Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Past and Future ❯ Chapter Ten ( Chapter 10 )

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"Don't go through life,

Grow through life."

-Eric Butterworth

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"Ranma. . . Ranma. . . wake up. . . " OAkane gently patted his cheek. "Come on, wake up already. . . oh this is ridiculous." She then got up and left the room, coming back a minute later with a bucket.

*Splash!

"HEY! What the heck did ya do that for?!?" The busty redhead sputtered in confusion. "Akane?" Ranma shook her head and peered up at the raven haired girl. "I had the strangest dream. . you said you were from-"

"The future, Ranma."

"Wha?" Ranma jumped up to grasp Oakane's hands and stare at here widely. "You had the same dream?" OAkane rolled her eyes.

"No, you dolt. It's true, I told you I'm from the future remember?"

"Oh yeah. . . you're from the future where you said we were. . . we were. . . " Ranma slumped to the floor, "m-m-m-mar-"

"Married! Yes, married."

"But. . "

"Yes?" She waited patiently while watching her intended looking off into the distance with a rather baffled expression.

"Why would I ever m-marry a macho chick like you?"

Five minutes later when Ranma regained consciousness once more, Akane began to explain her life to Ranma.

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"Bweeee! Bweee!"

"What the hell? Akane!" ORanma rushed forward to pick up the fallen women, cradling her in him arms. He looked down to the squealing pig. "What the heck happened Ryoga?"

"Bwee bwee bwee. . "

"Oh yeah, that helps a lot, go get some hot water already!" He looked down at his wife with a frown. "What are you fainting for, huh?"

"I don't know what happened, Ranma. One second she's hugging me, the next, she splashes me, and then she faints."

"She hugged you?"

"Yeah, and then," ORyoga grimaced at the look in Oranma's eyes. "But I gotta go, Ukyo wants me home by eight, and it's almost seven, so if I want to get there in time. . well you know how it is, see ya Ranma." With that, he ran out the door. "Heh heh. .. bathroom. . . bye!" He then ran out the other door into the street.

"Stupid pig. . . " He picked up Akane and walked over to the couch and set her gently on it. "Alright, wake up tomboy." ORanma widened his eyes and caught the fist that suddenly flew towards his face.

"Who are you calling a-oh, Ranma! Where's-?"

"P-chan? I sold him to the grocery store, are you feeling alright?"

Ryoga. . is P-chan? How did I-how could I-I'm so stupid. . . A finger came under her chin to tilt her face upwards until her brown eyes met blue. And now Ranma's here. . . to be with me. . . so we can continue our. . . our . .

"Hey Akane, come on, tell me, are you feeling alright?"

"Um. . . yes, I'm fine." She jumped up off the couch.

"You sure?"

"Of course!" ORanma smirked and stood up, grasping her arms and pulling them upwards to twine them around his neck. "Good. So, um, can I kiss you now?"

Yes. . . . no! No no no no no no NO! This is wrong!

"Just a sec. . . I have to. . to wash my face! I'll be back soon. . um, darling." ORanma stood staring after her dissapearing form, his head tilted to the side in confusion.

"Darling?"

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"So that's it. We're happily married and then I make this wish, and here I am."

"Nabiki and Kuno?"

"Yeah. . . I know." Ranma, now male, looked up from his twiddling fingers to look her in the eyes for the first time since OAkane had begun her tale. "So, my Akane. . . I mean the Akane from this time, you think she's in your place?"

"I guess so, I mean if I came here, where else would she have gone unless to the future."

"Well, this wish thing better end soon, I mean not the I don't not like you or anything. . . " his eyes went back down to his fingers, "we're really happy?" He gulped when he glanced up to see her smiling sweetly at him.

"Yes, Ranma, we are."

"But I don't get it, if we're. . .so happy. . why did you make the wish?"

"I didn't think it would true! It was just a passing thought that I had. I'm glad it did come true, it's been fun, beating Shampoo, and it's definitely a lot of fun playing with you."

"Playing?" Ranma frowned as OAkane kept going on and on, with a bright smile on her face.

"It's so much fun experimenting with different things, now that I'm positive about how you feel about me." Ranma widened his eyes and stood up.

"And how exactly do I feel? Huh?" OAkane looked up at him innocently.

"You love me, you dummy."

"I do not!" Ranma's face had turned beat red and he turned around to face the window. "I mean, how do you know I'm not Ranma you're marrying. . maybe it's some other dimension or something. . . heck, I could end up marrying Shampoo. . . you can't prove that I l-l-. . that I feel that way about you!"

"Wanna bet?" OAkane grasped his arm and dragged him out the door, down the hallway and into his room. She left him standing in the middle of the room, his mouth hanging slightly open as he watched her push the small night table to side. "I can't prove it, huh? You'll see. . . " She crouched down and lifted up one of the floor wood panals. Ranma yelped and ran forward to grab her arm.

"Don't!" She shrugged him off and lefted the small box out of it's hiding place.

"Don't what? Give you the proof? Well, here it is." She stood up and walked over to the center of the room, where a pool of moonlight had gathered. Sitting down, she opened the box, slowly pulling out the items gathered in it. "You don't love me, right? Then why do you have these pictures Ranma? Why did you keep my hair after Ryoga chopped it off? And why did you keep the bamboo leaf with our names on it? Just because? No, Ranma. Because you think of me when you look at these things. Because you wanted to have some memories of me just incase I ever left you. Because, you, Ranma Saotome, lo-"

"Okay, Okay! Enough already! You're right, ok tomboy? You're right!" Ranma pushed her aside, and gathered up everything, carefully and quickly at the same time, placed them in the box and slammed the lid shut. He crawled over to the opening in the floor and put the box inside. He put the floor board back in place again, his face practically steaming with embarrassment. His shoulder stiffened as the soft hand fell upon it.

"You wanted me to prove it to you, Ranma."

"I know, I just didn't want. . " he sat fully on the floor, pulling his knees up and wrapping his arms around them. OAkane sat as well, her back against his.

"Why are you so afraid, Ranma?" Her voice was so soft and gentle that Ranma finally let out a deep sigh and relaxed fully against her back.

"Do you think it's easy saying stuff like that? I learned a while ago that love isn't a battle. . . and even as a battle, I couldn't do it. I'm a fighter, Akane. I don't do all that emotion junk that well. . . and to just tell her? I can't. I just can't. What if she didn't. . "

"Didn't feel the same way? Don't you think she has the same fears that you do? Why do you think she agreed to marrying you, Ranma?"

"'cause she felt sorry for me, 'cause she wanted me to be cured. . . "

"Give me a break, Ranma. She agreed to it because she thought you loved her, and if you had just admitted to it, she would have-"

"Me admit it?!?" He turned around so quickly that OAkane fell backwards to land with her head cradled on his lap. "Why couldn't she have told me first?" He smiled shyly and helped OAkane out of his lap and into a sitting position. Oakane smiled back and reached out to touch his cheek.
"Because she was scared, just like you. Because when you denaied your feelings, it nearly broke her heart. But she does love you Ranma," she smirked, "I should know, because I feel the same way." Ranma's eyes softened.

"You're so nice." OAkane giggled, her brown eyes sparkling with mirth.

"Oh Ranma, you're so silly some times." Ranma's expression turned serious as he lifted his hand to cover hers.

"Akane. . . I want to tell you now. . . that I. . I l-l-" His brow furrowed when her hand slid from his to cover his mouth.

"Save the words for her."

"But you are her."

"I'm not your Akane, Ranma, not yet at least. Save the first time for her, she's waited long enough to hear it. Just promise me that you won't chicken out." Ranma smirked and tossed his head.

"Me? I ain't afraid of nothin'."

"Uh huh, sure."

"Hey. . . "

"Just promise me, Ranma." His face swung back towards hers and OAkane gasped at what she saw. It was her Ranma, the look in his eyes, was exactly the same. He put his shields down and openly pouring from his gaze was all the love he felt for her.

"I promise. . . Akane."

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