Revelations, Part Two: "The Song of the Arrow"

Chapter Six

Ranma and Akane could hardly concentrate on their afternoon classes, worried about Ryoga. When school was over, they walked out together... and stopped short as they stared at Ryoga leaning against a tree, watching them.

Slowly, he pushed himself away from the tree and came towards them, "Would you two stop it...? I haven't been able to get anywhere at all in the last three hours because mina keep calling me back."

Ranma closed his mouth and took a joyful step forward. Ryoga took a step back. Ranma halted where he was. Akane stayed very still. The tension in the air could be felt by them all.

"Look," Ryoga sighed, "Just... stop worrying, will ya? I'll be fine. Really."

Akane's eyebrows involuntarily went up, "Really?" her skepticism showed in her voice. Akane heard herself and clapped a hand over her mouth in horror – the last thing she wanted to do was hurt him again.

No, not really. But... I can't live like this. Ryoga didn't answer her question outloud.

"Ryoga..."

All three turned to look as Ukyo came towards them.

"Ryoga – have you really given up?" Ukyo pleaded for it not to be the truth.

Akane and Ranma both stepped in front of Ryoga, both settling into a guard position, watching Ukyo warily.

Ryoga groaned and put his head in his hands.

"Give it up, Ukyo – you lost," Akane's voice was hard.

Ukyo's eyes sparked, "I haven't lost! You're not married yet." She glanced beyond Akane, "Come on, Ryoga – you can't abandon a fight in the middle."

Ryoga glanced at Ranma and didn't answer.

Ranma growled, "Leave him alone, Uc-chan! You don't know anything!"

Ryoga raised his eyebrows. Don't you dare go into that, Ranma!

"I don't?" Ukyo finally moved into a battle stance of her own, "I know that Akane has been sleeping with him in her bed for the last year! Does that sound like she won't betray you even now?"

Akane clenched her fists, "P-chan! He's always been P-chan!"

"And you knew it!"

"Uc-chan – are you jealous?" Ranma half-dropped his stance, recognizing some part of himself in her.

Ryoga blinked and looked at Ukyo.

Ukyo flushed red, shouting, "I am not!!!!!" She looked at Ranma, pleading, "Ran-chan – you've always said I was your cute fiancée. Why did you say it if you don't think it?"

It was Ranma's turn to flush red.

Akane moved a half-step away from him, turning so she was also facing him.

Ryoga watched in fascination.

"I did mean it, Uc-chan... But..." Ranma trailed off.

"Oops," Ryoga twitched his mouth up, and commented quietly, "Bad answer, Ranma."

Akane flushed a dangerous red and her mallet appeared in her hand.

"I just didn't mean it when I said Akane was uncute!" Ranma yelled.

The mallet disappeared.

Ukyo stood, shocked.

So did the watching onlookers.

Ryoga's mouth twitched again, "Not bad..."

"And Ryoga is my friend – you leave him alone," Ranma quickly got off the subject of Akane – and onto one almost as dangerous.

"Oh, don't start that, Ranma," Ryoga muttered softly.

"Your friend?" Ukyo blinked, "You fight him and insult him and shame him and trick him and use him – and he's your friend? I've been a better friend to him than that!!"

Akane stood in her spot, "All you've ever done is try and throw him on me just so you can get Ranma! How is that being his friend?"

"At least we work together! You never even told him you didn't like him! You just used him when you wanted to make Ranma jealous! Ryoga and I have always been honest in our friendship."

"Honest?" Ranma snorted, "What about the Tunnel of Lost Love?"

Ukyo flushed, "We were trying to break you two up – nothing else!"

"You had to have tricked Ryoga into it," Akane scowled, "He wouldn't have done it on his own!"

Ranma blinked and looked at Akane, "Sure he did."

Ryoga scratched the back of his head and retreated a step. The combatants didn't notice.

"Ryoga doesn't hurt me!" Akane glowered at Ranma.

"No, you just hurt him!" Ukyo agreed, sarcastically.

The three continued to bicker, all now equal-distant from each other and facing off in a triangle.

Ryoga looked between the three of them and threw up his hands. Beside him, Kuno laughed, "They sound just like me and Kodachi!"

"Excuse me?" Ryoga glanced at him in surprise.

Kuno grinned, "Arguing over who has Sasuke's loyalty."

Ryoga's mouth dropped open and he looked back to the three combatants, "That's ridiculous!"

"Not really," Nabiki leaned on the tree next to Kuno, the spot that Ryoga had been in earlier. "You're a rare one, Ryo-chan, and they all recognize it."

"I am not a servant," growled Ryoga.

"Didn't say you were," Kuno agreed easily. "You're their friend."

"And when other factors are muddled," Nabiki explained, "a friend's loyalty will often decide which person is the most worthy."

Ryoga looked up at the sky and shouted, "None of them even want me!!!!!!"

A complete silence fell in the schoolyard. Even the birds stopped chirping.

"Well," Nabiki remarked, "That got their attention."

Ryoga glanced guiltily at his three friends. Ranma was staring at him, stunned, a hurt and sorrowful expression on his face. Akane looked about ready to cry, torn between thoughts and emotions. Ukyo just had her eyebrows raised in a sardonic question.

Kuno cleared his throat, "It's your loyalty they want – not necessarily you."

The words could have been a poleax in Ranma's stomach from the way his face paled. If anything, Akane looked worse. Ukyo lowered her eyebrows and looked at Akane thoughtfully.

Then Ukyo grinned, "She does want you, Ryoga. She does, and you haven't lost yet. Are you going to fight alongside me?"

Ryoga glowered at Ukyo.

Taking a step towards him, Ukyo tried to persuade him, "Akane likes you, Ryoga – or she wouldn't have been keeping you with her all the time as P-chan. She really does. Are you going to give her up that easy? When you could have her? She likes you, and she knows it."

Ranma stared at Akane, who blinked and stuttered.

Ryoga looked at Akane and Ranma and bit his lip, "Ukyo," he raised his voice to carry, "I'm not going to hurt either of them." He stepped forward, "And, yes – that does mean that I've given up." He closed his eyes briefly, the pain showing in every line of his face, "Akane-san doesn't want me, Ukyo." And he opened his eyes and fire flared behind them, "But she does want Ranma. And Ranma wants her. And I can't let either of them be hurt. Back off of Ranma, Ukyo, because from now on, I'm defending him too. Back off, or you'll be facing me."

The school gasped.

Ukyo stood stunned.

Then a dark battle aura started swirling around Ukyo and she looked hard at Ryoga, "Traitor. I guess I will be facing you, then."

Ryoga walked in front of both Akane and Ranma, "Try me, Ukyo."

Ranma studied the dark aura around Ukyo, "Uhh, Ryoga..."

"I recognize it." Ryoga approached her and then stood steady, "You're only hurting yourself, Ukyo – I know only too well."

"Ryoga..." Ukyo whispered, "You have given up..." A tear slid down her face as she clenched her fists and brought her arms in front of her chest. The aura went darker and swirled close to her, hiding her in its shadows.

Ranma backed away and grabbed Akane as he went, "Get back."

Akane was puzzled, but went with him, "What is it?"

Ryoga shifted his weight and eyed Ukyo, his concentration focused.

"You might have given up – but I haven't!" Another tear slid down, "I haven't... and I won't. Ever."

Ryoga knelt down and placed a hand flat on the ground and waited...

Ukyo opened her hands and all the dark heavy energy that had been swirling around her gathered in that spot...

The ground split open under her and Ryoga, dropping them both down. A powerful explosion of energy funneled out and up from the split, crumbling the ground and stunning all nearby with its intensity.

Akane screamed and flung herself forward. Ranma caught her around the waist, "It's okay, Akane!"

"It's not okay!" Akane cried, "Ryoga!"

"He's okay!" Ranma hauled her back.

Akane finally stilled, though she watched the smoking crack with heavy eyes, "Ryoga..." She glanced to Ranma, "How do you know he's okay?"

Ranma snorted, "Nothing can hurt that moron."

Akane pulled herself out of his grip.

"No, Akane, wait," Ranma didn't try and grab her again and Akane paused, waiting. Ranma glanced at the crack, "Ryoga was the one who did that."

Akane's mouth dropped open.

Nabiki approached the scene cautiously, "He did?"

Kuno also walked over, "Not the explosion..."

"No..." Ranma glanced at the crack and walked to the edge, "Off-hand, I'd have to say that Ukyo has learned her first ki-attack."

Just barely getting her jaw back in place, Akane knew she shouldn't have bothered as it fell again, "Ki-attack?" She looked at the smoke and debris in the area, and bit her lip, "Did you recognize it, Ranma?"

He shook his head, "Not specifically. When we were training, Ryoga—" he broke off as a dark figure climbed out of the crack carrying another.

Ryoga coughed, carefully placing an unconscious Ukyo on the ground. He slapped at the black dust and dirt on him and gave it up as a lost cause. Then he glanced at the crack in the ground. "I guess I better take care of that before anybody falls in."

Kuno, Nabiki, and Akane all stared at him in disbelief. Ranma grinned.

Ryoga didn't notice any of them, kneeling down and placing his hands flat upon the ground. There was a low rumbling sound in the air and the ground shook but nothing happened. Ryoga frowned and closed his eyes. Suddenly, the crack snapped shut, a dark line of rubble showing where it had been. As sudden as the crack, Ryoga collapsed, falling face first on the ground.

Ranma knelt next to his friend and rolled him gently over. He took off his outer shirt to use as a cushion under Ryoga's head. For a long moment he just stared at Ryoga's face. Then he glanced up as Ukyo moaned. Ukyo didn't wake up but she stirred restlessly, and the distraction kept Ranma from taking Ryoga in his arms like he wanted to. Ryoga, Love. He was so close... Ranma's hand trembled with the force he was using to keep himself still. Everybody is watching. Ranma looked at Ryoga's still face. I want him so...

Looking to Nabiki, Kuno cleared his throat in question. Nabiki nodded, then said, "We'll take care of Ukyo. I don't think it would be a good idea for Ukyo to be around you when she wakes up. You two can take care of Ryo-chan."

Smoothing out the hair on Ryoga's forehead, Akane nodded, "Are you sure...?"

Kuno picked Ukyo up effortlessly, cradling her gently, "We're sure." And then he and Nabiki left.

Ranma stared after them, "Uc-chan... Why couldn't you just be my friend? I never wanted you to know..." he trailed off.

Clearing her throat, Akane asked, "Know what?" She didn't really think it was about her, but her nerves were still sensitive from the fight.

"The 'Lion's Roar Bullet'," a voice answered her.

Ranma blinked and looked around, not seeing anybody.

Akane frowned as she glanced over to the tree, "What is that, Mousse?"

The White Swan jumped down from the tree and landed beside them, addressing a large rock in the pile of rubble, "Otherwise known as the Depression Blast. That was the ki attack Ukyo used – its full state can only be learned by someone who has given up on the joys of life."

Ranma stood up and then doubled over in the most significant bow he could make. "Mousse – thank you."

Mousse blinked his gaze off the boulder and put his glasses on, looking first to Ranma, and then to Akane who looked back to him. Then they both looked again at Ranma, "Huh?"

Ranma knelt beside Ryoga, gazing at his friend's face, softly speaking to Mousse, "The technique you taught me last month – it saved Ryoga's life. If you hadn't taught it to me..." Ranma bowed his head and trembled.

Groaning, Ryoga sat up, "Baka – don't do that when I'm still with Earth. I have enough to deal with without feeling you jangling through my soul." He glanced at Ranma, "I'm alive. Alive. Okay?"

"Sorry," Ranma stopped trembling, "I thought I was over that."

Ryoga shook his head and then looked pointedly at Akane. Akane stopped being a fascinated spectator and hurried to hug Ranma in reassurance. Ranma slipped an arm around her waist and hugged her tight, burying his head in her shoulder. Ryoga looked at the two of them with only a little wistfulness before turning to Mousse, "How long have you been here?"

Mousse shrugged, "Since all those battle-auras started flaring over the city. I wouldn't be surprised if half the Martial Artists in the city are hidden somewhere around – those three really put on a display." He glanced at Ryoga curiously, "Was it truly as bad as Ranma implied?"

After glowering at likely hiding spots, Ryoga shrugged, "Bad enough." The words were a little short, and Ryoga thought about it. Then he got up and also bowed low to Mousse, {"I formally offer my thanks for my life. All that I have is yours upon your need."}

Mousse blinked. And opened his mouth. And closed it. Finally, he said, "When did you learn Chinese?"

Ranma relaxed his grip on Akane and snickered at Mousse's comment – remembering his own surprise when he'd found out.

Akane frowned at Ranma, thinking he was laughing at what Ryoga had said, "What did he say?"

Ranma shrugged, "I certainly don't speak Chinese."

Briefly, Ryoga glanced over at them, then returned his attention to Mousse, who was studying him intently through his glasses.

{"That bad?"}

Ryoga nodded, grimacing.

Mousse shrugged, {"Then I have to accept. Don't take advantage of it, will you?"}

It was Ryoga's turn to blink in startlement.

{"Saving a life means something different among Amazons. I'll tell you later."}

{"My meaning still stands."} Ryoga suddenly thought of something and glanced around, "You said most Martial Artists could feel that..."

"Shampoo and old Leatherface are in China."

"Again?" Akane asked, curious now that she could finally understand part of the conversation. "But Shampoo just got back from there!" Shampoo had been visiting friends in China when the moxibustion training had taken place a couple months back.

"Shampoo wanted to check something out," Mousse replied vaguely.

Ranma muttered, "A thousand miles is barely far enough!"

A brace of knives appeared in Mousse's hands, "Don't talk about her that way!"

Ranma raised his hands in appeasement, "Sorry."

Akane and Mousse looked at him in amazement, and prudently didn't remark on the rare occurrence of an apology from Ranma over something trivial.

He still got the idea and glowered at them.

Ryoga broke the tension by yawning, "I think I'm off for a bath." He patted his clothes and black dust flew. Ranma and Akane and Mousse all hurriedly stepped away from him. Ryoga grinned at them, then started to walk out the school yard.

"Ryoga, wait!" Akane bit her lip, "You can use the one at home."

Without turning back, Ryoga paused for a long moment, "Home... It's been awhile since I was there. Maybe I should try to find it." And he kept walking.

Akane stared after him with wide, hurt eyes, "I meant..."

"He knew what you meant," Ranma said, half-annoyed at the way his friend got his point across. But mostly sad because he knew it was true. With Ranma and Akane a couple, there just wasn't a place at the Tendo household for Ryoga. He was their friend... But to live with them? Ranma reflected that it would also be damn hard for him to keep her hands off Ryoga after a fight and then a fright. She'd gotten too used to passion after excitement. And maybe... Maybe Ryoga had as well. We spent one week together – three weeks ago. And it seems like a lifetime. If Ryoga came home with them... He would always be second to Akane and Ranma – their pet. As bad as if he had decided to be P-chan forever, like that time... Ranma blinked. And turned to Akane, "You really did know he was P-chan the whole time!"

Akane stopped watching after Ryoga to glare at him, "What the hell brought that up?"

Mousse hastily backed away and then jumped back up into the tree, disappearing from onlookers' sights.

The onlookers had mostly disappeared themselves by this time – all the students going on to their homes, their after-school clubs, their studies.

The amicably bickering couple were left to make their own way home. Holding hands the entire way.

"Akane..." Ranma hesitated as he looked around the dojo for any other onlookers. His gaze locked on hers, pain showing in the blue eyes.

Standing down from her ready stance, Akane recognized his reluctance to spar, and the pain. He's still thinking about Ryoga. "I'm here, Ranma."

Ranma blinked rapidly and glanced around him, finally resting his wide, startled eyes on her, "What did you just say???"

Akane put her eyebrows down and her mouth back in place, "You just seemed... like you needed a friend. I thought I'd remind you that I'm here. Whenever you need me. Ranma, I love you, and you can talk to me. About anything."

For a moment there... Ranma sighed, I thought Ryoga was here. The same words, the same sentiment, the same feeling. The same feeling of love and care. "I love you too, Akane. I do. I didn't know it before, but now... I love you Akane."

What brought that on? Not that Akane minded being told she was loved... quite the contrary. But... "Ranma – what were you going to ask me?" Why are you hurting?

Ranma sighed. And sat down on the floor, "I forgot to tell Ryoga I was sorry. I forgot to tell him... Akane – you told us the other day that you knew we were friends before we did. If you knew..." Ranma sighed, "Akane – Ryoga's always been my friend, but we didn't know it. Can you tell me how you knew?"

Oh, Ranma... You didn't know you cared. And now, you feel his pain as well as yours. "Well," Akane thought about it. And sat down next to Ranma. "I didn't know it either, at first. The anger in his eyes... I was so worried about you. But after a while things just didn't add up. The way he acted towards me was so gentle, so kind. And his excuses for fighting you so quickly changed to defending me. He's so honest in general. Except for P-chan, and who could blame him on that. But... he kept doing things for you, using me as the excuse. After a while," Akane shook her head, "It was just obvious. You two had become friends." She glanced at Ranma, "I hadn't known... that you were friends before."

"The Breaking Point," Ranma sighed. "Ryoga, you ass."

Akane shivered. "I thought sure he was going to kill you that time! He'd gotten better, and then... he showed up and the anger and pain in his eyes – matched the first time. I didn't know what had happened, but he was so determined to learn that deadly technique against you." She bit her lip, "That time, I was really scared for you."

"But you went to the camp with him," Ranma protested, fascinated. You cared? Even back then? At the thought, he blinked. That sounded rather familiar. I've been an ass, and a blind one at that.

Akane blushed scarlet, "I thought if I knew what the technique was... it might help you. And... I only saw the anger after I went with them. Until I saw the anger..." she sighed, "It was just another one of your fights until then. But such a deadly technique..."

Ranma shook his head, "Akane – the Breaking Point can't be used against a living being. Only rocks."

Her mouth dropped to the floor. "What????"

Sheepishly, Ranma offered a tentative grin, "I forgot to tell you. After the match, I was yelling at the old ghoul and she told me."

"But, but, but... Ryoga..."

Ranma sighed, "That... was something I just found out. He knew. He said he needs to see the Point to use it – and he couldn't see any on me. The fight... was only designed to scare me. If he was really trying to win, he would have used other techniques as well."

Akane shook her head, trying to look at that fight again. Slowly, she nodded. "And he's the one who told you how to beat him."

"Huh?"

"'Those punches are good, but how long can you keep it up?'" Akane quoted. "He could see you were dragging, and was suggesting you change strategies."

"That asshole!" Ranma fumed. "That subtle, sneaky little bastard! Damn him for his stupid pride!"

Listening to him berate Ryoga, Akane had to laugh. "You two have always hid your caring under your insults, haven't you?"

Ranma sighed, "Ryoga said... that he hadn't known. That he hated me so much that he lied to himself about his... friendship. That his excuses were for him as much as for me." Ranma bit his lip, "I'd hurt him so bad, by leaving. The only way he thought he wouldn't be hurt again, was to not care for me again. But he did. He did care. But he couldn't care or he'd be hurt..." Ranma shook his head, "No wonder he was always so confused whenever he came around."

"Uhh..." Akane thought about that one. "Yeah." So very confused. "Poor Ryoga." But at the same time, it still didn't make sense, "There had to have been something more. I can see him following when you left – torn between pain and anger. I can see him really angry at Jusenkyo. And I did see the pain when you didn't recognize him. But..." Akane shook her head. It almost made sense. Almost.

Ranma shook his head also, "If there is, it'll take some time to get it out of him. Ryoga hates to let anybody at his pain."

"I've seen that," Akane said softly, bowing her head in sorrow for her friend.

They sat in silence for a bit. Then Ranma stirred again, "If you didn't know about the Breaking Point – how did you know we were friends?"

"Oh for..." Akane sighed. "A lot of little things, Ranma. Like... Well, like the whole Rhythmic Gymnastics match. He teaches me until he gets lost, but shows up again when we really need him – and then trains you for the whole night."

"He was trying to beat the crap out of me so I'd forfeit the match and have to date Kodachi."

Akane rolled her eyes, "You two were fighting with the tools the whole night. If he was serious – do you think he would have used the Gymnastics tools? He was trying to get you to think of them as instinctive. And didn't succeed."

"Huh?" Ranma thought about that night... And had to shrug. Akane was right – Ryoga had made him use the tools the whole time.

"In the match. After you'd punched out the floor. You –"

"Hey! You knew about P-chan... You didn't turn the hose on us for me! You turned it on for Ryoga!!!"

"Honestly, Ranma! Do you want to hear this or not?!"

Ranma settled back down again, grumbling.

Akane watched him and her mouth twitched up, "Ranma – he saved your bacon during that match."

"Huh???" Ranma straightened up. "No friggin way! He was trying to get in my way the whole time!"

Akane grinned, "Ranma – you attacked Kodachi bare-fisted. You would have been disqualified if you'd hit her. P-chan grabbed onto the rail to keep you from hitting her."

"Uhh..." Ranma blinked. And thought. "Shit. I pounded him. I thought he was trying to make me fall. I was so mad... It was another one of his helping tricks..." Ranma almost felt like crying, "Damn it, Ryoga... Why the hell didn't you ever just say so?"

"What would you have done if he had?"

Ranma started to answer and then paused to really think about it. And finally shrugged, "Nothing. We spar. That's all I ever thought we did. I was puzzled by him... but I did think we were friends."

"But if Ryoga let himself think he was your friend... He would have been open for more hurt. The next time you didn't notice. But if he was already your enemy... then your indifference couldn't hurt any more." Akane was figuring it out for herself. And it made sense. The way Ranma had been before... He hurt people without knowing it. And was remorseful – but he never understood. Akane sighed; it was easier to be angry than to admit the pain. A lot easier.

From Ryoga to Akane... Ranma watched her. "Akane... you'd cared also. That long. You cared. And helped me. And was my friend. And fought with me. I had thought we were just friends... At the Breaking Point, you cared. How long had you cared?"

"Oh, like I can't care for my friends?" Akane shook her head, "Ranma – you have this really weird idea of friendship... You like just about everybody..." She thought about it, "Ranma – who do you consider your friends?"

"You, Ryoga," Ranma replied promptly.

When nobody else came into the list, Akane prompted, "What about Hiroshi and Daisuki?"

"They're not friends, they're..." Ranma paused. "Uhh.. schoolmates?"

Akane grinned to herself, shaking her head at him, that's what it is. Ranma – you can't think of anybody as a 'friend' unless they're also your sparring partner. From the affection you've had in your life... I guess it makes sense. "Who else are your friends?" Akane was willing to bet that the only other people he'd name would be the gang... the ones who would fight with him.

More slowly than the first two names, others came out of Ranma's depths, "Kuno, Mousse. I used to think... Ukyo. And Shampoo. I used to think they were friends. Now, I don't know about Ukyo and Shampoo. But Mousse is still a friend." His thoughts changed direction, thinking of Mousse. Ranma gulped, "Mousse is my friend. He taught me the technique..." As he trailed off, he started to shiver. "Ryoga..."

Akane looked at him and then leaned forward to hug him. Like she had earlier in the day. When Ranma had remembered... Why do I get the impression... he didn't tell me the whole story. Ryoga almost died, and Ranma saved him, and I can see how that would have changed him and made him think. But his reactions ever since Ryoga has gotten back... He's scared right now. He's remembering pain. But from what he'd told me... He didn't tell me the whole story. I wonder what happened. What caused such pain? But Akane left it alone because she knew the time wasn't right. She could be patient. She'd been patient for the last year, waiting for them. Waiting, and watching. She would continue to be so.

Ranma held Akane close. Held her and let her care wash over him. Just like Ryoga's... The care that drove away the pain. "Akane. I love you. I love you so much." Ranma lifted his head and kissed her, showing his love and his care.

And Akane kissed him back, and held him as close as he held her. And let it go a bit further than she normally did, because she loved him so much. She loved him and wanted him, and he loved her... Akane was lost in their happiness at being together.

Sometime in the middle of the night, as Akane tossed in her bed one more time, there was a soft knock at her window. Instantly awake, Akane sat up. Did P-chan come back? P-chan would help her sleep. He always did. Akane slipped out of bed and opened the window. And raised an eyebrow at Ranma as he came in.

Ranma glanced around her room sheepishly, "I'm sorry, Akane... I just... I was having a hard time getting to sleep."

"Me too." Akane waited for the point.

"Uhh..." Ranma's head dropped and he turned back to the window, "Never mind. This was a stupid idea."

"Wait," Akane studied Ranma. And then a smile twitched on her lips. "Ranma... will you spend the night with me?"

Ranma whipped around, his eyes wide and hopeful.

"Just to sleep. Nothing more." Not that I wouldn't mind more... Akane squashed that thought. She'd made her limits and she would stick by them. Not until the wedding.

Ranma grinned happily, "That's... what I was coming by to ask you." His eyes wandered to the window as he bit his lip, "I'm having a hard time sleeping." Alone. Turning back to her, "If I do start... uhh... grabbing you or anything – just beat the crap outta me, okay?"

Akane laughed, "I would anyway." She walked over to where he stood and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him close to her. The thought crossed her mind that he wasn't as furry as P-chan, but somehow he felt the same. Akane blinked as she thought it, and tried to figure it out. Oh. Same intentions. Ranma really isn't here for anything but to cheer me up. Almost right... To cheer both of us up.

Taking him by the hand, Akane tugged Ranma gently to her bed. She looked at how narrow it was. "Don't roll over too much," she warned him.

Ranma grinned, "I don't intend to."

Raising an eyebrow at the tone of his voice, which had been slightly smug, Akane slipped back under the covers. And Ranma followed her. And he put his arms around her and snuggled to her, holding her close to him, wrapping his legs around hers.

Akane froze for a long moment. She hadn't expected him to be quite so direct, or start something so quickly after telling her he wouldn't... But then she heard the soft sounds of his deep breathing. She glanced at his face. I'll be damned – he's asleep already. Asleep. How can he possibly go to sleep that quickly? The answer lay in the warmth that had spread throughout her body as Ranma curled himself around her. He was safe and secure with her. Just as she was with him. I guess he really meant it. Akane relaxed in the feel of his arms around her. And she also slept.

 Notes to Chapter 6:

{none}