Killing Me Softly

Author:

A/N: The previous chapter was a big pain in the gut wasn’t it?

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Chapter 4: A Visitor

Her hand left his pants. Ranma’s head fell back onto the cushion.

“Oh god... Damn...”

He was wearing the most irritated look Akane had ever seen.

She sat up abruptly, annoyed that anyone would bother them at this time of night- and just when they were in the middle of their... activities too. She pulled the loosened bra strap back to her shoulder and combed her hair with her fingers. She stood up, straightening her skirt and picked up her shirt.

Ranma sighed and then sat up, tightened the tie of his pants. When he finally stood up, Akane already had her top on and was making her way to the front door.

“Akane,” he called after her. She turned to look at him. “I’ll see who it is.” She nodded her head and made her way back to the couch. Ranma didn’t even bother to put his shirt back on. He was going to kill whomever it was that disturbed them.

‘Damn! I’m gonna kill whoever is standing on that doorstep!’

He was extremely upset. This was going to be the first time they would do it. Their weeklong honeymoon in a beach had been a big joke and the nights were spent with him sleeping on the couch and her in the bedroom. Yes, he had wanted her then but they were still feeling awkward.

He opened the door and did not think twice about punching the face that greeted him. The poor guy stumbled backwards and fell from the doorstep to the hard, cemented ground.

“Hey! What the hell was that for?”

“Do you know what time it is? What are you doing? Don’t you have anything better to do than bother people?” he tried not to mention anything about what he and Akane were doing before they were so rudely disturbed.

“I was just passing by and, knowing you’d still be awake this hour, I decided to visit!”

“Oh yeah! I bet you just came from another one of your directionless journeys and was lost for so long in the middle of nowhere you didn’t have anything to eat and, by the mere interference of luck, recognized our home and decided to beg for food!”

Ryoga glared at him from his position on the ground. He stood up and indignantly straightened his clothes with his hand. Yes, what Ranma said was... quite accurate... He had originally wanted to visit Ukyou (they had been spending a lot of time lately, as both were deeply sorrowful over the wedding) but had, again, made a wrong turn and ended up somewhere in a dense forest filled with plants and creatures he had not known existed and did not trust quite enough to deem edible. He cleared his throat and opened his eyes to give Ranma another indignant look.

After a moment, the lost boy finally broke the silence. “What? Are you going to let me in or not?”

Ranma smirked at him and said, “After disturbing... me? You expect me to invite you in?”

Ryoga threw him a death glare and swallowed his pride. “I want to see Akane.” It was true. He had wanted to see her. He visited her sometimes but never long enough to have a real conversation. He wanted to know how she was, if Ranma was at least treating her well. He had let her slip from him and all he could want now was to see his nemesis treat her like the princess she deserved to be.

Ranma’s face turned serious and he held the door open for the tired Ryoga.

Ryoga’s face shifted from first confusion and then anger. Everything was in disarray. Broken plates and glass, silverware and pots and pans were everywhere. It could only mean one thing. Akane had been very, very mad. Ranma couldn’t have been treating her right.

He turned to the topless boy sharply, fury evident in his face.

“I let you marry her you grime! I hand her over to you and this is how you treat her?” he yelled, throwing a punch in his opponent’s direction.

Ranma narrowly missed the unexpected shot and jumped into a defensive stance. “I invited you in, you ungrateful pig!”

The arrogant comment was rewarded by another attack from Ryoga, this time his foot swinging towards his stomach. The kick missed its target but had managed to brush Ranma’s side.

Her husband was about to attack his unwelcome guest when Akane strolled in and cried out in surprise, “Ryoga!”

Both men immediately ceased fighting and looked in her direction.

“Ranma, don’t be rude!”

He started to defend himself but was cut off by Akane shushing him and ushering Ryoga into the living room. She looked embarrassed at the current state of their house and her husband’s rudeness.

“Sorry about the... uh... chaotic environment, Ryoga... Come, sit here.” She motioned for him to sit on the disorganized couch and kicked Ranma’s shirt under it. She regretted ever agreeing to watching TV with her husband... well, not totally but there was that embarrassed part of her. She should have cleaned the house and put things in their proper places- but no, she decided to make out with Ranma. It upset her that her guest had disturbed their... activities but it was also appalling to be caught in such a disorganized state.

Ranma sat beside Ryoga, rolling his eyes and muttering under his breath.

“Would you like a sandwich or anything, Ryoga?”

“Yes, please... If it would not trouble you so much,” he blushed.

‘You’ve been troubling us ever since you rang that doorbell,’ Ranma said to himself.

Akane smiled and then made her way to the kitchen. Her husband grunted loudly.

It was only then that Ryoga began to wonder why Ranma was topless.

“Why don’t you have your shirt on? I wouldn’t be thinking you were sleeping when I arrived because you answered the door too quickly,” he asked suspiciously.

Ranma’s cheeks flared. “It’s none of your business!”

“What is that?” the pig boy asked, his eyes narrowing at a little red spot on Ranma’s neck.

His hand flew to the hickey Akane had given him and he tried his best to hide the others from Ryoga.

“Um... mosquito bites...” he answered lamely.

Ryoga’s eyes were speculative and Ranma winced.

“Here you go Ryoga,” Akane entered the room with a tray of two sandwiches and a glass of orange juice. Ryoga paused for a moment. He had just remembered how badly she could cook. He gulped nervously as she carefully laid the tray down onto the table and sat beside her husband. It was then that she noticed Ranma’s hand on his neck. She looked at him curiously and he moved his head to show her the hickeys and pointed to the other parts of his neck that bore them. Akane’s eyes widened in panic and she quickly motioned for him to go upstairs to their bedroom.

“Where are you going?” Ryoga, swallowing a bite of a surprisingly edible ham sandwich, asked the standing Ranma.

“Why are you asking so many questions? I’m going to grab a shirt.” The guest blushed and he made his way up the stairs.

Ryoga turned his attention back to Akane. “I’m sorry I bothered you like this... at this time of night.”

“No, it’s all right! We weren’t even sleepy yet.”

Ryoga grinned at her and felt a pang of jealousy. He wasn’t completely over her yet. He wasn’t stupid either. He knew what those marks on Ranma’s neck were. That was probably why he was so annoyed at having been disturbed.

“How are you?” he asked.

“All right.”

“Is... he treating you okay?”

She sighed before answering. “It was hard... but we made up... just tonight,” she smiled. He smiled back at her weakly.

A few minutes later, he finished all of his sandwiches and Ranma noisily came down the stairs, his steps still heavy with irritation.

Ryoga looked up meekly to say, “I think I’ll walk to Ukyou’s tonight... Actually, I think I’m gonna take a cab instead.”

“Are you sure? It’s...” Akane glanced at the wall clock that hung a few feet above the television set. “... eleven. I don’t think it’s going to be easy to find a cab this late.”

‘Dang, Akane... Just let him leave already...’ Ranma thought to himself, his manhood calling out for his wife.

Ryoga glanced at him and sighed. “I’ll manage. Thanks.” And Akane escorted him to the door.

Once he was standing on the doorstep and she was in a few inches above him, he spoke clearly but almost inaudibly.

“Ms. Akane,” he felt silly at the formality. “If he hurts you...” he raised his head to meet her gaze sincerely. “...I’ll kill him.”

Akane’s brows narrowed and she whispered weakly, “T-thanks for your concern. Good night...”

He walked away from the door and onto the curb.

‘Thank god he’s finally out of our hairs... Dang!’ Ranma’s eyes glazed with relief, impatience and lust. He wanted Akane now. He didn’t know if he was going to be able to control himself once they were alone again.

He heard the front door close and he smiled to himself. Now he had Akane all to himself again. He waited for her to sit beside him.

A few minutes passed and she still hadn’t come. He stood up abruptly, worry and panic etched in his face. If Ryoga would even do something... he would...

He walked out of the living room and into the dinner hall. Akane was on all fours, a rag in one hand and a garbage bag in another. She had gotten rid of the food on the floor and was now picking sharp pieces of broken glass and plates. She looked very much harassed and Ranma winced. It was his fault that she had to go through all the stress anyway.

“Akane...” he whined. “You might get another cut from what you’re doing. You’re so stupid sometimes.” He was seriously concerned and Akane smiled up at him.

“I can handle this. Go to sleep, Ranma,” she said tiredly and Ranma noticed the droop her eyes tried to hide.

His hands covered her fingers that held a dangerous piece of glass. His stare was stern and she stopped what she was doing.

“I’ll clean this up. Go to bed,” he ordered. She paused for a while, deciding over fulfilling her duties as a good wife or letting herself relax for once. She decided on the latter.

She nodded at him and smiled weakly. He helped her up and she tried a few steps but found out she had no more energy to spare. Her eyes felt heavy and she yawned, collapsing into his chest. Ranma sighed and lifted her petite body into his arms. He shook his head from side to side and felt pity for his little wife. She didn’t have to torture herself like this to please him. He hated having to be the reason she did this to herself. He looked down at her slumbering face and sighed. He wanted to make love to her but he understood what she needed. He would never put his lust before her health. His throbbing manhood would have to wait.

He carried her into the living room and up the stairs. He stood in front of the door to their room and pulled the knob down with his elbow. He stepped inside, careful not to let her head hit the doorframe. He laid her down onto the bed and pulled the sheets over her peaceful form. She looked so beautiful. For a moment, he thought he was staring at an angel. The moon shone through the window and showered her face in a golden blue light. She seemed to glow and he felt very fortunate at having this beauty to admire every night. He allowed himself one kiss from her soft, pink lips and she smiled in her sleep.

He walked to the door and closed it silently. His steps were light on the staircase, careful not to wake her. He made his way to the messy kitchen and dining room and realized that he had less work to be done than he had thought. Akane was such a dear. She had already done most of the cleaning and all he had to do was sweep away the broken pieces of glass and porcelain that dangerously lay on the floor.

When he had finished making sure that the floors were once again safe for her virgin feet to walk upon, he went to their room to watch her breathe evenly for a few moments before letting the shirt he had seen and taken under the couch fall near the side table’s legs. He then took off the shirt he had later worn and threw it nonchalantly with the other one. He lifted the edge of the same comforter that warmed his Akane and settled himself beside her. He faced the back of her head and wistfully breathed in the scent of her shampoo. He snuggled closer to her, his arm sliding around her waist to rest upon her stomach. The knowledge that she was right there beside him, alive and well, breathing underneath his palm was the blessed thought that allowed sleep to take him.

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A/N: Still not much action in this one but the next chapter, I believe, will have loads of action. *wink