Author's Notes: Hello! The other day I was re-reading some Ranma 1/2 manga, and I was reminded just how adorable Ranma and Akane are when they're close together - they get all fluttered and self-conscious. Awww.. so that train of thought created this story.

Disclaimer: All of the characters from Ranma 1/2 belong to the genius Rumiko Takahashi! No profit made, etc etc.

The Warmth Found Within A Biting Cold

Ranma's eyes flickered open, his senses regaining at rapid pace as his consciousness reawakened. His back ached slightly from the awkward positioning against the rough and un-levelled rock floor. Noticing that he was crouched in a ball and following that train of thought in a dozy, slow-minded stupor, he immediately became aware of the intense cold. It was prickling at his fingertips and most keenly at his toes; he noticed he was shivering but did not move.

His sleepiness left him in a lightning-bolt of realization, as he sat upright and scanned around him. Or that is, attempted to scan – it was almost pitch black. His mind immediately went to Akane. She was, despite how he would always tease her, smaller than himself and would be equally if not more cold.

His eyes had very slightly adjusted to the (lack of) lighting and he could vaguely recognise the dim outlines of the objects around him – two packs, dumped against the cave wall to his left, one half open with the contents messily spilt out (that must be his). In front of him, where the fire had been, he could discern nothing more than a bundle of half-burnt wood scraps. And there – to his close right, a small huddled figure in a ball with her arms tightly around her legs. Akane appeared to still be sleeping, though it must have been most awkwardly judging by shivering.

Having more than an average level of knowledge concerning survival skills, he knew she should be awakened and that the fire needed to be lit again as soon as possible.

"Akane," he called gently, "Wake up."

The shadow of a figure twitched slightly but did not wake. Crawling over, he lightly put a hand on her shoulder, shocked at how cold it was. Then he realized it wasn't only her shoulder; his hands were just as frosty. He gave her a slight nudge and repeated himself. She woke with a sudden jerk as if violently pushed, sitting up and shaking her head from left to right attempting to see.

"W-w.." she began, obviously still mentally asleep.

Ranma calmed her down. She stopped panicking enough to sneeze violently. Ranma was secretly concerned, and told her, "I think we're snowed in."

They made their way to the cave entrance and sure enough, there was a pile of fresh snow blocking it from light, heat and the outside world.

Akane looked at where she guessed his face was and asked, "Can't you clear it off somehow? One of your moves?"

Ranma shook his head, explaining that he suspected they were still in the depths of the night. It was likely that the blizzard was in full motion, so clearing the tunnel would only invite winds and temperatures that would freeze them to death. They had no choice but to wait until morning.

Both of them struggled with their emotions on the inside. There was an overbearing fear of illness or at worst case death, not to mention their lack of supplies or rations. Strangely, what was more worrying to them, understandingly because of their teenage hormones, was the unspoken prospect of having to share body heat to survive. Ranma was quite thankful for the darkness, or Akane would have seen his face brighten in colour at the possibility. He hastily pushed the thought aside before he got lost in them.

They worked diligently and effectively rummaging Ranma's already open pack to find something to relight the fire with. After a brief struggle, they managed, burning paper they found.

What in the world was paper doing in one of their packs? Akane pondered. Unless it was…

She let out a brief shriek, "Ranma! That's our only map!"

His eyes went wide in realization as he grabbed the half-burning map from the fire and attempted in somewhat humorous vein to undo the damage. It was too late though as the map was half charcoal black, which detached itself and fluttered to the ground as ashes. All they had left was a small fragment.

"Er… at least it got the fire going…" he mumbled with a slight tone of amusement.

Akane however, did not appear to be so light-hearted. She seemed uncharacteristically concerned, as she put her head in her hands and brought her legs to her chest. Ranma had never seen her so vulnerable. Alarm went off in his mind – he could handle natural diasters with ease and confidence but comforting girls was something he was not apt to do.

"H-hey… Akane… c'mon, what's wrong?" he asked meekly, noticeably uncomfortable. No reply.

"Akane?"

Slowly, her eyes appeared peeking out from behind her fringe and she shot him a half-hearted look of annoyance.

"How did we get into this mess?" she mumbled.

He blinked.

The two families, the Tendos and the Saotomes, had arranged to go on a short, post-Christmas vacation together. Genma and Soun had ambiguously announced their luck in acquiring a cabin in the mountains not too far from Nermia, supposedly won from some sort of shogi competition (they were rather vague on these details), for a week-long stay within the peace of the mountain air.

There was, however, one small exception. Nabiki, as the family treasurer, declared that if they were to make it in time to stay in the cabin, their funds unfortunately stopped short of bus tickets for two of them.

After much ado and a fair share of beatings passed from Saotome father and son, it was decided that between the fit martial artists (that is, Soun, Genma, Ranma and Akane), straws would be drawn to see who would have to endure the arduous trek to the mountains on foot. After a clearly rigged drawing-of-the-straws, Ranma and Akane were loaded with supplies, a map and several winks, being told to begin their journey the very next day in order to arrive at the cabin at approximately the same time as the others. Once they realised that complaining was futile, they accepted this quagmire with mirrored expressions of hopelessness. They set off the next morning as the rays of the sun edged over the horizon and bathed the day in light of new opportunities.

Ranma fixed her with a look as they both came out of their reflections. Unable to think of something better to say, he meekly uttered, "I think our scheming parents have a little to do with it…"

Akane seemed to lighten a little and a small, but nonetheless genuine, laugh escaped her lips.

"They're paying for this…" she replied.

"Ah don't worry, I'm sure your Dad's going to suffer enough stress when he hears about it; it's my Pop who's getting a beating when we get out of here!" replied Ranma, slightly relieved that Akane's spirits where improving.

His confidence slightly wavered again as she did not give any reply. In fact, Akane was sitting in almost a trance. He was reached a hand to wave in front of her face, but moved back with surprise when she suddenly and energetically jumped to her feet.

"Okay!" she declared, newfound enthusiasm balancing out her crushed spirits before. "Let's get through tonight."

To say that he was impressed was an understatement. How could her moods fluctuate from such extremes so easily? When he was in a self-pitied depression, it usually took a lot more than a few shy comments to provoke a change of energy. He had no time for speculation, however. As the numbness in his toes bitterly reminded him, they had to do something about the cold.

Akane was already searching through both their packs for useful items. Her face changed to a strange expression. Something was clearly dawning on her. Before he could ask, she turned to him with an odd look.

"I didn't notice before," she told him, "but uhm… I think I accidentally took someone else's pack."

His eyes widened. They should have two sleeping bags, which would have sustained them to survive through the night.

"So who's pack do you have?"

"Whoever was taking the kitchen items."

He knocked a hand to his head; she tipped the bag upside down. An array of wooden cooking utensils spilt out, the only useful items being matches and a lengthy, thick tablecloth.

Ranma took out the only sleeping bag from his own pack and sighed dejectedly, mentally accepting the long night of freezing temperature awaiting him. He put the sleeping bag in front of her and resignedly took the tablecloth.

She shot him an odd look, "What are you doing?"

Of course there was no way Akane would actually want to- or even agree to- sharing a sleeping bag. There were those thoughts again. He had to check himself before his thoughts were illuminated on his face by the fire-light.

"Whaddya think? I'm going to wrap myself in this to stay warm. We only have one sleeping bag so the honourable thing is to let you have it. It's a martial artist's duty to-"

His speech was interrupted by a swift whack in the face by said sleeping bag. "Are you forgetting that I'm a martial artist as well, Ranma? Not to mention you'll freeze in that tablecloth."

"Erhm," asked Ranma in a hesitant tone, "so what do you suppose we do?"

Only after he had said this did she realize the implications of her words. One sleeping bag… her and Ranma in need of body heat… she had to turn her head pretending to sneeze to hide her face from her alarmed blush. Not that she disliked the idea, not at all, it was just … it seemed almost too convenient. After 3 years in Nermia, she had half a mind to expect Shampoo, Kodachi or Ukyo to fight their way through the blizzard, dig through the snow and attempt to pull them apart in their sleep. Yes, her brain had certainly conditioned itself to expect seemingly bizarre things. So why couldn't it accept the possibility of her and Ranma spending a night in a sleeping bag? Ack! – there was only so long she could pretend to sneeze for. She had to cut off the thoughts immediately.

They sat in silence. They moved closer to the fire and stared into its depths.

After a day of hiking and travel, they had reached the mountains. The gorgeous scenery was beguilingly innocent, giving no indication of the dangerous night they were to spend within it. They were forced to find shelter when it started snowing – they were also tired from all the travelling. On the mountainside a small tunnel was noticed with it's entrance against the mountain wall and partially also on the dirt floor; the cave tunnelled underground. They retreated within it with the intention of having a short rest, but as they ate they noticed the snow becoming increasingly intense as a snowstorm and eventually a blizzard descended. Their best option was to wait until it finished. This being agreed to, they built a small fire and nodded off for a brief sleep, waking to find that night had brought a fierce cold and entrapment within the cave.

Ranma snapped out of his stupor at Akane's (genuine) sneeze to turn to her and ask again, in a firm tone which showed it's underlying care, that she please use the sleeping bag immediately.

But what about him? She argued with stubborn reasoning. His super-ego took charge to paint a smug expression on his face, confidently reassuring her that he'd "been through worse". The act was ruined with a well-timed sneeze and violent shudder on his part.

"Ranma… we're both going to be blocks of ice by morning if we just sit here arguing," said Akane seriously.

Their eyes met and they were both sincere as facades were dropped.

"W-would you really be so against sharing a sleeping bag?" whispered Akane, her cheeks lightly tinted with a blush kept expertly under control.

Ranma however, could not keep his blush under control, as his face reddened noticeable and his eyes widened. Did he hear correctly, or was he already suffering pneumonia-induced delirium?

"N-no!" he replied suddenly, a little too energetically, remembering himself. "I mean… I wouldn't have a problem with it… if you don't." He lowered his head slightly but continued looking at her.

Akane resolved to herself not to make a big deal out of it. It was a matter of life and death, that was the only reasoning behind it. Surely. How could something so simple become a complex emotional struggle when adolescents with delicate feelings were involved?

"Well then!" she said, picking up the sleeping bag and unrolling it so the other side was at his cross-legged body. "Get in."

He almost peaked with a mixture of emotions, but rather than get inside the sleeping bag he hastily stood up.

"Ah, you get in first, Akane, I need to sort out the fire."

She stared at him with puzzlement but following her resolution, got into the sleeping bag. She attempted to move to the very edge of her side, but it was a futile battle – she was only making it twisted and messier. Her blush increased seeing just how close they would be.

Ranma, in the meantime, was attempting to recollect himself. In a bid to buy time, he was fiddling with the packs. He threw the tablecloth and the majority of the wooden kitchen utensils onto the fire, but could bide time no longer.

While Ranma did something to the fire, Akane was frantically trying to think of which way she should be facing. She had already ruled out facing her right as a possibility, as that would be the side Ranma gets in. But there would be less room if she was on her back, wouldn't there? Damn Ranma! He tricked her into getting in the sleeping bag first. He couldn't possibly know the mental turmoil she was going through.

Alas, he did. At least, thought Ranma, as he attempted to act casual as he got on his knees and crawled to the sleeping bag, the idea was working. He certainly felt warmer already.

As Akane turned onto her left side, she felt Ranma slide his way into the sleeping bag, being almost meticulously careful trying to keep his distance. But the size of the sleeping bag would have none of that. They were very much touching from shoulder to waist.

Neither of them moved, despite being terribly uncomfortable. It was extremely awkward. After a little while, Akane's teeth began to chatter.

"Are you still cold?" asked Ranma with concern.

"Um.. a little, yes," she replied, rubbing her feet together. That was an understatement, she thought to herself.

"Ah jeez…" he mumbled, "What's the point of sharing this thing if we're still cold?"

She shrugged. He felt it. She sneezed. He made a decision.

"Don't call me a pervert, okay? And please don't hit me," Ranma began rambling, building up in volume, as Akane stared at the cave wall wondering what he was on about.

"But you need to warm up or you'll get sick."

And with that last statement, he turned his body to hers and wrapped his arms around her lightly, finding her hands and covering them with his own. She made a half-choked shriek, but stopped herself and settled with a sharp intake of breath.

Great, he thought. She was probably thinking of the best way to maul him before escaping into the roaring blizzard. How foolish of him to- wait, what was that? Akane had just relaxed into him, even… wiggling closer? His thoughts blanked out as he lay there comfortably in bliss. Maybe she did like him after all.

Akane was grinning maniacally to herself, glad to be facing the rock wall. Her expression must look pretty comical by now. Ranma was warm… she intertwined her hands within his larger ones and gave them a small squeeze. He was either asleep or paralysed from shock behind her, she could tell, but either way he seemed relaxed at last. His arms tightened around her.

Starting from where their bodies connected against each other, at Ranma's chest and Akane's back, warmth was spreading slowly. It was tingling in their hands and creeping up their arms, reddening their cheeks (not that they needed help), working down their waists and being sealed in the depths of the sleeping bag. All possibilities of freezing to sickness or worse melted away.

When Ranma's mental blank disappeared, he noticed there was still one part of his body causing him discomfort. Those darn toes of his; they'd been frostbit since he woke up somewhat an hour ago. He tried rubbing his feet together but no change… he shuffled a little, trying to find a heated part of the sleeping bag to warm them against; but Akane's feet didn't reach that far down so it was nothing more than cold plastic material.

Akane noticed his wriggling, "What's the matter?"

"Uh…" he trailed off, embarrassed, "My toes are frozen."

Akane, who's own feet were blissfully warm themselves, sympathised. She was becoming sleepy, being so comfortable and feel so secure. "I'll warm 'em up for you…" she mumbled, eyes closing.

Ranma distinctively felt a warm foot shuffle in the sleeping bag and then place itself against his knee. He was wrong in thinking that he could get no more embarrassed; Akane seemed so innocent. The foot slowly travelled downwards but could not reach his toes. Akane shuffled down a bit in his embrace until her head was on his chest, and her foot found his. Her toes rubbed against his and he sighed contentedly; finally some warmth for his poor toes! Her other foot then shuffled around. Apparently it wasn't comfortable; Akane wrapped her whole leg in between his and with a final mumble, "There ya go… warm yet…", she seemingly nodded off to sleep.

Oh, and how warm he was indeed. He smiled to himself, bending his knees (Akane's knees automatically bent with them) so he could inch his body down and rest his head on the crook of her neck.

They should go tromping through blizzards more often… he thought, joining Akane in sleep.

Morning came, and the sunshine became strong enough to melt away the snow blocking the cave entrance. Soun, Genma, Nodoka, Nabiki and Kasumi were searching for their missing relatives with concern. They had heard of the dangerous blizzard which had consumed the mountain the previous day, and had no sign of Ranma or Akane at the cabin.

"Tendo, look at this!" shouted Genma. Well, he had intended to shout. Instead, he energetically waved a sign with those words on it, being in Panda form.

The others saw this and gathered at the small entrance to a cave, dripping with water from what used to be snow.

"Hmm.. we should check inside," said Soun, climbing down slightly with caution.

When they had walked a short distance to the end of the cave, they exclaimed in alarm at what they saw: Ranma and Akane huddled in a sleeping bag together, engaged in what looked like happy slumber. They were wrapped in each others' arms.

"Oh! My Ranma is a healthy, virile man after all!" said Nodoka, with obvious pride and a delighted expression.

"Oh my," said Kasumi, "But they aren't married yet, it's not right!"

Nabiki smirked amusedly, though sad that she did not have her camera, "Comfortable, guys?"

Soun and Genma were doing some kind of bizarre, jovial dance in the background, exclaiming randomly about the success of their matchmaking schemes.

Finally, the couple stirred and looked up with tired eyes. Usually, they would have jumped away in shock and begun the loud proclamations of denial. Something had changed, though. Akane merely put her head back into Ranma's chest (they had moved around in their sleep) while Ranma glared at their audience and said, with a hint of indignation, "Dya mind? We're trying to sleep here."

Nodoka shooed everyone out of the cave with a beaming face.

Bye until next time!