Disclaimer: Elly does not own Ranma.
And not Akane too.
So since I have been honest,
You have no cause to sue.
Time and Place
OR: The Fanfiction with the Cheap Title which was Late in Coming.
Time, ten fifty-four pm, New Year's Eve, this year. Place, Nerima, Japan.
Akane cast a glance over at Ranma. He wasn't paying any attention to her, as usual. Kasumi was bustling about the house, serving non-alcoholic drinks to the young people, not-so-non-alchoholic drinks to the not-so-young people, and plenty of eatables to everybody. Akane sighed a little. Kasumi sure knew how to throw a good party. Akane secretly hoped that one day, she could be as good a hostess as Kasumi, when she had guests in her own home - - that is, the one she was going to have someday.
She looked at Ranma again.
At the moment, Ukyo and Shampoo were both trying to offer Ranma a nibble from their own plates, alternately smiling winningly at him, and glaring fiercely at each other. Akane's eyes narrowed. Ranma laughed a little and raised his hands, trying to keep them from fighting over him - - literally. Akane thought he looked as if he really enjoyed it, though. She had worked up half a mind to go over and 'discuss' things with him, when-
"Akane Tendo!"
Two strong arms were thrown about her from behind and the hot breath of Tatewaki Kuno fell upon her neck as he cried, "That the fates should see fit to place us together on this blessed day! And fear not, my love, for none other than I shall be here at the sacred hour to bestow upon your gentle lips the kiss of – ow."
Akane's fist was planted firmly in the middle of his face by this time, and she was quite determined that her fist was the only part of her body that should come anywhere near Kuno's lips - - except maybe her foot or her knee, whichever was easiest.
Before Kuno had a chance to recover, the third and middle of the three Tendo sisters had spotted him.
"Kuno-baby, I was just looking for you," Nabiki Tendo chirped pleasantly, peeling him up off the floor with a cheerful air.
"Truly, Nabiki Tendo?" Kuno looked at her suspiciously. "And what could the likes of you be desiring of the great Tatewaki Kuno? Does your maiden's heart also yearn for a touch from these honeyed lips? Because while I find absolutely no pleasure in the prospect, I also seek to be a true gentleman and - -"
"No, thanks, Kuno-baby, midnight's past my bedtime," Nabiki said calmly. "I just wanted to remind you that you still owe me for that last batch of photos I gave you."
"You have the heart of a vile and greedy serpent, Nabiki Tendo."
"Well, I can't help it if I like to be punctual about business matters," Nabiki smiled, unaffected. "And that poster you wanted was rather costly. You wouldn't want the interest rate to go up, now, would you?"
Kuno growled a little. Akane rolled her eyes and started to walk off, Kuno's voice trailing off behind her.
"Very well, most wretched of females, you shall have your payment tomorrow morning . . . ."
Ranma was still over there with Ukyo and Shampoo. Now they were trying to force-feed him. Ranma had food stuffed in his cheeks and as Akane watched, he started coughing, unable to swallow anything because his mouth was too full. Akane was struck with a ridiculously strong desire to go and slap his back and bring him a glass of water and make Shampoo and Ukyo leave him alone. But then, as they did just that, minus the last of course, Akane felt herself getting upset again and wanted to slap him elsewhere instead.
Soun and Genma were both rosy-cheeked from sake and even now, playing a game of shogi, both cheating quite shamelessly. Mousse was wandering around, catching arms and shouting in faces, alternately pushing his glasses up onto his forehead and sliding them back down onto his nose. Happosai was enjoying a night on the town. Cologne was eating a plate of goodies, quietly watching Shampoo and Ranma. Ryoga had looked as though he wanted to talk to her, Akane thought, but he'd looked at her, opened his mouth, and then turned and walked outside for no apparent reason. Akane couldn't have known of course, that he'd wandered into the koi pond by mistake, but then P-chan was too short to be seen in that crowd of people so it didn't end up mattering much. Kodachi was very busy at the moment, adding green powder to glasses of punch. Akane stopped and watched her for a moment. Kodachi was shaking a little powder in the glasses, one at a time, waiting until the punch turned green, then placing them on a tray near her right shoulder. As soon as she set them down, Sasuke picked them up, dumped the green punch out into a pail and put the glasses down, empty, on a second tray. After a few moments, Kasumi came up, smiled, and set down a new tray of glasses of punch for Kodachi, who started dutifully poisoning them. Them Kasumi walked around, took the bucket, and brought it back empty a few moments later to Sasuke, who began filling it with drugged punch all over again. Kasumi then took the tray of empty glasses and walked off, presumably to fill them with punch again. Akane facefaulted. Then she smiled a little. Sure, it was weird, but it wasn't altogether unusual. In fact, everything seemed normal tonight.
Akane blinked then as something - someone - brushed past her. She turned her head. It was Ranma. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and made a strange sound, almost like he was humming, or maybe eating peanut butter.
"Mmmmmmmmm."
Akane frowned. "What?"
"Meemeooossiiiii."
"Huh?!"
Ranma sighed heavily. "I said, meet me outside," he hissed, then, ducking behind someone's shoulder, he vanished. Akane blinked, startled. She craned her neck to look for him, but the dojo was crowded and she couldn't see anything.
"Akane!"
Akane jumped. She turned around to see Shampoo and Ukyo, both looking at her suspiciously.
"Have you seen Ranma-honey?" Ukyo asked. "He was in here a minute ago."
"Ranma was talking to Shampoo and next minute - poof! - he is gone. You know where he go, Akane?"
"I, uh . . . no, I don't have any idea what's going on." Akane answered, truthfully.
"Well, if you do see him, I'll be waiting for you to tell me," Ukyo said, turning away. "I'm gonna go look for him myself."
"Shampoo also look for Ranma. Maybe he go to kitchen. Shampoo go look!"
"Wait up, I'm coming too!" Ukyo ran after the Chinese girl. Akane let her breath out in a whoosh. She turned the other way, and, casting one guilty look over her shoulder, ran out into the still, cool night.
Outside it was very quiet. Akane could see her breath raising in little puffs of steam. She could see the light of streetlamps reflecting in the koi pond. She could see the stars shining in a cold sky.
She could see all that, but she didn't see Ranma.
Feeling slightly annoyed, and more than a little chilly, Akane crossed her arms tightly and hissed, "Ranma? Where are you, dummy, I'm freezing to death."
"Shh! Shut up, you want everyone to hear you?"
Akane started as Ranma dropped down to the ground in front of her, landing noiselessly at her feet. He stood up straight. "You didn't bring a coat?" he said, casting a telling look at her shivering form.
"Of course I didn't, why should I? I don't even know why I'm out here, stupid."
"Keep your voice down. I figured you wouldn't, anyway, so here." He flicked a wrist and something soft wrapped itself around Akane's head. She pulled it off.
"What's this?"
"One of my shirts; it's all I could find. Put it on."
"What for?!"
"Shh!"
"What for?" Akane repeated in a whisper, pulling the shirt over her head anyway.
"We gotta get outta here."
"Why, are we running away from home?" Akane asked, sarcasm in her voice.
"Don't be stupid. Just for a while, that's all."
"Why?"
"Just because, that's why."
"Ranma, it's New Year's Eve!"
"I know that." Ranma looked down and stomped his feet, letting out a steaming breath.
"We're having a party."
"I know that too."
"And it's after eleven - - if we leave now, we might not be here at midnight and we won't get to watch the year turn over with everyone."
Ranma rolled his eyes. "Well, you're wearin' a watch, ain't ya?" At Akane's slow affirmative nod, he continued, "well, then you'll know what time it is and you won't miss it. Now will you come on? Somebody's gonna come out here any minute."
"Will we be back in time?" Akane persisted.
"Stop askin' dumb questions and just come on!" Ranma grabbed her hand and they both ran, Akane slightly unwillingly, out of the yard and out onto the street.
"Ranma, didn't we - come up this street once before?" Akane asked after they had run for what felt like a very long time.
"Yup," he answered calmly.
"Then why are we running down it again?!"
"To throw anyone who might be following us off the trail, of course," Ranma answered, as if it should have been obvious. Akane dug in her heels and they ground to a halt.
"Ranma, what is going on?" she demanded.
"Akane, there ain't time for this," Ranma said, sounding very impatient and putting his hands on his hips. Akane frowned and look at her watch, then gasped.
"Oh! It's after eleven-thirty! We're going to miss the new year if we don't go back now."
"We can't go back yet, stupid."
"Me stupid? ME stupid?! I'M not the one with the urge to go running all over creation in the middle of the night, on New Year's Eve, no less."
"Well, we can't stop now."
"Yes, we can! I can't run anymore! The air is freezing and my lungs hurt! I have to rest."
Ranma gave a long-suffering sigh, then reached out and picked Akane up. She gasped, face reddening, a fact which thankfully escaped Ranma in the darkness. "Hey! What are you - -"
"Just sit still and be quiet. Nobody's gonna screw this up this time, Akane, not even you."
"Well - - I - - but - - why won't you tell me what's going ON?" Ranma didn't answer and Akane was about to yell at him when he suddenly took a hard step and jumped off into what looked to Akane like the blackness of space. Whatever she had planned to say stuck in her throat and her arms tightened around Ranma's neck. But he landed with little more than a slight tap and started running again, so smoothly even with her added weight that Akane couldn't help but be impressed. And . . . she hated to admit the fact, but she rather liked it. There was something about him carrying her like this, running swiftly, jumping into the cold wind - - like being carried by - - a wild horse.
Akane blushed. 'You stupid little dummy,' she scolded herself, 'thinking ridiculous things like that. That's got to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard myself think!' To cover her embarrassment, Akane instead let herself get annoyed at the boy in whose arms she was currently situated. 'The stupid jerk. Now I'm going to miss out on being there at midnight and it's all his fault. Doesn't he ever think about anything? Probably just wants me to spar with him or something dumb like that, the jerk. And he has to be out in the middle of nowhere because . . . because . . . well, who knows why?'
It was another long time after he'd picked her up that Ranma carried Akane through the streets. They passed by other people's parties and down darkened side streets, turning this way and that, up onto a rooftop, down into an alleyway. Akane had no sense of where they could be, and if it wasn't for the discomforting thrill that came from being so close to her romantically dysfunctional fiancee, she probably would have completely lost her temper a long time ago. As it was, she was having great difficulties keeping it anyway.
Just as Akane felt her patience had given out and she wouldn't feel better until she'd bitten his head off, literally or otherwise, Ranma took one more leap and came down softly on a building top.
"Ok. Here we are."
"Here we are where?" Akane looked around as Ranma set her down gently. The world came into focus and Akane gasped. "This- - it can't be - - Ranma!" She whirled and glared at him. "You brought us to SCHOOL?! You spent half the night, a HOLIDAY night, running around in circles to bring me to SCHOOL?!"
"I had to, to get everyone off our trail."
"You really think we were being followed?"
Akane blinked as Ranma's warm hand came down over her open mouth. "Shut up for a second. Listen."
Akane listened. For a moment, she heard nothing. Then, just as she was about to bite Ranma's hand, she heard, very faint and far away, a high pitched voice.
"Ranma! Where you go?"
Then, from farther away, and in a completely different direction, a male voice. "Shampoo! Where are you?"
"Shampoo and Mousse," Akane said, her voice softening. Ranma looked smug. Akane frowned at him. "Ok, ok, so we were being followed. They've lost us now, so what's this big important reason for dragging me out here that you won't tell me about?" Ranma opened his mouth, but nothing came out. It didn't matter, though, because Akane wouldn't have been listening. She was shoving back the sleeve of Ranma's shirt, which was much too large for her and squinting at her watch. "Look at this! It's seven minutes to midnight and I'm standing on the roof of my high school - -" She looked up and her eyes glinted angrily in the starlight. "With my moronic fiancee with the empty head under the full moon." Ranma's mouth was still open. Akane turned and, putting her hands, hidden in the folds of Ranma's shirt, on her hips, she took a full breath of the cold air and barked, "Ranma Saotome, WHY did you drag me out here?!"
Ranma's mouth closed, then opened . . . then closed. He too, took a deep breath and in a low voice, he said, "Akane . . . you are . . . SO stupid."
Akane was speechless for a moment, but that was long enough. Ranma bent his neck just a bit and brought his face right up to Akane's. "If you thought about it a little, you'd figure it out," he said, his voice bordering on a growl.
Akane blinked, confused for two reasons. One was that, up close, she could see that Ranma was blushing, and badly at that. The second reason was that she was trying to think about it.
After a few seconds, she let out her breath impatiently. "There's no reason why you should want to drag me out here on New Year's Eve. On New Year's Eve, everyone is supposed to be home with their families and friends, and then at midnight, everybody will shake their noisemakers and have toasts with their punch and sing whatever that New Year's song is and couples kiss and - - "
Akane stopped talking.
Not only had sudden realization come up and slapped her on both cheeks with a wet towel, but Akane also felt as if her IQ had suddenly dropped sixty points.
Meanwhile, Ranma's blush practically glowed in the darkness.
Akane looked at his face as he avoided meeting her eyes. "Oh . . . Ranma . . . ."
"Look, before you get all mad, I wasn't gonna try nothin', not with an uncute tomboy like you, I just thought, you know, that you might be embarrassed if I . . . I mean if we . . . well, you know, with everybody lookin' and stuff!" Ranma was practically shouting.
"Who's uncute?!"
"Oh, man! Why did I ever even come up with this stupid idea! Let's just go home, Akane."
"Oh, so that's it. You'd rather be with one of your OTHER fiancees, is that it?"
"Of course not! You think I'd go to all the trouble to drag you out here if I didn't - - I-I mean . . . ."
Akane felt something catch. "Ranma . . . ."
Ranma looked away again. "Look, Akane, if you want, I'll take you home now, ok?"
"Ranma - - do you - - want to kiss me?"
"W-what?" Ranma looked at her in surprise.
Akane blushed. "Do you want to kiss me?"
"I . . . uh . . . ."
Akane couldn't look at him anymore and turned her head away. "All I mean is that - - if - - if you did - - well, I - - wouldn't mind."
"R-really?"
Akane nodded. "Uh-huh." She let her eyes drift up to Ranma's face.
Her fiancee's eyes had taken on that same look they did sometimes when he was fighting over something, or confused, or both. "I . . . I guess I - - wouldn't mind either," he said with some slight confusion, his voice cracking a little.
Akane took a step towards him, then another. Ranma looked as if he would have liked to step backwards, but he didn't let himself. Instead, he stood his ground, clenching his fists. A nervous chuckle escaped his lips.
"Uh . . . heh heh . . . um . . . are you sure you really want me t-to . . . ?"
Akane looked up into his eyes. Her own were wide and strangely bright. "Ranma - - if you chicken out now, I swear I'll never speak to you again for the rest of my life."
She hoped Ranma would understand that she meant 'yes'.
Ranma looked at her for a minute, then, took a step forward to meet her. Her face felt hot as he put his arms around her shoulders. She rested hers on his chest and they looked at each other for a few seconds. Akane frowned a little then, and closing her eyes, she tilted her face up towards Ranma's. For a second or two, nothing happened. Then, she felt Ranma's warm breath brush her face.
"So damn cute," he whispered hoarsely.
They kissed.
It would be impossible to describe how the kiss felt, suffice it to say that it felt very nice and both boy and girl liked it very much. Neither of them had ever actually shared a kiss with anyone before, not on purpose anyway. Certainly, Ranma had been kissed enough times, but that wasn't the same thing as kissing and being kissed all at once. A soft boom echoed across the buildings from somewhere near the ocean and a brilliant flash of fireworks lit up the sky. When Ranma and Akane finally pulled apart and looked up, the sky was awash with bright colors. Akane put her head on Ranma's shoulder to watch the fireworks and felt his heart beating - - as fast as hers. His hold on her tightened. Akane swallowed once or twice before saying in a low voice,
"Happy New Year, Ranma."
" . . . Happy New Year, Akane."
Epilogue
The Tendo Dojo was dimly lit and very still as Ranma and Akane approached it at sixty-three minutes after midnight. They looked at each other nervously in the dim light. They didn't even need to ask each other why it was so quiet or where everyone was, because it was obvious that both of them wondered and neither of them knew. Hand-in-hand as they'd been for the majority of the walk home, they went to the dojo door and Ranma nervously slid it open. Akane peeked around his shoulder.
They both blinked.
All their guests, including Ukyo, Shampoo, Mousse, Ryoga (human at this point), Kuno, Kodachi, Tsubasa (come to think of it, Ranma didn't remember his having been invited at all), and most everyone else they knew, were snoring peacefully on blankets and futons, all over the dojo floor. As they looked on, they suddenly noticed Kasumi and Nabiki sitting in the far corner of the dojo, toasting each other with cups of hot tea. Kasumi looked at their joined hands and smiled. Ranma blushed deeply, but didn't release Akane's hand. That fact didn't escape her and caused something warm and fuzzy to settle itself in her stomach.
"Well, well, well, look who's come home," Nabiki said, her teasing words taking on a not altogether unkind tone.
"I'm glad you're back, it's not good for young people your ages to be out alone too late at night."
"Er . . . well, what happened to everyone?" Akane asked, eager to change the subject.
Kasumi looked around. "Oh, yes. Well, you see, Kodachi seemed so intent on putting sleeping potion in all the punch, you know, so I was taking all the punch and putting it in the kitchen, just in case."
"Who would want pea-green punch, anyway?" Nabiki asked, sipping her tea.
"And then I saw you and Ranma slipping out the door and thought you might like a little time alone together."
"So we slipped all the punch into the pastry batter and served them up after you left," Nabiki finished, grinning.
"Really? You did that for - - us?" Akane said.
Kasumi smiled. "It's a special day, Akane. Of course you'd want to be with your fiancee."
Akane and Ranma glanced at each other, then, dropping each other's hands, quickly turned their heads opposite directions. In doing so, Akane caught sight of her father and Ranma's, both snoring away with the best of them. "Hey, you mean you drugged Dad and Mr. Saotome too?"
Nabiki stretched leisurely and put her arms behind her head, smiling. "Oh, no, we didn't have to. They corked themselves better than we could have done with no help at all."
Kasumi put a hand to her cheek. "I don't suppose it's really good for them, but Father and Mr. Saotome kept saying that it's a special occasion and only comes once a year."
"Yeah, just like Christmas." Akane said.
"And Valentine's Day." Added Ranma.
"And White Day."
"And Golden Week."
"And Halloween."
"And the Emperor's Birthday."
"And Casual Day."
"And Give Your Pet a Hug Day."
"Yes, exactly," Kasumi said, nodding. "Anyway, since we're all still awake, would you mind too much helping me clean up just a bit before bed?"
"No problem, Kasumi. Ranma and I can clear up in here. You can go tidy the kitchen."
"I'll help you, Kasumi," Nabiki offered. She winked at the couple. "Don't stay up too late now. Night-night."
Ranma picked up a trash bag and began picking up paper plates and cups. Akane got a broom and began sweeping away at the streamers and confetti littering the floor.
All at once, with a bump, she backed into Ranma and jumped, startled. She turned around.
"S-sorry. . . ."
"S'okay." He paused. "Akane . . . ."
"Yes?"
Ranma shook his head. "It's nothing. Just . . . well, about before, it was - - well - - you know."
Akane nodded. "I know, Ranma. I - - I thought so too," she added casually. Ranma grinned at her back, then went back to picking up the trash.
They cleaned up the dojo together and then went to bed in their respective rooms and slept hardly at all and the next morning several people were very upset that they'd missed out on certain kisses and when Ranma and Akane came down for breakfast, they were all there, ready to file their complaints.
But Ranma looked at Akane and Akane looked at Ranma . . .
And then it wasn't so bad.
The End. August 18, 2003.
Author's Notes: Yes! I wrote this back in August and I couldn't even get it posted in time for New Years! I'm very sorry, but the holidays were very, very busy for me this year. I hope you enjoyed this fic anyway, even thought it was late. Expect my Christmas story sometime in July *weep*. Anyway, thanks for reading! Please review! Love, Elly
And not Akane too.
So since I have been honest,
You have no cause to sue.
Time and Place
OR: The Fanfiction with the Cheap Title which was Late in Coming.
Time, ten fifty-four pm, New Year's Eve, this year. Place, Nerima, Japan.
Akane cast a glance over at Ranma. He wasn't paying any attention to her, as usual. Kasumi was bustling about the house, serving non-alcoholic drinks to the young people, not-so-non-alchoholic drinks to the not-so-young people, and plenty of eatables to everybody. Akane sighed a little. Kasumi sure knew how to throw a good party. Akane secretly hoped that one day, she could be as good a hostess as Kasumi, when she had guests in her own home - - that is, the one she was going to have someday.
She looked at Ranma again.
At the moment, Ukyo and Shampoo were both trying to offer Ranma a nibble from their own plates, alternately smiling winningly at him, and glaring fiercely at each other. Akane's eyes narrowed. Ranma laughed a little and raised his hands, trying to keep them from fighting over him - - literally. Akane thought he looked as if he really enjoyed it, though. She had worked up half a mind to go over and 'discuss' things with him, when-
"Akane Tendo!"
Two strong arms were thrown about her from behind and the hot breath of Tatewaki Kuno fell upon her neck as he cried, "That the fates should see fit to place us together on this blessed day! And fear not, my love, for none other than I shall be here at the sacred hour to bestow upon your gentle lips the kiss of – ow."
Akane's fist was planted firmly in the middle of his face by this time, and she was quite determined that her fist was the only part of her body that should come anywhere near Kuno's lips - - except maybe her foot or her knee, whichever was easiest.
Before Kuno had a chance to recover, the third and middle of the three Tendo sisters had spotted him.
"Kuno-baby, I was just looking for you," Nabiki Tendo chirped pleasantly, peeling him up off the floor with a cheerful air.
"Truly, Nabiki Tendo?" Kuno looked at her suspiciously. "And what could the likes of you be desiring of the great Tatewaki Kuno? Does your maiden's heart also yearn for a touch from these honeyed lips? Because while I find absolutely no pleasure in the prospect, I also seek to be a true gentleman and - -"
"No, thanks, Kuno-baby, midnight's past my bedtime," Nabiki said calmly. "I just wanted to remind you that you still owe me for that last batch of photos I gave you."
"You have the heart of a vile and greedy serpent, Nabiki Tendo."
"Well, I can't help it if I like to be punctual about business matters," Nabiki smiled, unaffected. "And that poster you wanted was rather costly. You wouldn't want the interest rate to go up, now, would you?"
Kuno growled a little. Akane rolled her eyes and started to walk off, Kuno's voice trailing off behind her.
"Very well, most wretched of females, you shall have your payment tomorrow morning . . . ."
Ranma was still over there with Ukyo and Shampoo. Now they were trying to force-feed him. Ranma had food stuffed in his cheeks and as Akane watched, he started coughing, unable to swallow anything because his mouth was too full. Akane was struck with a ridiculously strong desire to go and slap his back and bring him a glass of water and make Shampoo and Ukyo leave him alone. But then, as they did just that, minus the last of course, Akane felt herself getting upset again and wanted to slap him elsewhere instead.
Soun and Genma were both rosy-cheeked from sake and even now, playing a game of shogi, both cheating quite shamelessly. Mousse was wandering around, catching arms and shouting in faces, alternately pushing his glasses up onto his forehead and sliding them back down onto his nose. Happosai was enjoying a night on the town. Cologne was eating a plate of goodies, quietly watching Shampoo and Ranma. Ryoga had looked as though he wanted to talk to her, Akane thought, but he'd looked at her, opened his mouth, and then turned and walked outside for no apparent reason. Akane couldn't have known of course, that he'd wandered into the koi pond by mistake, but then P-chan was too short to be seen in that crowd of people so it didn't end up mattering much. Kodachi was very busy at the moment, adding green powder to glasses of punch. Akane stopped and watched her for a moment. Kodachi was shaking a little powder in the glasses, one at a time, waiting until the punch turned green, then placing them on a tray near her right shoulder. As soon as she set them down, Sasuke picked them up, dumped the green punch out into a pail and put the glasses down, empty, on a second tray. After a few moments, Kasumi came up, smiled, and set down a new tray of glasses of punch for Kodachi, who started dutifully poisoning them. Them Kasumi walked around, took the bucket, and brought it back empty a few moments later to Sasuke, who began filling it with drugged punch all over again. Kasumi then took the tray of empty glasses and walked off, presumably to fill them with punch again. Akane facefaulted. Then she smiled a little. Sure, it was weird, but it wasn't altogether unusual. In fact, everything seemed normal tonight.
Akane blinked then as something - someone - brushed past her. She turned her head. It was Ranma. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and made a strange sound, almost like he was humming, or maybe eating peanut butter.
"Mmmmmmmmm."
Akane frowned. "What?"
"Meemeooossiiiii."
"Huh?!"
Ranma sighed heavily. "I said, meet me outside," he hissed, then, ducking behind someone's shoulder, he vanished. Akane blinked, startled. She craned her neck to look for him, but the dojo was crowded and she couldn't see anything.
"Akane!"
Akane jumped. She turned around to see Shampoo and Ukyo, both looking at her suspiciously.
"Have you seen Ranma-honey?" Ukyo asked. "He was in here a minute ago."
"Ranma was talking to Shampoo and next minute - poof! - he is gone. You know where he go, Akane?"
"I, uh . . . no, I don't have any idea what's going on." Akane answered, truthfully.
"Well, if you do see him, I'll be waiting for you to tell me," Ukyo said, turning away. "I'm gonna go look for him myself."
"Shampoo also look for Ranma. Maybe he go to kitchen. Shampoo go look!"
"Wait up, I'm coming too!" Ukyo ran after the Chinese girl. Akane let her breath out in a whoosh. She turned the other way, and, casting one guilty look over her shoulder, ran out into the still, cool night.
Outside it was very quiet. Akane could see her breath raising in little puffs of steam. She could see the light of streetlamps reflecting in the koi pond. She could see the stars shining in a cold sky.
She could see all that, but she didn't see Ranma.
Feeling slightly annoyed, and more than a little chilly, Akane crossed her arms tightly and hissed, "Ranma? Where are you, dummy, I'm freezing to death."
"Shh! Shut up, you want everyone to hear you?"
Akane started as Ranma dropped down to the ground in front of her, landing noiselessly at her feet. He stood up straight. "You didn't bring a coat?" he said, casting a telling look at her shivering form.
"Of course I didn't, why should I? I don't even know why I'm out here, stupid."
"Keep your voice down. I figured you wouldn't, anyway, so here." He flicked a wrist and something soft wrapped itself around Akane's head. She pulled it off.
"What's this?"
"One of my shirts; it's all I could find. Put it on."
"What for?!"
"Shh!"
"What for?" Akane repeated in a whisper, pulling the shirt over her head anyway.
"We gotta get outta here."
"Why, are we running away from home?" Akane asked, sarcasm in her voice.
"Don't be stupid. Just for a while, that's all."
"Why?"
"Just because, that's why."
"Ranma, it's New Year's Eve!"
"I know that." Ranma looked down and stomped his feet, letting out a steaming breath.
"We're having a party."
"I know that too."
"And it's after eleven - - if we leave now, we might not be here at midnight and we won't get to watch the year turn over with everyone."
Ranma rolled his eyes. "Well, you're wearin' a watch, ain't ya?" At Akane's slow affirmative nod, he continued, "well, then you'll know what time it is and you won't miss it. Now will you come on? Somebody's gonna come out here any minute."
"Will we be back in time?" Akane persisted.
"Stop askin' dumb questions and just come on!" Ranma grabbed her hand and they both ran, Akane slightly unwillingly, out of the yard and out onto the street.
"Ranma, didn't we - come up this street once before?" Akane asked after they had run for what felt like a very long time.
"Yup," he answered calmly.
"Then why are we running down it again?!"
"To throw anyone who might be following us off the trail, of course," Ranma answered, as if it should have been obvious. Akane dug in her heels and they ground to a halt.
"Ranma, what is going on?" she demanded.
"Akane, there ain't time for this," Ranma said, sounding very impatient and putting his hands on his hips. Akane frowned and look at her watch, then gasped.
"Oh! It's after eleven-thirty! We're going to miss the new year if we don't go back now."
"We can't go back yet, stupid."
"Me stupid? ME stupid?! I'M not the one with the urge to go running all over creation in the middle of the night, on New Year's Eve, no less."
"Well, we can't stop now."
"Yes, we can! I can't run anymore! The air is freezing and my lungs hurt! I have to rest."
Ranma gave a long-suffering sigh, then reached out and picked Akane up. She gasped, face reddening, a fact which thankfully escaped Ranma in the darkness. "Hey! What are you - -"
"Just sit still and be quiet. Nobody's gonna screw this up this time, Akane, not even you."
"Well - - I - - but - - why won't you tell me what's going ON?" Ranma didn't answer and Akane was about to yell at him when he suddenly took a hard step and jumped off into what looked to Akane like the blackness of space. Whatever she had planned to say stuck in her throat and her arms tightened around Ranma's neck. But he landed with little more than a slight tap and started running again, so smoothly even with her added weight that Akane couldn't help but be impressed. And . . . she hated to admit the fact, but she rather liked it. There was something about him carrying her like this, running swiftly, jumping into the cold wind - - like being carried by - - a wild horse.
Akane blushed. 'You stupid little dummy,' she scolded herself, 'thinking ridiculous things like that. That's got to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard myself think!' To cover her embarrassment, Akane instead let herself get annoyed at the boy in whose arms she was currently situated. 'The stupid jerk. Now I'm going to miss out on being there at midnight and it's all his fault. Doesn't he ever think about anything? Probably just wants me to spar with him or something dumb like that, the jerk. And he has to be out in the middle of nowhere because . . . because . . . well, who knows why?'
It was another long time after he'd picked her up that Ranma carried Akane through the streets. They passed by other people's parties and down darkened side streets, turning this way and that, up onto a rooftop, down into an alleyway. Akane had no sense of where they could be, and if it wasn't for the discomforting thrill that came from being so close to her romantically dysfunctional fiancee, she probably would have completely lost her temper a long time ago. As it was, she was having great difficulties keeping it anyway.
Just as Akane felt her patience had given out and she wouldn't feel better until she'd bitten his head off, literally or otherwise, Ranma took one more leap and came down softly on a building top.
"Ok. Here we are."
"Here we are where?" Akane looked around as Ranma set her down gently. The world came into focus and Akane gasped. "This- - it can't be - - Ranma!" She whirled and glared at him. "You brought us to SCHOOL?! You spent half the night, a HOLIDAY night, running around in circles to bring me to SCHOOL?!"
"I had to, to get everyone off our trail."
"You really think we were being followed?"
Akane blinked as Ranma's warm hand came down over her open mouth. "Shut up for a second. Listen."
Akane listened. For a moment, she heard nothing. Then, just as she was about to bite Ranma's hand, she heard, very faint and far away, a high pitched voice.
"Ranma! Where you go?"
Then, from farther away, and in a completely different direction, a male voice. "Shampoo! Where are you?"
"Shampoo and Mousse," Akane said, her voice softening. Ranma looked smug. Akane frowned at him. "Ok, ok, so we were being followed. They've lost us now, so what's this big important reason for dragging me out here that you won't tell me about?" Ranma opened his mouth, but nothing came out. It didn't matter, though, because Akane wouldn't have been listening. She was shoving back the sleeve of Ranma's shirt, which was much too large for her and squinting at her watch. "Look at this! It's seven minutes to midnight and I'm standing on the roof of my high school - -" She looked up and her eyes glinted angrily in the starlight. "With my moronic fiancee with the empty head under the full moon." Ranma's mouth was still open. Akane turned and, putting her hands, hidden in the folds of Ranma's shirt, on her hips, she took a full breath of the cold air and barked, "Ranma Saotome, WHY did you drag me out here?!"
Ranma's mouth closed, then opened . . . then closed. He too, took a deep breath and in a low voice, he said, "Akane . . . you are . . . SO stupid."
Akane was speechless for a moment, but that was long enough. Ranma bent his neck just a bit and brought his face right up to Akane's. "If you thought about it a little, you'd figure it out," he said, his voice bordering on a growl.
Akane blinked, confused for two reasons. One was that, up close, she could see that Ranma was blushing, and badly at that. The second reason was that she was trying to think about it.
After a few seconds, she let out her breath impatiently. "There's no reason why you should want to drag me out here on New Year's Eve. On New Year's Eve, everyone is supposed to be home with their families and friends, and then at midnight, everybody will shake their noisemakers and have toasts with their punch and sing whatever that New Year's song is and couples kiss and - - "
Akane stopped talking.
Not only had sudden realization come up and slapped her on both cheeks with a wet towel, but Akane also felt as if her IQ had suddenly dropped sixty points.
Meanwhile, Ranma's blush practically glowed in the darkness.
Akane looked at his face as he avoided meeting her eyes. "Oh . . . Ranma . . . ."
"Look, before you get all mad, I wasn't gonna try nothin', not with an uncute tomboy like you, I just thought, you know, that you might be embarrassed if I . . . I mean if we . . . well, you know, with everybody lookin' and stuff!" Ranma was practically shouting.
"Who's uncute?!"
"Oh, man! Why did I ever even come up with this stupid idea! Let's just go home, Akane."
"Oh, so that's it. You'd rather be with one of your OTHER fiancees, is that it?"
"Of course not! You think I'd go to all the trouble to drag you out here if I didn't - - I-I mean . . . ."
Akane felt something catch. "Ranma . . . ."
Ranma looked away again. "Look, Akane, if you want, I'll take you home now, ok?"
"Ranma - - do you - - want to kiss me?"
"W-what?" Ranma looked at her in surprise.
Akane blushed. "Do you want to kiss me?"
"I . . . uh . . . ."
Akane couldn't look at him anymore and turned her head away. "All I mean is that - - if - - if you did - - well, I - - wouldn't mind."
"R-really?"
Akane nodded. "Uh-huh." She let her eyes drift up to Ranma's face.
Her fiancee's eyes had taken on that same look they did sometimes when he was fighting over something, or confused, or both. "I . . . I guess I - - wouldn't mind either," he said with some slight confusion, his voice cracking a little.
Akane took a step towards him, then another. Ranma looked as if he would have liked to step backwards, but he didn't let himself. Instead, he stood his ground, clenching his fists. A nervous chuckle escaped his lips.
"Uh . . . heh heh . . . um . . . are you sure you really want me t-to . . . ?"
Akane looked up into his eyes. Her own were wide and strangely bright. "Ranma - - if you chicken out now, I swear I'll never speak to you again for the rest of my life."
She hoped Ranma would understand that she meant 'yes'.
Ranma looked at her for a minute, then, took a step forward to meet her. Her face felt hot as he put his arms around her shoulders. She rested hers on his chest and they looked at each other for a few seconds. Akane frowned a little then, and closing her eyes, she tilted her face up towards Ranma's. For a second or two, nothing happened. Then, she felt Ranma's warm breath brush her face.
"So damn cute," he whispered hoarsely.
They kissed.
It would be impossible to describe how the kiss felt, suffice it to say that it felt very nice and both boy and girl liked it very much. Neither of them had ever actually shared a kiss with anyone before, not on purpose anyway. Certainly, Ranma had been kissed enough times, but that wasn't the same thing as kissing and being kissed all at once. A soft boom echoed across the buildings from somewhere near the ocean and a brilliant flash of fireworks lit up the sky. When Ranma and Akane finally pulled apart and looked up, the sky was awash with bright colors. Akane put her head on Ranma's shoulder to watch the fireworks and felt his heart beating - - as fast as hers. His hold on her tightened. Akane swallowed once or twice before saying in a low voice,
"Happy New Year, Ranma."
" . . . Happy New Year, Akane."
Epilogue
The Tendo Dojo was dimly lit and very still as Ranma and Akane approached it at sixty-three minutes after midnight. They looked at each other nervously in the dim light. They didn't even need to ask each other why it was so quiet or where everyone was, because it was obvious that both of them wondered and neither of them knew. Hand-in-hand as they'd been for the majority of the walk home, they went to the dojo door and Ranma nervously slid it open. Akane peeked around his shoulder.
They both blinked.
All their guests, including Ukyo, Shampoo, Mousse, Ryoga (human at this point), Kuno, Kodachi, Tsubasa (come to think of it, Ranma didn't remember his having been invited at all), and most everyone else they knew, were snoring peacefully on blankets and futons, all over the dojo floor. As they looked on, they suddenly noticed Kasumi and Nabiki sitting in the far corner of the dojo, toasting each other with cups of hot tea. Kasumi looked at their joined hands and smiled. Ranma blushed deeply, but didn't release Akane's hand. That fact didn't escape her and caused something warm and fuzzy to settle itself in her stomach.
"Well, well, well, look who's come home," Nabiki said, her teasing words taking on a not altogether unkind tone.
"I'm glad you're back, it's not good for young people your ages to be out alone too late at night."
"Er . . . well, what happened to everyone?" Akane asked, eager to change the subject.
Kasumi looked around. "Oh, yes. Well, you see, Kodachi seemed so intent on putting sleeping potion in all the punch, you know, so I was taking all the punch and putting it in the kitchen, just in case."
"Who would want pea-green punch, anyway?" Nabiki asked, sipping her tea.
"And then I saw you and Ranma slipping out the door and thought you might like a little time alone together."
"So we slipped all the punch into the pastry batter and served them up after you left," Nabiki finished, grinning.
"Really? You did that for - - us?" Akane said.
Kasumi smiled. "It's a special day, Akane. Of course you'd want to be with your fiancee."
Akane and Ranma glanced at each other, then, dropping each other's hands, quickly turned their heads opposite directions. In doing so, Akane caught sight of her father and Ranma's, both snoring away with the best of them. "Hey, you mean you drugged Dad and Mr. Saotome too?"
Nabiki stretched leisurely and put her arms behind her head, smiling. "Oh, no, we didn't have to. They corked themselves better than we could have done with no help at all."
Kasumi put a hand to her cheek. "I don't suppose it's really good for them, but Father and Mr. Saotome kept saying that it's a special occasion and only comes once a year."
"Yeah, just like Christmas." Akane said.
"And Valentine's Day." Added Ranma.
"And White Day."
"And Golden Week."
"And Halloween."
"And the Emperor's Birthday."
"And Casual Day."
"And Give Your Pet a Hug Day."
"Yes, exactly," Kasumi said, nodding. "Anyway, since we're all still awake, would you mind too much helping me clean up just a bit before bed?"
"No problem, Kasumi. Ranma and I can clear up in here. You can go tidy the kitchen."
"I'll help you, Kasumi," Nabiki offered. She winked at the couple. "Don't stay up too late now. Night-night."
Ranma picked up a trash bag and began picking up paper plates and cups. Akane got a broom and began sweeping away at the streamers and confetti littering the floor.
All at once, with a bump, she backed into Ranma and jumped, startled. She turned around.
"S-sorry. . . ."
"S'okay." He paused. "Akane . . . ."
"Yes?"
Ranma shook his head. "It's nothing. Just . . . well, about before, it was - - well - - you know."
Akane nodded. "I know, Ranma. I - - I thought so too," she added casually. Ranma grinned at her back, then went back to picking up the trash.
They cleaned up the dojo together and then went to bed in their respective rooms and slept hardly at all and the next morning several people were very upset that they'd missed out on certain kisses and when Ranma and Akane came down for breakfast, they were all there, ready to file their complaints.
But Ranma looked at Akane and Akane looked at Ranma . . .
And then it wasn't so bad.
The End. August 18, 2003.
Author's Notes: Yes! I wrote this back in August and I couldn't even get it posted in time for New Years! I'm very sorry, but the holidays were very, very busy for me this year. I hope you enjoyed this fic anyway, even thought it was late. Expect my Christmas story sometime in July *weep*. Anyway, thanks for reading! Please review! Love, Elly