him, turning to face him.

Ukyou sighed.  "You're in a hell of a situation, aren't ya honey?"  She took his hand.  He wanted to resist at first, but in the end he allowed it to be taken, looking with annoyance at the ceiling in the far corner of the restaurant.

"You're the first to notice or care."  Ranma held his face with his other hand.  It was true.  Genma, Akane, even Kasumi...  Sure they all cared about him, or at least he liked to think so, but they never seemed to worry about how it was for him.  To be honest with himself, he thought he loved Akane.  He shuddered at the thought.  She was always arguing with him and causing him injury.  Not only that, but Ranma was expected to keep off all the rest of the girls.  He had to fight every day with Kuno, Mousse, Ryouga, or the Super-Pervert Happosai.  He was the one to save the day when trouble came, all while being the perfect martial artist and changing into a woman at the same time.  Most people would be nucking futs by now.  He held his hair between his fingers and thought of the dragon whisker that had once been needed to keep it from growing uncontrollably.  Just another memory that reminded him he would never live a peaceful life.

He looked over at Ukyou.  She was too close, for sure.  But as he looked in her eyes he saw understanding and concern.  He couldn't bring himself to move away.  Ukyou noticed him staring at her.  She leaned in, as if in slow motion, and kissed him on the lips.  It was a real kiss.  Ranma thought to resist but couldn't summon the willpower.  He couldn't help but meet her tongue with his, noticing her taste and liking it.  They kept on like this for a good minute, until Ranma finally broke it off, his face blushing and confused.  Ukyou, also blushing, closed her eyes and lowered her head.  She released his hand.

"Ranma, I'm... sorry.  I don't know what came over me...  I just don't know what to say."  Ranma arose and walked silently past her to the door.  He turned around to look at Ukyou once more before leaving.

"It’s okay.  Maybe we can finish our talk tomorrow."

***

The rest of the day proceeded as normal.  Normal procedure encompassed just about anything in this neighborhood, however.  Ranma preferred to not even think about what had happened at the restaurant until he had time to give it his full attention, and that would be on the roof.  Still, the memory kept replaying in his mind.  He hoped time would pass quickly and he wouldn't be expected to hang around.

"Ranma, what is wrong with you?" asked Akane, the tinge of annoyance readily evident in her voice.  Ranma realized he had left two whole bites of dinner on his plate and quickly snatched them up.  He wondered how long he had been staring out into space and why Genma had not made a move for the remainder of his meal.

"What do you care?" Ranma asked, trying to match her aura of obvious annoyance and falling short.

"Well I'd think you would at least talk to me once during the day."

Ranma coolly turned his head away, crossed his arms and closed his eyes.  "I'm just a little upset.  Puttin' up with an uncute tomboy like you all the time is finally gettin' to me."

"Oh, uncute am I?"

Ranma turned his attention back to her.  "That's right, uncute, unsexy, built like a stick... you should have the whole spiel memorized by now."  Akane growled and Ranma knew to expect the painful hand.

"RANMA NO BAKA!!!!" screamed Akane as she slammed her open hand into the side of Ranma's face.  It was enough to knock him over on his side.  Akane stormed off in a huff.

Ranma sat up and angrily walked out of the room in the other direction.  At least she's gone, he thought.  He went to hold his cheek but found that it didn't hurt.  Ranma stopped in his tracks.  It didn't hurt????  He ran into the downstairs bathroom and stared into the mirror.  His face showed no red mark.  He knew she had hit him just as hard as usual, but it had affected him no more than Pop's punches in the morning.

Ranma washed his hands and went outside.  He performed an easy 12-foot jump onto the roof and sat cross-legged, facing the back yard.  The front just wouldn't do...  The street was there and even though it was fairly quiet, Ranma didn't want to be bothered.  That was the whole point of going up there.

The current mystery would have to wait.  The bigger problem he faced was that A: Ukyou Kuonji had kissed him, and B: he had liked it.  Not liked it, he corrected himself, merely did not object to it.

Bah...  Who was he kidding?  It had been incredible.  The only kisses he had experienced before were always with strings attached.  Looking back, he remembered the time when he had reportedly kissed Akane while under the effects of the Cat Fu training, and the time Shampoo had given him the Kiss of Death (and Life).  He shuddered at the thought of the time he’d been kissed by Mikado Sanzenin.  Just the thought of that made Ranma want to mutilate a random object while imagining it was Mikado's misshapen face.  He looked around, but there was nothing suitable for destruction on the roof.  Slightly frustrated, he turned his attention back to the matter at hand.

What to think of this?  Ukyou...  Always a friend, she never resorted to the level or Shampoo or Kodachi, and rarely hit him unless he deserved it.  Yes, he thought she was cute, even if most people didn't because of the way she dressed.  And man oh man, could she cook!  But now this?  She was just a friend to him, and he loved Akane, didn't he?

Images of Akane appeared in his mind.  Akane asking him if he wanted to be friends, Akane buying him time against Kuno, Akane crying when he had gotten hurt fighting the Golden Pair, Akane trying her best to help him when he was weak, Akane on his arm at the Christmas party.  But volumes of images of Akane’s bad side soon followed them.  Akane's cooking, Akane hitting him.  Akane calling him a pervert, Akane hitting him with a huge mallet.  Akane slapping him...  Over and over and over again he saw and felt Akane slap him.  And it all came back to one memory that Ranma thought could be a metaphor for the entire relationship: Akane saying that she loved him while under the influence of the Reversal Jewel and then knocking him out the door and into the waiting fists of Kuno and Ryouga when he stopped to consider it.

Ranma shook his head.  Did pain really mean that much to him?  Was he a sissy boy?  No, he decided.  He thought of all the times he had been hurt by other people and how he trained every morning with his father.  He and Genma never held back.  Those times he could always manage the pain.  In cases like training, he could even thrive off of it.  There was a certain clenched-teeth satisfaction he felt from knowing he could handle it.  But when Akane hit him, it was a different story altogether.  Until tonight.

A conclusion donned on him in a shining example of logical deduction.  Did it have something to do with Ukyou's kiss?

***

The next morning, Ranma let his attitude towards Akane return to normal and the day proceeded as usual.  This way she wouldn't wonder what was wrong with him.  He even ate lunch with her.  In between bites of sushi he noticed Ukyou eyeing him from afar.  Ucchan was dressed as normal, but her hair was down.  That's odd, Ranma thought.  He felt warmth spread across his face and turned away to head off the blush.

"Ranma Saotome!"

Ranma knew this call all too well.  Tatewaki Kuno, age seventeen.

"Tis far past time that you atone for your gross womanizing!"  Kuno screamed.  This was an almost everyday battle.  Ranma stood and grinned in anticipation.

"Hey Kuno, how's it going?" Ranma said.  His face turned from jovial to coldly serious as he took up his stance.  "Bring it on."

"I shall defeat you and then I shall accept the lush gratitudes of my pig-tailed goddess!"

***

Ranma walked home alongside Akane.  They chitchatted about various events during the school day, what homework was for each of them, and the new arrangement of the face of "Blue Thunder."  But Ranma stopped her at the same point he had yesterday and asked her to go ahead.

"Ranma, are you sure you can't tell me where you've been going?"  Somewhere, deep beneath the words, was genuine concern.  Concern for what, Ranma could not place.

"It's not a big deal Akane.  I've just got to straighten some things out, that's all."

"I see.  Should I tell Kasumi you won't be in for dinner then?"

"Jeeze, Akane, I'm not going to be that late."

"Whatever.  See ya, Ranma."  Akane snapped, annoyance evident in her steps.  That's odd, Ranma thought...  I was talking to her the entire way home and we didn't argue.  Wonder what I did right.

Ranma walked on to Ucchan's Okonomi-yaki.  It was closed again.  Ranma took a deep breath, swallowed, and knocked on the door.  He regretted not being able to come to a decision about what to do about the whole situation, but in matters like these, Ranma knew it was best to play it as it goes.  He had been running away far too long from such matters.

Ukyou opened the door.  The lights were on inside and Ukyou was seen wearing a red sleeveless blouse and a short black skirt.  Ranma was caught by surprise once more, but tried to hide it.  Very rarely had he seen her attractive legs before.  He hadn't even known that Ukyou owned a skirt.

"Uh, hiya... Ranchan.."  Ukyou said nervously, not looking Ranma in the eyes.  "C'mon in..."

Ranma walked in and they sat at the same table.  Hell, he thought as they looked uneasily at each other, he might have to be the one to start talking.  He hadn't prepared for that.

"Uh, Ukyou... about last night--"

"I know Ranma, I know.  I don't want to force you into anything you don't want to do, so you can just walk out and forget anything ever happened."  Ranma wasn't good at reading emotions but he could swear it hurt her to say this.

"It's not that."

"Huh?"  Ukyou's sandalwood eyes turned to look at him with barely concealed hope.

"Well, it's just.... I'm kind of confused."  Ranma waited for her to reply, but she didn't.  He had no choice but to continue with the truth.  He took another deep breath.  This was never easy.  Evil princes who kidnapped fiancées he could handle.  Superstrong blood-rivals he could handle.  Dragons he could handle.  Feelings, girls and the like, he could not.

"I mean, I thought I l-- lo... lo...  I thought Akane was the one that had my... um... affection, but things never seem to go right between me and her."

"That's the understatement of the year,” Ukyou stated with a halfhearted grin.

"So you know where I am coming from.  I don't think it'll ever work out..."

Ranma put his head in his hands and began to try and remember the thinking he had done the night before.  It had been mostly about Akane.  Surely he had thought of a way to deal with Ukyou?  Right?  Right??

"Ranma."

Ranma looked up to his side.  Ukyou was standing up beside him, her hand extended. He allowed himself to be guided to a standing position.

"What do you think of me?"

Ranma looked her over.  Definitely cute... the skirt indeed did something for her appearance.  Maybe it was just the classic inclinations to desire a girl in a skirt.  Ranma considered the difference between it and the skin-tight pants she usually wore...  Easy access?  Where the hell had that thought come from?

"Uh... I...  well, you've always been a good friend to me, and... You’re cute and all... uh...” Ranma discovered he was blushing.  He wished for some cold water.  He would even be willing to endure the change at this point.

Ukyou seemed to sense his uncomfortable state and pounced on it.  She lifted his chin and, after a quick check of his expression, leaned in to kiss him again.  This time Ranma didn't resist.  He stood up the rest of the way and put his arms around her.  What was he doing?  It was so strange, yet he couldn't pull back...

She ran her arms along his back and after a moment he did similarly.  Drawing his right hand back in under her arm to touch her face, he brushed the side of her breast unintentionally with the back of his hand.  It sent a shiver through both of them.  He traced her cheek upward with his right hand, moving a small lock of hair back to above her ear and then took her long hair between his fingers as he cradled the back of her head.  He pulled back suddenly and displayed a look of shock.

"What the hell are we doing here?" he asked, but he could not contain a smile.  It felt good to finally let go.  Ukyou blinked and looked as if she was going to reply, but Ranma leaned back in.  They kept it up for a long time, kissing and caressing.

Ranma's mind was racing as they kissed.  Their tongues danced and he wondered if the breath freshener he had taken earlier was still in effect.  Breath freshener?  That meant that deep down inside he had known what he had come here to do.  But it didn't matter to him anymore...  This was unlike anything he had ever felt.  He had normal urges, certainly.  But he had repressed them so long for the sake of the Art that they had been barely noticeable.  For all of Ranma's life, Genma had trained him against having such feelings.  He wasn't about to let his only, perfect son suffer in his abilities for the sake of a woman.  And now Genma was doing everything he could to get Ranma and Akane in the sack together.  Sometimes Pop's hypocrisy really pissed Ranma off.  He had tried to let himself go and become comfortable enough to be susceptible to romantic feelings, but years of practice made old habits impossible to break.  Evidently, this had opened the floodgates.

Ukyou showed defined reluctance as she pulled away, each of them darting in for a few more quick pecks.

"Ranma," she spoke breathlessly between little kisses, "it's..... almost five... I've.. got to open... the restaurant..."  A wave of reality hit Ranma.  Almost five?  They had been doing this for an hour?

"Oh yeah... well... I guess so...," Ranma said.  He hugged her close before forcing himself to walk in reverse, his eyes never leaving her.  He tripped over a mop bucket but caught himself.  Ukyou giggled a little.

"Look, Ranchan," Ukyou said, calming herself, "Tomorrow's Sunday, and I want to see you again.  I'll leave the restaurant closed for the day.  Meet me in the park at 9 o'clock, 'kay?  Maybe we can get some actual talking done."  Ukyou smiled widely and giggled again with the last statement.  She had been preparing herself for a breakthrough like this for a long time, but still she couldn't help feeling almost giddy.

Ranma was also smiling stupidly.  "Yeah, uh, sure... the park..."  He waved and walked on air out the door.  Once outside, a cool breeze hit him and he realized how foolish he must have appeared.  He resigned himself to a serious, "deep-thought" expression, lest someone see him.  He started walking home, but the grin broke through halfway down the block.

He didn't even notice the little black piglet with the bewildered expression as he walked past it.

***

"And where have you been, Ranma?" Akane was waiting by the gate, her arms crossed and eyes closed in stern resignation.  Ranma considered himself lucky to have overcome his previous goofiness.

"Akane, I won't lie to you..."  Ranma started.  He pondered the reality of those words.  He really didn't like to lie, but had already guessed what Akane's reaction would be to the truth.  At least, part of it.  He could still pull this off.  "I was at Ucchan's."

"So, eating again?  Honestly Ranma, don't you ever think about anything else?"  Akane hadn't suspected a thing.  For once Ranma was glad of her unassumingly low opinion of him.

"You know me too well Akane..." Ranma shrugged and walked past the gate into the dojo front lawn.  Akane stared, startled.  He had never let her get away with such criticism.  He had been acting very strangely lately, and she was determined to find out why.  As she followed Ranma, she noticed a small black shape moving out of the corner of her eye.

"Oh, P-chan!"

Ranma turned around to see Akane snatch up the piglet in her arms.  Little black demon, he thought.  Uh oh...  How long had Ryouga been following him?  It wasn't uncommon for him to follow someone back to the Dojo after getting lost, which was all too often.  He might have seen Ranma's expression and become suspicious...

Indeed, the pig was looking at him with its normal resentment.  That might mean something, but then again it might not.

Akane noticed P-chan's gaze and followed it to Ranma.  Ranma quickly turned back and continued walking into the house.  No jealous comment about her precious little pet?  Now she was sure something was wrong with him.

***

Dinner had been uneventful.  Ryouga had been fed leftovers.  Probably better than he usually eats, thought Ranma, now finally back on the roof.  Odd how much he had come to depend on this time alone lately, he thought.  It was better for him though, because the little bit he knew about emotions was enough to tell him that they could affect his concentration and attitude, whether he liked it or not.

So he let go.  He lay back onto the shingles and took a deep breath as he reviewed the afternoon's events.  He was definitely in over his head.  His heart pounded in his chest as he pondered his predicament.  These feelings that he was experiencing now were so unlike anything he had ever dealt with that he wasn't sure how to handle it all.

So now he was in love with Ukyou... right?  He really wasn't sure what love was, but he felt things for her now that he had never felt for anyone.

The kissing today had been very passionate...  His heart raced even thinking about it.  He tried to think of Ukyou without thinking of the kiss and he still was overcome with desire to be near her again.  He noticed all the things he had never noticed about her before... how cute her smile was, how long and beautiful her hair was and how it smelt like some wonderful incense, and how her figure was perfectly proportioned.  He imagined himself in the restaurant again, kissing her tender lips, her body pressed against his, hands caressing...

Ranma shook his head.  He had the feeling that could have gone on all night if he had let it.

Instead, he thought of a drier topic that demanded no less attention.  What did that mean, realistically, to his future?  He had never put much thought to the future, but this was something more serious in many ways than anything he had ever come up against.  He certainly wouldn't be able to take over the Tendo Dojo if he married Ukyou.  That was a kick in the gut.  While it had really been forced upon him, taking over the Dojo was what he always saw himself doing in the future, and he even looked forward to it.  He imagined himself and Ukyou travelling from town to town with an okonomi-yaki cart and shuddered.  Things could get very hectic if what he feared became true.

He calmed his mind through meditation, breathing in the cool night air like a sedative.  He would have to use complete logic to figure this one out.  As he thought for a few moments more, the conclusion was impossible to ignore.  He had to be honest with himself above all others.

If he really was in love with Ukyou, it couldn't go on like this for long.  He'd have to talk to Genma.  She was an official fiancée thanks to him and he must have considered what would happen if Ranma chose her over Akane.  He hated to count on Pop for anything, most of all a way out of a situation like this, but it was all he could do.  Now the next task was to find out if he really was in love with Ukyou and if so, how far it would go.  That would be easy enough to find out, tomorrow morning.

***

Ranma looked around.  No one was to be seen, but that didn't really mean much.  He straightened his backpack and walked towards the door.  He knew his excuse -- he was going on a training journey.  It was true enough, he mused.  And it was not something anyone in the Dojo would get too suspicious about.  He didn't plan on staying in the park once he met up with Ukyou.  They would probably head to the patch of forest nearest town.  Ranma began to blush again at the thought of what may happen once there.  He fought it down, shook his head to clear his thoughts, and began to walk out the door.

"Oh, Ranma," Kasumi's voice whimsically filled the air.  Ranma knew he was in trouble.

"Hello Kasumi..." Ranma began, hiding his insecurity behind a friendly expression.  Kasumi was standing to his left, in full apron, hands behind her back and eyes closed accompanying a sweet smile that pierced Ranma's being.

"Are you going to be gone long?" she asked.

"Well, I.. uh... I'm not exactly sure.  I just kinda need to get away for a while.  I ought to be back by the end of the day."  Ranma mentally wiped his brow...  That was the right thing to say.

Kasumi's eyes opened.  "Ranma," she said.  It sounded accusatory.  Holy hell...  She had found out.  Ranma had always suspected that there was something Kasumi was hiding and now he knew what it was...  She was a mind reader.  A chill overtook his entire body.

"Don't forget to take this," she said, and an arm bearing a topped plastic container extended towards Ranma.  Lunch.  He breathed again.

Ranma nodded his profuse thanks and left.  Outside, he wanted to scream, but figured that it could wait until later.  Right now it was most important to get out of range of the Dojo's occupants, and he had to settle for taking several deep breaths.

He hadn't the slightest idea that two pairs of eyes were watching him from opposite sides of the yard.

***

Ryouga waited for Akane to leave first.  She often told P-chan many of her private thoughts, accepting him as an impartial confessor.  Usually, to his dismay, they were of Ranma.  And last night had been no different.  Akane planned to follow Ranma if he tried to go somewhere today, and she had heard him packing earlier this morning.

Of course Ryouga would not reveal himself to her.  He was in human form now after a quick trip to the bathroom and had to be content to follow her unnoticed.  He wondered if she would ever deduce the reason he and P-chan always seemed to be in the same area, but never at quite the same time.  The bandanna should have been a dead giveaway the first time she saw him in porcine form.  He wondered what it would really be like if he did somehow manage to win Akane over.  He shook off the thought...  Such pleasant happenings just didn't befall Ryouga Hibiki.  The secret seemed to be more threatened each time he came to the Dojo, so he wasn't about to press his luck this time.

Ryouga came out of his reverie, noticing Akane had left, and bolted across the yard.  He was taking his lack of directional sense much more seriously of late and he really didn't want to get lost on such an important errand as this.  He cleared the gate and looked both ways.  Luckily, he could still see Akane rounding the corner ahead.  Ryouga grinned, his fangs on display to the world.  Ranma was in for it now.  If what he suspected was true, and Ranma was up to something with Ukyou, Ryouga would be obliged to beat the living hell out of him.

***

Ranma spied Ukyou, already waiting on the park bench.  She wore her standard okonomi-yaki making outfit today, with the black tights.  He supposed she wasn't trying to impress him today.  But he did notice that she seemed to bulge a little more in the right places.  He walked up to her and couldn't resist a smile.  He told himself, however, today he would be in control.

"Ukyou..."

"Ranchan."

Ranma looked around.  No one he knew was present.  In fact, the park was fairly vacant.  But it still wasn't secure enough for what he had in mind.

"Ukyou, I'd like for us to go on a little walk.  Someplace we can have some privacy."  Ranma was struggling to maintain stoicism.  He wanted to hold Ukyou then and there, say to Hell with everyone else, and breathe in her being as he kissed her.  But he shook his head and simply offered his hand to her, lifting her from the bench.  She looked at him lovingly as she rose to a standing position.  An all-too-convenient view down her top confirmed Ranma's earlier suspicions. The binds that held back her bosom were no longer in place, and neither was a bra as far as Ranma could tell.  It wasn't going to be easy to contain himself until they reached their destination, he thought.  They kept their hands together and walked in content silence towards the woods, about a half-mile away.

***

Ryouga noted that Akane looked like she was about to explode and shower the surrounding woodland with pieces of bad cook.  He expected her enraged aura to start visibly flaming around her any second.

He took no solace in the fact that he had been right about Ranma.  It hurt him to see Akane so upset.  Suddenly, she stopped.  Ryouga didn't want to reveal himself just yet, so he ducked into the nearby bushes.

***

So, that was it, huh?  Akane fumed.  She shoved her fist through a nearby tree, toppling it.  She then looked around.  She couldn't see anyone and hoped that Ranma hadn't heard the tree fall.  There was still a chance he could have a reasonable explanation for this, and Akane would be more than happy to beat it out of him.

***

Ranma decided that they were sufficiently far away from the park.  He noticed a nearby fallen log and brought Ukyou over to it.  They sat facing each other.  Ranma had had a lot of time to think on the way to the forest.  He wondered if Ukyou had been watching his face...  There must have been some interesting expressions.  The sight of her smile and the feel of her warm, delicate hand enclosed in his had eliminated his doubts.  He knew the way it was to be now, but was still struggling to accept it.

“I don’t really know what to say, Ranma...  Did you... come to any conclusions?” Ukyou asked.  Optimism enjoyed a slight majority in her mind as she tried to determine Ranma’s next move.

Ranma stammered a response as he fought to withhold a surge of newly released emotions.  “I’m not really sure what’s right anymore, Ukyou...  These feelings going on inside me right now are completely new and I don’t really know how to deal with them...  All I can tell you is that the way I feel about you right now...  Well, it’s... raw attraction, I guess you’d call it...  But it’s also a lot more than that...”

Ukyou beamed in a mixture of relief and bliss and squeezed Ranma’s hands tightly.

He couldn't stand it anymore and leaned in to kiss her.  She noticed his intention and quickly grabbed him by the neck, pulling his body close to her and placing her lips on his.  They frantically caressed each other as they kissed, as if trying to create friction for warmth.

After a few moments Ukyou repositioned herself so that she was sitting on Ranma’s lap, legs to either side and facing him.  She rested her head on Ranma’s chest and squeezed him tightly.  She smiled in contentment as the pounding of his heart met her ears.

“I’ve been waiting for this for a long time, my love...” she said, still unsure this wasn’t in fact a spectacular dream.  Ranma took a deep breath as he embraced her, becoming intoxicated by her scent.

“Sorry it took so long for me to realize how I felt, Ucchan...” Ranma replied.  Unfortunately, he was becoming embarrassed.  His body was doing things it had never done before.  His training had robbed him of most sexual impulses as well as romantic ones, but they were making a strong comeback after a couple of moments of Ukyou's legs being wrapped around him.  He mentally cursed the ill timing; this was supposed to be a tender time, not something he wanted to cheapen with lust.

But Ukyou noticed what his body was doing and seemed pleased.  She leaned her head on his shoulder for a moment and began to kiss his neck.  Ranma pulled back a hand from around her back, this time brushing the breast purposefully.  He winced, wondering how he’d let that impulse slip past his guard.  He wasn't planning to take it any further, but Ukyou grabbed his hand and pressed it against her chest.  Ranma fought to keep down a nosebleed.  It felt so odd to be holding one of these on purpose, let alone not being slapped for doing so.  He had spent a lot of time in his female form, but this was much different.

He wasn't quite sure what to do with his hand affixed to Ukyou's left breast, so he made a quick deduction and began to gently massage it.  Ukyou arched her head back and let out a very pleased moan.  For some reason, this affected Ranma's bodily condition even more, and he fought back urges to thrust his hips forward.  Ukyou leaned back in and began kissing Ranma passionately again, his hand still gently rubbing her breast.  She took her hand off of his arm after she was sure he would keep it there and her hand moved down to below his belt.  The next thing Ranma felt made him utter a pleasured sigh he had never expected to hear come out of his own mouth.

***

"RANMA!!!!!!!!"  It was the most blood-curdling scream Ranma had ever heard.  Ukyou and he stared wide-eyed, but were too shocked to move their hands.  Akane was standing across from them, the energy of her emotions causing ki to radiate off of her like steam from a hot spring in the dead of winter.  Ranma froze.  From the looks of things, she had enough going to get off an actual Shichihokodan.  At the very least he expected Akane to leap forth and break several of his bones.

Ranma watched in shock as Akane instead slumped to the ground and began weeping softly.  Ryouga rushed in from the side; he had obviously been following her.  He bent down to help Akane.  Her cry grew louder and she rose, threw off Ryouga's hand, turned and ran.  Ryouga looked at Ranma with an unspoken promise of revenge.

"You disgust me," said Ryouga, and he turned to run after Akane.

It had all happened so fast.  Ranma finally regained communication with his hand, allowing it to fall from Ukyou's chest, and looked down.  What had he done?

Ukyou kissed his forehead, sighed, and rose.  He would probably go running after Akane now, like he always did.  It must have been a foolish dream to think she could ever really have him.  She felt resistance as she began to leave, and noticed that he had kept hold of her hand.

"Ucchan... please, don't leave just yet," he said.  Ukyou blinked.

"You mean, you... you're not going after her?" she asked, somewhat shocked.  Ranma shook his head.

"She...  Ry-Ryouga will make sure she is all right but I... I've hurt her so much with this that she'll never want to see me again.  I can't believe I let it happen this way," Ranma said haltingly.

"I'm sorry, Ranma, this is all my fault..." Ukyou said.

"No...  no, it's not," he said, still looking downward, "I should have been honest with her."

"Wha... what are you saying, Ranma?"

"I...  I think I'm in love with you," Ranma said, although he did not look directly at her.  Part of Ukyou wanted to jump up and start doing flips, but she knew this was definitely not the time.  She had hoped that this moment would have come under better circumstances, but still she allowed a small smile.  She sat down close to him and he buried his head in her shoulder.  As she held him, Ukyou felt a great love overcome her...  It was now when he needed her most.

***

The present.

"But I have to go up there.  I know what happened to her," Ryouga stated firmly but calmly.  This was Kasumi he was dealing with, and one just didn't go to pieces on someone like her.  Kasumi's expression was one of calm determination.  Ryouga found he was unusually disturbed to find the ever-present smile missing.  Akane had out run him on the way back home, but he hadn't gotten too terribly lost and was only about 20 minutes late.

She finally took her hands off of his shoulders.  "I don't know what's going on here, but if you think you can help her, please do so."  Kasumi stepped aside and watched as Ryouga bounded up the stairs.  He almost immediately found the door with the little duck, which read Akane’s name in Roman characters.  He knocked slowly and carefully.

"Who is it?" Akane snapped.

"Uh... it's R-Ryouga."

There was a pause, and then the door opened.  A puffy-faced Akane went back to the bed.  Ryouga entered and was wordlessly invited to sit across from her on the desk chair.  She was wiping her face with tissues.

"Akane, be sure that I won't rest until Ranma is--"

"Please...  Just give it a rest, P-chan." Akane cut him short.

Ryouga jumped up, yelping in shock and making bizarre hand gestures.

"Oh what, you thought I didn't know?  Does EVERYONE think I'm stupid?"

Ryouga was dumbfounded.  "But, why... why did you..."  Akane took a deep breath, obviously meant to hush his ramblings.

"I've known since that day in the baseball field.  How else would I have known to hit Ranma with that bat if I hadn't seen you before you got hit by the sprinkler?"  Akane said, somberly.  Ryouga just stared, still in shock.

"You had already slept in my bed and I did the only thing I could do to protect my honor...  I pretended not to know.  At first I was furious with you for pulling such a trick.  I got over that eventually, because after all I was the one to put you in that position.  Over the months I've found that you really are a nice person, Ryouga, if a little over-emotional.  I guess I've been much the same.  I started to really like you and I enjoyed having P-chan around..."  Ryouga recovered from his shock enough to say something.

"I... I don't understand.  You liked me, but you kept up with the illusion?" he asked.

"I... thought I was in love with Ranma.  I don't know... maybe I still am.  But he's chosen Ukyou."  Akane lowered her head.  "I'm still very confused and hurt about the whole thing...  You'd probably better get out of here before I try to hurt you.  That's... what I always do."  She began to cry again and felt a gentle hand on her shoulder.  Ryouga had moved next to her on the bed.

"Akane..." was all he said, but somehow it was enough.  She took the cue and buried her head in Ryouga's chest, trying to drain out all of the pain along with the tears from her eyes.

***

Genma was still shocked.  Sure, it was in actuality his fault, but he’d be damned if he was about to admit that.  He felt lucky that Soun had forced him to make a contingency plan when Ukyou had first arrived.  Genma had said that it would never happen, that Ranma never even gave Ukyou a second look.  He hated to concede anything to Soun, but this time the crybaby had been right.

It was going to be hard to get used to this.  Ranma sat across from him, still visibly upset, but holding Ukyou's hand for support.  Genma rose.

"I'll get him.  You two try to look a little less obvious."  Genma took a deep breath, adjusted his glasses, put on his battle face, and headed to Soun's room.  Genma saw them reluctantly separate and felt like a little kid pulling apart love bugs in the act.  How long had it been since he had felt that kind of love?

***

They all sat around the dinner table of the Tendo home, breathing in Kasumi's delectable cooking and preparing to feast.  Genma, Ranma, Ukyou, and Nabiki sat on one side of the table, while Soun, Akane, Ryouga, and Kasumi sat on the other.  Things had been decidedly changed that Sunday a week ago.  There was tension in the air, tension that might never completely dissipate.  Ranma still couldn't believe that it had all ended and no one had died.  Ryouga had half-heartedly attempted to fight him.  Akane had slammed him with a coffee table on sight.  Soun had cried.  Soun had cried a lot.

In the end, they had no choice but to talk it out.  Everyone had made sacrifices... and now everyone breathed a little easier.  It was getting to be almost livable in the house.  Genma had never counted on another son and Soun had certainly never expected another daughter, but the adoptions had gone smoothly enough.  Things were not yet stable, but the future looked hopeful.

For everyone.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Author's Note:

This fic was originally written in 1998, and my girlfriend at the time (Sharon H.) helped me proofread this work and co-authored the sequel with me, which will be available again shortly in an updated form.  It was my first piece of fanfiction, but strangely enough it seems to remain my best work.  So either it’s a really great story, or my fanfic skills have languished in the interim, but more than likely it is the latter.

Well anyway, C&C is most welcome and appreciated.  I really do want to know what you think of it.  My e-mail is tenma_sama@yahoo.com.  These fics as well as my other writings are housed at http://www.geocities.com/tenma_sama.

Thanks for reading.

--Tenma